The holidays often come with feelings of loneliness and disconnection— the National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that 66 percent struggle with this. However, boutique hotel stays on a symbolic holiday like New Year’s Eve offer a chance for families to fight this trend.
Getting creative by designing our in-room activities, parties, and decor provides more memorable bonding than relying on lavish amenities. With some effort towards festivity and togetherness, we can strengthen our family ties and find joy as we ring in a new year.
Get Decorative with Your Hotel Room
Transforming your hotel room into a festive space is easier than it seems and sets the mood for holiday bonding.
- Scope out what creative materials the room already supplies— pens, paper, magazines, cardboard, tissues, extra linens etc. Also take inventory of any decorations, tableware, or craft items your family packed.
- Encourage every family member to make New Year’s-themed art for the walls and surfaces using these available supplies. Get the creativity flowing with garlands, signs for doors, centerpieces, and displays.
- While crafting, enjoy fun conversations about hopes, dreams, and New Year’s resolutions. Reminisce over favorite memories from the past year captured in family photos.
- For collaborative projects, produce an epic family welcome banner for the New Year out of scrap paper, magazine clippings, and more. Or get silly by decorating the shower curtain as a backdrop for holiday selfies.
- Don’t stress perfection— the process of working together on crafty embellishments counts more than the finished products in fostering connectivity.
The more your family contributes to transforming the hotel room into a holiday haven, the more ownership everyone takes in making this trip special from the start. Displaying homemade pieces also personalizes the space to feel warmer and welcoming as you kick off festivities.
Host Your Own New Year's Eve Countdown
Don’t rely on the hotel for the celebration – take New Year’s festivities into your own hands.
- Send someone out on a fun errand to grab supplies for your party from nearby stores— funny hats and glasses, blowers, horns, confetti poppers, glow sticks, balloons etc. Pick up some plastic champagne flutes for mocktails too.
- Earlier in the day, start crafting nostalgic decorations drawing from the past year’s memories— baby’s first steps photos, that hilarious family picnic video still, the colorful leaf collection from autumn hikes.
- When midnight nears, change into your New Year glasses and hats then cue up a family countdown video set to music leading up to the ball drop. Supplement with your slideshow of those decorative memory snapshots.
- At the start of the new year, pop confetti, blow horns, toast with your mocktails and share your hopes for the coming year. Consider writing wishes on paper notes to tuck away and rediscover next New Year’s Eve.
Ringing in the year with your personalized celebration allows you to shape the celebration with sentimental elements exactly the way your family prefers. Gain confidence in creating traditions meaningful for you rather than relying on outside parties.
Plan Fun-Themed Activities
Extending the festive cheer doesn’t have to be complicated. With a bit of creativity, you can organize entertaining activities ideal for making memories together as a family.
- Hold an impromptu dress-up party where everyone digs into their suitcases and gets glam. Break out the sparkliest outfits, flashy jewelry, and fun hats— go all out with your personal style. Strike poses and strut your stuff on an imaginary catwalk for a family fashion show.
- Ham it up with a talent show or improv skits recounting silly or embarrassing stories from the past year. Laugh hysterically re-living funny moments or channel your inner dramatist inventing wacky sketches.
- Make up festive-themed dances and songs to perform. Crank up the holiday tunes and have an all-out dance party infused with giggles that wear out both kids and parents.
The ideas are endless when you apply a touch of creativity rather than solely relying on a hotel’s amenities.
Craft Mocktails & Snacks for NYE
Liven up your New Year’s celebrations by crafting mocktails and snacks with what you have available.
- Improvise fun no-alcohol drink combinations from juices, soda, spices, and fruit.
- Invent easy DIY snacks baked or microwaved from ingredients you packed, coupled with in-room coffee/tea.
Relax with Games, Movies, and Family Bonding
Make your hotel feel more like home by relaxing together with classic entertainment that emphasizes quality time.
- Bring much-loved board games, a deck of cards, Mad Libs, or conversation starter prompts. Fill pockets of downtime by playing and laughing together.
- Use spare towels, linens, and pillows to build outrageous fortresses perfect for the whole family to fit inside. Cozy up with snacks and devices to stream movies or shows in your homemade sanctuary.
The goal isn’t to fill every minute with elaborate activities – it’s about treasuring the gift of being present with your loved ones. Focusing on interaction and savoring special moments makes any hotel room feel like a home.
Enjoy DIY Spa Treatments & Pampering
For special relaxation during your hotel holiday, create a home spa oasis perfect for family pampering.
- Draw indulgent baths using the hotel’s bubble bath, bath bombs, lotions, and facial masks— or bring your supplies from home.
- Give each other pedicures, mini-facials, and foot massages while lounging in robes and towels. Play calming music to set the mood.
- Practice beginner yoga stretches and breathing exercises together by following along with online videos. Guide one another slowly through simple poses.
- Check if the hotel offers discounted packages for professional services like couples’ massages.
- Dedicate this time to deeply relaxing and caring for one another, without worrying about missing out on larger celebrations elsewhere.
Simple self-care rituals remind us what the holidays are truly about – cherishing connections with those closest to our hearts.
Conclusion & Summary of Ideas
The new year promises countless possibilities when favorite people gather, even without lavish backdrops. Wherever you stay, keep the focus on each other through thoughtful interactions and joyful distractions. With some music, mocktails, cozy spaces, and loads of laughter, any hotel transforms into a home embracing hopes for the year ahead.
For an art-centric hotel pairing exceptional service with extraordinary value this New Year’s, consider Hotel Chicago West Loop. Experience our boutique hotel’s warm, welcoming vibe perfect for making memories with your loved ones.
Check out our website to learn more and book your family-friendly oasis today.