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Don't turn it into a packed entertainment marathon - kids get worn out from constant stimulation, and everyone will be exhausted by midnight. It's much better to alternate active games with something calm: for example, first a treasure hunt for hidden surprises around the apartment, then cooking something tasty together, then crafts or watching a cartoon. The main pitfall is when parents themselves try to be performers, run contests and entertain without actually involving the kids in what's happening - they lose interest fast if they're just watching. Let the kids come up with their own games, decorate the tree, set the table - when they're part of the preparation, the evening becomes truly magical and memorable.
Contests and games - that's what saves the evening. You can organize a quiz about animals or geography, a treasure hunt for hidden objects around the apartment, a costume contest using whatever you have on hand. Kids are usually competitive, and adults get drawn in - time flies without you noticing, and everyone's having fun while counting down to the clock strike.
In my opinion, it'll only be boring if you don't get into it yourselves - kids pick up on your energy. The main thing the previous answers missed is simple physical activity: you can put on music and just dance, set up homemade bowling with plastic bottles, play Twister or freeze dance to music.
Yeah, of course, you need balance and shouldn't keep the kids on a schedule all night, but just sitting around waiting for midnight is definitely the most boring option. Better to make the evening dynamic, but not exhausting.
Here's an important tip: prepare something in advance that kids can do on their own or together while you're dealing with adult stuff. Coloring books, building sets, plasticine, even just paper and scissors for crafts - this is a lifesaver when the kids have burned through their energy for games but there's still ages before the clock strikes midnight. Plus you can have a movie or cartoon playing in the background that they've been wanting to watch for ages, without feeling guilty about screen time.
The main thing is not to give kids the feeling that New Year is some mandatory holiday with a set program, otherwise they'll just be waiting for midnight and end up disappointed 😅
I've noticed that when you just put on a movie everyone wanted to watch, and you're sitting right there with hot chocolate or tea - that works better than any games or contests. It's not about "entertainment," it's about the atmosphere. A couple years ago my kids asked to watch a movie before the tree, then they themselves offered to make snacks for midnight - and they basically forgot about time altogether because it wasn't a "holiday" for them, it was just a nice evening together. Plus somewhere between the movie and midnight you can do something with your hands: paper snowflakes, drawing, writing a letter to Ded Moroz - it keeps them occupied, doesn't take much effort, but kids feel like they're part of the celebration 🎄
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