Recovering From A New Year's Day Party

New Year's Day Party means different things to everyone. For youthful partiers, wild town carousers and binge drinkers, January 1st is a day of rest, detox and struggling to overcome a brutal hangover.

The first day of the new year will be spent drinking lots of fluid, lying in bed and perhaps meandering to the couch to watch TV. For sports fans, January 1st is a day of college football, snacks and friendship.

For go-getters and agenda-setters, January 1st is a fresh start and the perfect day to start on those New Years resolutions. If your family is in town, you may be looking for activities to share with your relatives.

There are many New Year's Day activities for families to enjoy. If you live in a winter wonderland, you can bundle up and go ice skating, snow shoeing or cross-country skiing on January 1st, following up your chilly activity with a nice hot cocoa or coffee.

If braving the elements just isn't your thing, then why not start a family New Years tradition of bowling and feasting on pizza? This can be a great open invitation to all your cousins, siblings, in-laws, aunts and uncles too. Many families also enjoy going to an afternoon matinee the day after a rowdy New Year's Eve.

You can also combine this with a nice dinner out somewhere, but be sure to make reservations, buy your movie tickets in advance and arrive early to avoid all the hassle of a popular idea.

Many people like to use New Year's Day to turn a new leaf. Some like to gather their friends together and volunteer. Perhaps they'll serve food at a local soup kitchen, walk dogs at a nearby animal shelter or visit residents in nursing homes.

You may also volunteer a show of support for our troops by creating care packages for those brave soldiers who spent their holiday in Iraq and Afghanistan. A good place to look for opportunities near you is www.ivolunteer.org.

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Celebrating All Over Town With New Year's Eve Parties

New Year's Eve parties used to be celebrated at the homes of family and friends. However, since massive-scale parties are broadcast on television for all to see, there is a longing in many Americans to hit the streets and live large for the night.

Whether you plan on bundling up in Times Square or wearing that slinky dress to a Miami gala event, there are many options for the New Year's Eve party hunter. Yet, beware. The only way to orchestrate such an elaborate trip is to book everything well in advance to avoid any disappointment, as tickets usually sell out months in advance!

Some people would rather attend New Year's Eve parties someplace warm. South Beach New Year's Eve is simply out of this world! New Years Miami promises sightings of celebrities -- like Lindsay Lohan, who is hosting the New Year's Eve South Beach party at The Mansion, where you can enjoy unlimited premium bar drinks for $200.

Celebrity John Legend will be hanging out at Prive Nightclub this year, which is selling tickets for $200 as well. Or you can hang out at the Opium Hard Rock Nightclub for $100, Louis Nightclub for $200 or SET Nightclub for $250, all of which include all premium bar drinks. For more information, check out www.sobenewyears.com.

There are celebrations pretty much everywhere, so it's up to you what sort of New Year's Eve parties you'd like to attend. For some people, it's all about the warm weather and the beaches.

After all, why not start the new year with a pleasant vacation an escape from the dreary winter weather? For others, it's about New Year traditions and experiencing the Big Apple like they've seen on television since they were kids.

For sports fanatics, it's about the big game and tailgating with friends. One thing is for sure: you do not want to spend this New Year's Eve sitting home with a box of wine! Start this year off motivated and adventurous -- and good things are sure to come your way!

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Making Your Decision For A New Years Eve Event

Finding the right New Years Eve event can be difficult, with so many options out there, and it takes a bit of soul-searching to know what factors matter most. Hardy partiers want the most people, the most booze and the most epic celebration, so only Times Square will do.

Older couples want the most reasonable prices, least amount of travel time and finest food, so a fireworks cruise is more their speed. Over-zealous partiers who've experienced one too many hangovers may opt to just sleep the night away, while new homeowners might feel a house gathering is in order.

Here is an overview of some holiday events that might satiate your craving for "the party of the year."

Another type of New Years Eve event is a parade. Some localities have their parades bright and early on New Years Day, but you can also sometimes find illuminated parades on New Year's Eve.

Anchorage, Alaska is well-known for their Torchlight Parade and Fireworks Display, which involves skiers and snowboarders cascading down Mt. Alyeska carrying torches. In Dallas, Texas, the Cotton Bowl Parade takes place on December 31st at 3 pm traversing from Ross Avenue and Pearl Street to the West End.

Boston has one of the best New Year's Eve parades beginning at 5:30 pm at the Hynes Convention Center, migrating to the Boston Commons, where there will be a magical 12-minute fireworks display. Seattle and NYC sometimes host parades as well.

Sometimes a New Years Eve event is just all-around undesirable. When caught between the prospects of attending a poorly planned party, an expensive club event or navigating anywhere out in the lousy weather, many people opt to just stay home.

The older you get, the less adventurous your New Year's Eve plans usually become. You're tired, you don't want to spend the money and that bottle of champagne you received as a gift last year is just fine.

Perhaps you've even thought ahead and purchased your favorite TV box set or maybe you'll settle for a Monty Python, Twilight Zone or M*A*S*H rerun marathon. You'll probably watch the anticlimax of the ball dropping at midnight and toast your partner before nodding off, but at least you won't be terribly hung-over or broke the next day.

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Many Similarities Between Christmas And Hanukkah Traditions

Christmas and Hanukkah both have their own sets of traditions, in which Christian and Jewish people, respectively, participate. According to the Jewish Hanukkah story, Maccabees and his people went to the temple and cleaned and repaired it.

The temple had been looted and destroyed during the Maccabees revolt. After the repairs and cleaning was done, the people wanted to rededicate the temple. They had to light the Hanukkah menorah for the rededication ceremony.

However, there was only a small flask of oil available that would only burn for one night. They decided to light the menorah. The oil kept burning for eight days, just enough time for them to get more oil.

This miracle is commemorated by the Jewish people by lighting candles on the Hanukkah Menorah for each day of Hanukkah, which is eight days. Christmas, on the other hand, is the Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus.

While holiday foods may be traditional, you do not have to participate in Christmas and Hanukkah to enjoy them. One Hanukkah traditional food is jelly doughnuts, which do not have a hole but are very popular in Israel.

The doughnuts are called sufganiyot and are sold over the month before Hanukkah begins. To make the doughnuts, one drops the dough into hot oil without shaping it. The result is a funny and odd shaped doughnut that is then covered in powdered cinnamon or sugar.

While these doughnuts are not traditional in the Christmas holiday, cookies can be found in great abundance during the Christian celebration.

For both Christmas and Hanukkah, people exchange gifts and cards as part of their celebrations. Many traditions are largely celebrated within both the Hanukkah and Christmas holidays.

Both are religious holidays, however Christmas is also celebrated by individuals who do not participate in the religious traditions. For many, Christmas is more of a cultural celebration.

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Surprise Your Friends And Family With Gift Baskets For Christmas

Gift baskets for Christmas are easy to arrange for the special people in your life. With gift baskets there are many options, allowing you to customize and create the ideal gift to please the receiver of your gift.

For example, you can find out their ideal gift by discreetly asking questions about their favourite foods, clothes and movies. For example, you may find out a friend loves to work in the garden, so you can buy a new set of garden tools to include in your gift basket, to replace their old worn out tools.

The biggest surprise is to receive a gift they will use every day, like garden tools in their garden. This is why you should make discreet enquiries, before you decide what to include in your gift baskets for Christmas.

If you know the receiver is a coffee aficionado, then discreetly find out their favourite choice of coffee and include it in your Christmas gift basket. You can include personalized coffee mugs and even a coffee maker, depending on your budget.

If you know your sweetheart loves chocolate covered strawberries, then place an order at the gourmet food store and surprise her on Christmas Day. It will look like a Valentine gift, but it will be much better. Adding a bunch of red and white roses, will add the icing on the cake.

There is no end of ideas for customized gift baskets for Christmas.

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Celebrating Christmas With The Holiday Feast

The holiday feast of winter solstice dates back roughly three centuries preceding Christ. In celebration of the harvest, people ate whatever was in abundance, while also taking a moment to pray to the gods for a good season coming up.

While we may not eat the same things, the communal meal on Christmas is still a focal point of our festive gatherings and one that borrows from many other cultural traditions.

Colonial America had a different sort of Christmas day meal. Culinary historians say the holiday feasts of 1769 included eggnog, Virginia ham, biscuits, corn pudding, chicken and oyster pie, pumpkin chips, cucumber pickles, mincemeat pie, Filbert pudding, honey flummery, plum pudding, coffee and walnuts.

In Williamsburg, feasters also ate cheese wafers, chilled crab gumbo, mushroom dressing, turkey, celery with pecans, ambrosia and drank wassail. In Mount Vernon, onion soups, half-shell oysters, broiled salt roe herring, boiled rockfish and baked acorn squash were readily available.

On the side, they had candied sweet potatoes, spiced peaches, Port wine, cranberries, cherry pie, apple pie, plums in wine jelly, roast turkey and hominy pudding too. Each table showcased a bountiful harvest from all the hard work America's earliest pioneers underwent.

The holiday feast just wouldn't be complete without Christmas candy! While today chocolate and candy are associated with everything from Christmas to Halloween, to Valentine's Day to Easter, these treats were reserved only for holiday season treats for the wealthy because sugar was very expensive.

The candy canes we so commonly chomp on today were originally manufactured as lozenges, and as medicine to treat coughs, colds and infections. Today, down the aisles of supermarkets, there are Christmas-themed chocolates, Peeps, M&Ms, Snickers bars, foil wrapped Santas, suckers and candies of all types marketed as Christmas gifts.

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The Many Different Traditions Of Hanukkah And Christmas

Two popular holidays, Hanukkah and Christmas are observed very differently. The Hanukkah holiday is observed for eight days by the Jewish people in commemoration of the victory of Maccabees and the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem.

The Christmas holiday, however, is observed for one day, December 25th. Hanukkah comes on the 25th day of Kislev, or in the third month on the Hebraic calendar, which is usually in late December according to the Gregorian calendar.

Other names that depict this festival include: Feast of Maccabees, Festival of Lights and Feast of Dedication. The word "Hanukkah" means dedication in Hebrew. Friends and families partake in Hanukkah gift giving on every day of the eight-day celebration.

During the Hanukkah holiday, there are many traditions that are followed. One of them is the dreidel, which is a four-sided spinning top. The spinning top was a popular decoy for Jews during the religious persecutions when Antiochus was ruling.

When they assembled to study the Torah, they had to be very careful. If a soldier appeared, they would pretend that they were playing with it in order to avoid persecution.

Hanukkah and Christmas share a lot in their history, celebrations and traditions. Traditional religious celebrations are an important part of the Christmas holiday and participated in by many.

Hanukkah gift giving and exchanging cards are part of this holiday. Parents give their children gifts as an incentive to study the Torah, while adults give each other gifts and cards to strengthen their relationships.

Christmas cards, like Hanukkah cards, are also a very popular way to spread the holiday spirit. Both Hanukkah and Christmas are steeped in tradition.

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Planning A Christmas Party For Kids

Everyone knows that kids absolutely love Christmas, as there are lots of presents, visits with Santa Claus and no school. There are some really great ideas for a Christmas party for kids that work perfectly if you have a neighborhood full of children, and the grown-ups will probably have just as much fun as the children.

After running around having all that fun in the cold they will probably appreciate going to the next Christmas party house where they can have their fill of hot chocolate and other goodies.

At this house you may also want to include some type of craft making, perhaps they can make their own Christmas party decorations and ornaments. Have several different materials laid out so that they have plenty to choose from. You may also want to consider having a small tree here so that everyone can add their decorations to the tree.

By the time the scavenger hunt is over everyone will probably need a pit stop at yet another house, where there could be more hot chocolate and some musical fun. A home with a piano would be great, yet it is not necessary.

Just have a bunch of sheet music and start a Christmas party for kids sing-a-long. Perhaps a nice fire in the fireplace for some serious marshmallow roasting would be in order as well. This gives everyone a chance to talk about what a great time they have had.

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Better Places To Celebrate New Years Day

After a wild New Year's Eve, many Americans make it one of their New Year traditions to plan a New Years Day gathering. The sooner you lift yourself out of bed and take steps toward hangover recovery, the better -- even if it does feel more natural to wallow in bed for the entire day, nursing a headache and greedily gulping down water.

The next-day event you plan all depends upon how hard you hit the town the night before, how late you intend to stay up and what state you anticipate your friends will be in.

The Tournament of Roses parade is the most famous of all New Years Day parades, which features big floats made of stunning floral arrangements and numerous entertainers.

Following the parade is the most-watched New Year's football game -- the Rose Bowl. In keeping with tradition and the history of the Rose Bowl, the University of Southern California will play another top-notch Big 10 conference team.

The pleasant 60-degree weather is another reason to head to California for the holidays. Visitors to this region also like to golf, shop and go out to brunch.

If you're looking for something warm and tropical on New Years Day, then you can't find a better after party than Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii. You can enjoy breakfast at Lulu's overlooking the ocean and a day of beach activities.

Whether you're in the mood to catch some sun on the beach, surf the roaring waves or paddle around in an outrigger canoe, you'll enjoy this pleasant change of scenery and calm atmosphere.

Sunset booze cruises and bars like Duke's or Rum Fire are popular hangout options come nightfall.

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Planning Ideas For A New Years Eve Party For Kids

Forget fancy gowns and champagne toasts this year. Sometimes hosting a New Years Eve party for kids can be a welcome respite from overpaying for drinks, running around town on one of the busiest nights of the year and worrying about nursing a New Year's Day hangover.

Besides, you only have so many years to decide how your children spend their holidays. Soon they'll be running off to teen parties and college bashes, leaving you wishing you had just one more year to spend with them. Here are some tips for creating the perfect party.

Naturally, a New Years Eve party for kids will require some supplies. Hats, party blowers, noisemakers and glow-in-the-dark items are kid-friendly additions meant to ring in the New Year. Many parents decorate with balloons filled with confetti, streamers and festive table cloths.

Party crackers or party poppers can be purchased in the holiday section of stores like Wal-mart. You may want to have the kids make their own "Happy New Year" signs to hang in the living room for added ambiance. All these elements can contribute to a festive celebration.

At your New Years Eve party for kids, make sure to stop the activities just before the ball will drop in Times Square. Be sure the TV is on and ready for the countdown. Have the kids gather their party hats and noisemakers. Pour the kids' glasses of Sparkling Grape Juice and set them aside.

At the stroke of midnight, you may want to tell the kids to run outside and shout "Happy New Years" at the top of their lungs (so the decibel level inside doesn't blow the roof off!) Once the wildness of the celebration has quieted down a little, have the kids put on their PJs and watch a movie, which should get them calmed down and ready for bed.

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Planning For Your Christmas Holiday Party

The holidays are a time to remember the joys of Christmas past, while dreaming up great ideas for Christmas present; just like you would do as a kid, except then those new ideas were usually on a much larger scale.

Actually, maybe not, as party ideas allow you to think about the many different Christmas party themes that you can come up with and then start planning your holiday party, using any one of a dozen different ideas.

Utilizing this kind of Christmas party idea makes it viable for either an at home party or one at a rented hall or ballroom.

The Christmas party theme should include some great decorations, such as some all white Christmas trees, twinkling white lights everywhere and possibly one of the outlined carriage yard ornaments with white lights on it, making any site a great place for a holiday party.

You can incorporate what you plan on serving for food into the Christmas party decorations by choosing white foods, such as rice pudding and white chocolate mousse or fondue. You can serve white wine and punch along with different types of white sodas for those who don't drink.

To make your holiday party more special, use white poinsettias on white table cloths, with white napkins, white plates and white serving dishes, and anything else that goes along with your festive party theme.

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Party Ideas For Christmas Day

During the holidays, one of the most popular items on many people's "to-do" list includes planning a Christmas family party, which can be a great deal of fun. There are so many different party ideas that you can explore for this particular holiday; the possibilities are endless.

Anything that can make the holidays a little calmer is a great help. If you would normally bake cookies or other goodies, either as desserts or gifts, then you can send out a Christmas party invitation to each of your friends inviting them to your house for a cookie baking and decorating party.

This is one of those really great and fun party ideas where the guests can bring their favorite Christmas cookie recipe and the necessary ingredients to your house to get a head start on their holiday baking. Be sure to include the kids by having them decorate one batch of cookies while you and your friends get another one ready to bake.

Party ideas do not have to be centered on one particular religion or event on Christmas. Perhaps last year everyone was reluctant to invite a neighbor over because their religion was different; maybe they celebrate Hanukkah instead.

So this year your Christmas party invitations could include those neighbors by adding a few things that may make it more comfortable for everyone.

It does not have to be much, just a few simple touches such as goodie bags for the kids that include dreidels and gelt (gold wrapped chocolate coins); or even serving one traditional food such as potato latkes.

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Victorian Themes For Christmas Parties

This year when you are celebrating the Christmas holidays with your friends and families, you should ponder the beginnings of our customs. Did you know that the Victorians started the many traditions of the season?

The Victorian Christmas parties focused on the church and their children, as well as on big family dinners and celebrating with friends. For a fun and different Christmas party theme, perhaps you should step back in time with truly Victorian festivities.

The Victorian Christmas decorations were not complete without decorating the fireplace mantels with boughs of holly that also included clusters of different fruits, such as pineapples, pomegranates, oranges, apples and berries. Staircases were wrapped with garland and lots of burgundy ribbon and bows would complete the Christmas parties theme.

Of course it wouldn't be complete without a Christmas meal authentic to the Victorian era; for this you will need to include food such as pheasant, venison or roast goose.

Sugarplums, made with butter, cream, sugar, candied cherries, dates, prunes and vanilla were a favorite at Victorian Christmas parties. They were also partial to oysters and mincemeat with mulled wine, and for dessert fruit and plum pudding would finish up the feast.

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Celebrating With Christmas Party Games

Party games can be a fun addition to any party; you can even tie them in with Christmas party themes. Of course, it is not necessary to have a particular theme in mind when coming up with game ideas, as there are many different holiday games around that are great fun for kids and adults, or both.

If you need another idea for adult party games, then consider one called "ice breakers." You can write down a bunch of generic Christmas related questions or statements such as, (blank) has gone Christmas caroling, or (blank) has made Snow Angels, or something along those lines.

The guests take the list around to other guests and try to get someone's name next to each statement. This is a great game for a group of people who really do not know each other that well. Check the Internet for other adult related holiday party game ideas, as there are many sites that have this information.

For a kids Christmas party consider having something similar to pin the tail on the donkey, but change it to pin the nose on Rudolph or pin the star to the top of the Christmas tree.

Party games for kids can also include taking a small decorative jar and filling it with Christmas candy (that you have already counted) and have the kids write down their guess as to the number of pieces in the jar. The child who guesses closest to the correct amount gets the jar full of candy.

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Ideas For Christmas Holiday Parties

Planning any type of a party can be time consuming and stressful, yet planning holiday parties can be even more so.

When you are making it a Christmas family get-together, with the in-laws thrown into the mix, it can seem even more frustrating and intimidating. However, keep the faith, as there are some things that you can do that should keep the stress levels down.

With Christmas family holiday parties it can be a little tricky when it comes to serving alcohol, as it may prompt someone to mention things better left unsaid.

In order to avoid this consider serving something like an eggnog or setting up a fancy coffee bar; complete with different flavored creams and a few liqueurs. This adds to the festiveness of a party but will limit the intake of alcohol, which may help to avoid any unnecessary unpleasantness.

Holiday parties can also be a little difficult when you have to come up with a gift for Christmas party attendees that includes family. Sometimes people may feel that someone else got a better present, etc.

There are a few ways around this, as you can just pass out gifts for the children and let them open them and give small, similar presents for all of the adults to take home and open, perhaps something that you have made yourself, or perhaps a goodie plate with cookies and candy or similar type items.

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