Something that I will never understand is the ridiculousness behind why Christmas and New Year’s Eve both fall within a week of when rent/mortgages are due. SMDH. And although I once read that millennials are still cool with spending roughly $230 to officially ring the new year in, I also know there are some of us who would like to save as many coins as possible so we don’t wake up on January 1 with debt or stress — or both.
Ding! That’s where this lil’ list comes in. If you don’t (yet) have any plans for NYE and you’d honestly like to keep things as quiet and peace-filled as possible, here are a few things that you can do to still make December 31 romantic without it breaking the bank in the process.
DIY Your Own Disco Ball
The ball dropping on New Year’s Eve in New York City is a tradition that’s been happening since the early 1900s. You can read about how and why it came to be. However, as far as relationships are concerned, because circles represent things like wholeness, timelessness, and eternity — it can’t get more romantic than making your own disco ball, getting dolled up, and slow dragging the night away underneath it with your boo.
Listen, even if arts and crafts ain’t your thing, I checked out a video) that walks you through a pretty simple way to make one for under $20. To take things to another level, pick up a projector that will put the moon and stars on your walls as well. You should be able to find some of those for under $30 (like this one)).
Prepare Some Nostalgic Foods Together
Something that I peeped that is going to be a food trend in the new year is enjoying ones that tap into feelings of nostalgia. Get a leg up on this by preparing foods together that take you back to your first date, your best date, your wedding reception, something that you enjoyed eating on your honeymoon — any type of food or dish that will bring up a memory truly special for you both.
You get extra bonus points if the two of you cook in something sexy — something that you know gets you both in the mood to, umm, celebrate … afterwards. #wink
Experience Some of Your Favorite Years in Pop Culture Together
Speaking of nostalgia, if your idea of romance is staying in PJs all day, ordering a pizza, and laughing for hours on end, why don’t the two of you put some of your favorite years in pop culture together? Do you like '80s British pop or '90s R&B? What’s your favorite rom-com of all time? Is there some sort of board game that you think is a lot of fun from back in the day?
The reason why doing something like this can be an awesome way to bring in the new year is that going back in time can remind you of not only things you once liked doing but also things that you overcame during those seasons of your life.
Now watch how the dots connect — if there are some things about the upcoming weeks that have you feeling a little anxious whenever you think about them, taking the day/night off to remember not only when life was easier than now but the fact that you found a way to get through it can be a really great stress-reliever, especially when you’re doing it with your partner. Try it. It just might surprise you.
Create Your Own Signature Cocktail or Love Potion
When you got married, did you have an open bar or cash bar at your reception? Or did you save some money by having a champagne toast or creating a signature cocktail? If the answer is the second part of B, why not have that drink again by recreating it? Or if you never had a signature drink, come up with one — something that symbolizes where the two of you are now and how you’d like the new year to go.
For this one, you may need to hit a local bartender up for a few tips, but no worries; most would be more than happy to help. You can get some other tips by checking out the article “How to Craft Signature Cocktails for Weddings.”
While you’re at it, why not come up with a love potion too? Hey, it might sound silly to you on the surface, but we actually published an article several years back on the topic. Some of the findings from “5 Real-Life Love Potions — Why Science Says They Work” might surprise you.
Toast the 'Highs' of the Past 12 Months
Something that I totally loved from the old-school movie The Story of Us (Bruce Willis, Michelle Pfeiffer) was the scene where the family sat at the table for dinner and discussed the highs and lows of their day. I do this with the couples I work with. I ask, "What is the high (the best thing) and the low (the worst thing) that has happened since we last had a session together?" It’s actually quite effective.
That said, when it comes to marriage, one of my favorite quotes is, “People change and forget to tell each other.” One of the main reasons why is because it’s easy to get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life that you forget to really stop and reflect on why you chose who you did and/or why you are choosing them still (because every day you make a choice, whether you realize it or not).
It’s pretty counterproductive to only focus on the lows/cons/negatives on New Year’s Eve. So with that signature cocktail that the two of you plan to make, think about the best things that have happened in your relationship over the past 12 months. Verbalize them (without a lot of critiquing or judgment) and toast each other. It can remind you that, no matter what, there are things about your love that are still worth celebrating (because most times, there is).
Learn About Each Other’s Sexual Style (According to Your Zodiac) — & Apply It
How invested am I when it comes to zodiac signs? Eh. I’m a Gemini and I see a lot of character traits that we supposedly have within myself. Same goes for friends of other signs. I’m not — pardon the pun — married to the revelations; still, I do find certain commonalities to be insightful at most, entertaining at best.
Now, do I think that folks should care about if they are married to someone who is “compatible” with their sign? Well, if you’re already married … you’re already married and if you’re not, I think giving something like this that much weight is pushing it. Still, I do believe it could provide a few ah-ha moments to read up on you and your partner’s sexual style according to zodiacs and then discussing what you’ve discovered. It could result in you exploring some new things, connecting some dots, or simply having a laugh or two.
For instance, according to Marriage’s “12 Zodiac Signs Sexual Compatibility With Their Individual Sexual Styles”, Scorpios are super sexually intense, Leos need a lot of sexual attention, and Aquarius folks are basically sapiosexuals. Hmm. Would you agree?
Present 'This Is What I Want for Us' Tokens for the Next 12 Months
I believe I’ve shared before that a husband that I know did something uber thoughtful for his wife for one of her birthdays: He presented her with a calendar that already had dates preplanned for the entire year. It speaks to being proactive. It speaks to being thoughtful. It speaks to him conveying to his bride that he wants to spend quality time with her, no matter what.
He actually inspired me to come up with this next tip; it’s something that I recommend to a lot of couples who feel like the romance has left their relationship. I encourage them to get tokens (nothing expensive but still tangible) that represent what they want for their union each month. For example, for January, February, and March, one wife wanted more spontaneity, more outside-of-the-box dates, and more foreplay. So the first token was a blank journal, the second was a tiny toy hot air balloon, and the other was a bottle of massage oil.
As you can see, the gifts don’t have to put your checking account into the negative. Plus, they can give you and your partner something to look forward to as you try and figure out what’s on each other’s minds from month to month.
Renew Your Vows
Whether you’re in some leggings and a T-shirt, your favorite onesie, or you decide to see if you can still fit into your wedding gown, starting off a new year by restating your wedding vows to one another isn’t just super romantic; it can be extremely beneficial as well. In fact, why not take things up a notch and add a few things that you didn’t know to pledge at the time of your wedding day — things that you have learned about your partner, yourself, and your relationship over time?
You know, it’s amazing to me that we’ll spend so much time talking about how repetition is important for children and their development and then act like we couldn’t benefit from repeating certain things too. One thing that repetition does is transition things from the conscious to the subconscious so that we can do things without even really giving them much thought. Wouldn’t that be really wise when it comes to honoring marriage vows? I would certainly say so.
These are just a few ideas. Whether you decide to apply a few or do something totally different, I hope you will do something. Surviving another year in a committed relationship is no small feat. Celebrate it. You’ve earned it — and then some.
Shellie R. Warren is a marriage life coach, doula, and the author of Inside of Me: Lessons of Lust, Love and Redemption.
