7 no-regret New Year’s resolution parties

Some people call them resolutions, others goals, and there are even those who may refer to them as a little pointless. But regardless of semantics, New Year’s fill-in-the-blanks offer an opportunity for a clean slate.

In celebration of new beginnings and shaking the dust off another year in the rearview, take a look at seven ways to ring in the new year (with no hangovers involved).

Dear me, it’s 2023

Letter writing can be therapeutic, encouraging the author to process emotions, gain perspective and practice self-expression and acceptance. Rather than writing a list of resolutions or goals, invite your partygoers to write a letter to their future 2023 selves. As they scribe, encourage friends to share their desires and hopes for a new year — a trip to Europe, exploring a new career or creating a podcast. Have everyone seal their letter to read at a later date — perhaps the halfway point of the new year — for encouragement or praise of accomplishments.

Dearly departed insecurities

In the binge-worthy Netflix series “My Unorthodox Life,” fashion mogul Julia Haart hosts a “funeral of insecurities” for her bestie. While Haart’s farewell to her friend’s character defects was hosted on a yacht, you can easily host your event at home. Encourage friends and family to wear their best funeral blacks and bring a bundle of any self-confidence-blocking, icky traits they’re ready to cast off. Once guests eulogize their shortcomings, have them write them on paper and burn them in a funeral pyre (aka fire pit).

Rosé and resolutions

Rather than writing resolutions down on paper, have your guests express them visually. Gather all magazines and snippable print material to be repurposed for a vision board. While your attendees cut out images that align with their 2023 goals, serve a nice rosé (or other wine of choice). Don’t forget scissors, poster board and several glue sticks for everyone.

Mad Libs laughs

The Idea Room has a brilliant New Year’s resolutions activity for game night enthusiasts with a sense of humor. From the mind of Amy Huntley, The Idea Room’s creator, is printable New Year’s Resolutions Mad Libs Stories and New Year’s Resolutions Mad Libs Answer Sheets, inviting some of the most hilarious combinations of adjectives, verbs and nouns. Have each guest pick a partner and watch the comedic liberties of Mad Libs unfold in what is sure to be unique encapsulations of your friends’ “New Year’s resolutions” stories.

Masquerade mood

Masquerade balls are often upscale, grand events. But nothing says they have to be such lofty affairs. Simply take the masked theme in a different, perhaps simpler version, by removing the “ball” and adding a twist. Have guests arrive at your soiree in a costume of their choice, and ask them to bring a dish — but make sure the dish is well concealed. And it can’t be just any food item, but one that represents a resolution — perhaps a quinoa recipe representing the hope for better health in the new year, or maybe a covered tandoori chicken and rice dish to represent the desire to travel to India. Extra praise should be given for creative names, such as “Fat raise, banana rum cake.” At the end of the night, have friends guess whose dish/resolution matches with whom!

23, you and me

Many New Year’s resolutions focus on health. Before 2023 officially arrives, gather guests in pursuit of a healthier new year by planning 23 types of exercise or activities to try. Encourage each person to provide a type of exercise they either really enjoy or have always wanted to try. Provide everyone with a health journal or notebook. Challenge each individual to write down 23 physical activities to explore — a high-intensity interval training workout, Peloton session, extended hike somewhere exciting — and write about each as they are accomplished! Next year, invite everyone back for a compare and contrast.

Last chance 2022

It’s not uncommon for friend groups to lament over the unreached resolutions of the previous year. Maybe certain health goals failed to be achieved. Or that trip to Mexico melted away with the money that went to car repairs instead. As a host, get creative and set up selfie stations, where people can pretend to have achieved those missed opportunities. Cover a wall with an ocean backdrop, and include coconuts, umbrellas and arm floaties as props. Craft a fake gym with exercise bands and spray bottles (to simulate sweat from a challenging workout). Watch the regrets of unrequited resolutions waft away with the last days of 2022 as laughter takes over.