22 Fun Things to Do on New Year's Day to Celebrate 2024
Activities and traditions that will make January 1 so memorable.
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Whether you decide to throw a New Year's Eve party, host a welcome 2024 dinner or take part in a January 1 tradition, like watching the ball drop in Times Square, the new year calls for celebration. You'll find cities across the nation flinging confetti in the air, blowing noisemakers and toasting to the beginning of another 365 days when the clock strikes 12. But when December 31 is over, it doesn't mean all the fun is, too.
While the main celebration might take place on New Year's Eve, there are all sorts of things to do on New Year's Day to continue the festivities. If you're looking to continue the party, you can check out a local parade or show near you. Or, if you want a more productive first day of the year, you can deep clean your closet, write all your hopeful resolutions in a bullet journal or check out all the stores open on January 1 to do some shopping for the week. Some of these activities, such as taking a hike with family or friends, can even become traditions that will make the holidays just a little more special.
No matter if you decide to stay in or go out on New Year's Day, we have some unique winter ideas to try that can help you say goodbye to 2023 and hello to 2024.
Go to the Movies
If you didn't make it out to see anything new in theaters in 2023, treat yourself to a movie on New Year's Day. Make it extra special and go all out with all of your favorite snacks.
Start a New Book
If your resolution included reading more books in the new year, this is the perfect way to get started. Pick out a novel that piques your interest and spend the day diving in.
Treat Yourself to an at Home Spa Day
Even if the spas are closed on New Year's Day you can still indulge in a little self-care. Make a day out of it and DIY your own spa treatments at home.
Try out a New Restaurant
Part of the beauty of the new year is having a fresh start. Why not ring it in by trying out some new cuisine with your besties?
Go on a Hike
Plan a hike with family or friends and enjoy some fresh air. Bonus points if you bring your pup!
See a Disney on Ice Show
This is something fun to do with the kids! Enjoy watching one of their favorite Disney movies come to life on ice! What could be better than that?
Host Brunch
Begin the year surrounded by family, friends — and lots of carbs. Or eggs. And coffee. Your plan to eat healthier in 2024 can wait until after breakfast, right?
Do Something Outdoorsy
Bring your skates to a permanent or pop-up rink (such as the Vale Rink in New York City, pictured here), strap on those snow shoes and go for a hike or find a nearby hill that does snow tubing, and you'll start off the year by making some good memories.
Do a Deep Clean
If you didn't use the KonMari method on your house before the holidays in anticipation of getting a bunch of new Christmas presents, you're probably sitting on mounds of stuff that need to be organized, sorted, cleaned or tossed. Tackle one area of the house starting on Day One.
Start a Bullet Journal
You've got big plans for this year. Keep track of them in a bullet journal, and feel a sense of satisfaction every time you cross something off your list.
Find an Illuminated Event
It gets dark so early on New Year's Day — and some geniuses have figured out a way to make that a feature and not a bug. From the LuminoCity Festival in New York City to The Lights Festival in cities like Orlando and Houston, events are popping up that use light as a medium for art. And, since they're held outside or drive-through, you can have an excuse to get a hot cocoa afterward.
Get a Jump on Post-Holiday Sales
There are bargains to be had this year in after-Christmas sales, and we all know what they say about the early bird. Waste no time depleting those holiday gift cards! Afterwards, make someone else do the cooking and grab takeout from a restaurant open on New Year's Day, which all have holiday hours.
RELATED: The Best New Year Sales of 2024
Binge a TV Marathon
To some, it is a hallowed tradition to spend January 1 on the couch, watching TV and recovering from the night before. Many channels have helpfully enabled this with daylong (or week-long) marathons of classic shows: Syfy usually hosts a Twilight Zone bonanza each December; WPIX often shows The Honeymooners; and BBC America sometimes does a days-long Dr. Who binge. If that doesn't suit your tastes, well, you can always watch something on Netflix, Hulu or Disney+.
Or Just Watch One Movie
If you're no couch potato and the idea of taking in a whole TV marathon seems a bit too much, try sampling just one New Year's movie instead. From The Gold Rush to Ghostbusters II to When Harry Met Sally, some of the greatest movies take place at the turn of a new year.
Get Cracking on That Resolution
You've vowed to stay motivated and go to the gym. To eat out less and cook easy meals at home. To take time to meditate or get organized or practice gratitude. Whatever you've chosen as your New Year's Resolution, if you take time to tackle it on January 1, you can boast that you have a perfect streak of doing whatever it is for 2024. And if you haven't picked one yet? Well, there's still time to be inspired.
Organize a Re-Gift Swap
By now, the last of the holiday gifts have trickled in from far-off relatives and other well-wishers — and not all of them hit the mark. It's truly the thought that counts, but you don't have to keep that not-to-your-taste knickknack just because someone gifted it to you. Instead, host a swap meet for re-gifts — or do your own White Elephant exchange — and see if you can find it a home where it'll be truly appreciated.
Cheer for Your Favorite College Football Team
There are always Bowl games scheduled for New Year's Day, and you can usually dip in or out at any point in the afternoon or night. At that rate, who needs a Super Bowl? (Though it does give you a good opportunity to test out some Super Bowl snacks.)
Check out a Parade
If big to-dos like Philadelphia's Mummers Parade or Pasadena's Tournament of Roses are not too far from where you live, you can take advantage of your location and watch them in person. If not, other towns near you might organize smaller, more local parades you can still be a spectator at.
Start a 30-Day Challenge
If December is extra — as in extra drinking, extra eating or extra spending — January offers the chance to issue a corrective. It's no wonder that people wait until the new year to take on monthlong challenges like Whole30, Dry January or the 52-Week Money Challenge. If you have a mini-goal that you don't think is right for a year-long resolution, see if you can get it out of the way that first month.
Sign up for a Run
Start your year off on a healthy note. January 1 races are an annual tradition, and this year many of them are still in full force with "virtual" races. From the Running of the Lights in Clemmons, North Carolina — which usually starts when the clock strikes midnight — to the New York Road Runner Midnight Run in New York City, these races mean people are planning to start their year at a speedy clip.
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
Cameron (she/her) is a staff writer for Good Housekeeping, where she covers everything from holidays to food. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she received a B.A. in magazine journalism. In her spare-time she can be found scrolling TikTok for the latest cleaning hacks and restaurant openings, binge-watching seasons of Project Runway or online shopping.
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