‘Twas the last day of December; what we call New Year’s Eve. A whole year had flown by, it was hard to believe.”

Have you had this conversation yet in your home?

 “Oh, PLEEEASE,” I begged. “Can we stay up till midnight?”
For this one special evening, my parents told us, “All right.”

 If so, then this is the book for your family this New Year’s Eve:

Introducing Our Featured Friend: The Night Before New Year’s
by Natasha Wing, Illustrated by Amy Wummer

When two little boys ask their parents to stay up until midnight, their parents say yes since it is New Year’s Eve. Filled with excitement, the boys and parents shop for party supplies, decorate the house, eat dinner and cupcakes, make resolutions, play games, reminisce around the family album . . . while waiting to count down to the New Year. . .

Our eyelids were droopy,
so we ducked out for fresh air.
Then came in to watch the crowd lining Times Square.
“One more hour,” said Dad, “till the New Year is here!”

They practiced their count down and watched tv, but before the clock struck midnight, both boys dozed off. When they woke up to sunshine and realized they missed the real countdown to midnight, big brother made his New Year’s Resolution: stay up for the next Year’s Eve!

Inviting You to Become FRIENDS with The Night Before New Year’s:
Feel, Relate, Imagine, Explore, Navigate, Develop, Share

Select questions and activities to do with family after introducing them to today’s friend:

F- What do you feel like doing tonight to celebrate the New Year?

R- Can you relate to wanting to stay up until midnight to ring in the New Year?

I- Imagine that you can do three activities today from the mazes, puzzles, printables, crafts and coloring sheets on http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/new-year. Which ones will you pick?

E- Explore different New Year traditions around the world and pick one of your favorite discoveries to add to your family’s New Year’s Eve celebration tonight!

N- Navigate your way through your year by looking at photos from January through December. Make a collage of your favorite memories. Take time to give thanks, even through the difficulties of the year.

D- Develop your New Year’s Resolution after looking at your collage and thinking through the year. What might you want to improve this year? What might you want to continue doing and being this year that you are already doing well?

S- Share every holiday with this team, Wing and Wummer, as they have an entire series of  “The Night Before . . .”. http://www.scholastic.com

Illustrations of Crafts from Activity Village:

New Year’s Resolutions

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