New Year's Eve Party Games: 18 Plus Midnight Countdown Ideas

New Year's Eve has a three-hour problem: everyone's there by nine, midnight is a long way off, and the telly doesn't fill it.

These games take you from nine to midnight, with a proper plan for the countdown itself.

Games about the year that's ending

• The year quiz - twenty questions about news, music and telly from the past twelve months.
• Highs and lows: everyone says one best and one worst moment of their year.
• Guess whose year: three facts about someone's year read anonymously, everyone guesses who.
• Photo of the year - everybody finds one photo on their phone and explains it.
• Award ceremony: made-up awards voted for on scraps of paper. Best text message, worst decision, most improved.

Prediction games for the year ahead

• Sealed predictions: everyone writes three for next year, put them in an envelope, open it next New Year's Eve.
• Resolution swap - write a resolution, draw one at random, that's yours for January.
• Odds on: someone names something that might happen, everyone bets a coin on whether it will.
• The one-word year - everybody picks one word for the year coming and explains it in a sentence.

Party games to fill the hours

• The name game, Articulate, Heads Up and Wavelength all work at scale.
• Beat the intro with the year's biggest songs.
• Post-it foreheads with people who were in the news this year.
• Balloon countdown - twelve balloons numbered one to twelve, pop one an hour with a dare inside.
• Never have I ever with fingers, this year's edition only.

The midnight countdown

• Ten minutes before: hand out the drinks, get everyone in one room, put the telly on mute.
• Five minutes before: the reflection round - one sentence each on the year, going round the room.
• One minute before: everyone holds someone's hand for Auld Lang Syne, crossed arms from the second verse.
• Midnight: first footing if you're doing it - a dark-haired visitor through the front door with coal, bread and a coin.
• Just after: a quick group photo before anyone leaves. You'll want it next year.
• For children: do a fake midnight at 8pm with a countdown, party poppers and non-alcoholic fizz. They'll never know.

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How to write it so it lands

• Plan the 11:50 to 12:05 window properly; the rest looks after itself.
• Sealed predictions are the best New Year tradition going. Start one.
• Take the group photo just after midnight, not at 2am.

Where to shop next

• Christmas gift ideas hub
• Christmas Day games for after dinner
• Christmas games for the whole family
• Christmas Eve games and traditions
• Christmas party games for adults
• Christmas games for two people
• Secret Santa and gift swap games
• The left right Christmas story game
• Christmas charades and Pictionary word lists
• Christmas Day quiz
• Christmas morning games for kids
• Twelve games of Christmas
• Boxing Day walk and outdoor games
• Christmas board games
• Boxing Day games
• Board games hub
• Secret Santa gift ideas
• Free feel good tools
• Shop Christmas cards
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Birthday cards for kids
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What games can you play on New Year's Eve?

Year-review games work best: the year quiz, highs and lows, sealed predictions and an award ceremony with made-up categories. Fill the gaps with the name game, Heads Up or beat the intro.

What do you do in the ten minutes before midnight?

Drinks handed out, everyone in one room, telly on mute, then a one-sentence reflection round going round the group. Hands crossed for Auld Lang Syne from the second verse, and a group photo just after.

How do you do New Year's Eve with children?

Hold a fake midnight at 8pm - a proper countdown, party poppers, non-alcoholic fizz and a song. Children get the whole experience and the adults get their evening back.

What is first footing?

A Scottish and northern English tradition where the first person through the door after midnight brings luck for the year - traditionally a dark-haired man carrying coal, bread, salt and a coin.

Do you sell games or party supplies?

No - we make greeting cards, art prints and pin badges in the UK. The games here need little or nothing to run, and the only products on this page are our own cards.