New Year’s Eve is a time of new challenges, resolutions and change. If you’ve become divorced during the year, your first New Year’s Eve may seem daunting, especially if you have always celebrated it with family. But you can still enjoy the occasion at the same time as using it as an opportunity to start planning for your future.
1. Create New Traditions
If you’ve always done New Year as a family, some of the old traditions may make you feel a bit nostalgic. So switch things up this year. If you have kids and they are with you for New Year, make it a fun occasion. Play games, have a meal, watch a film – ask your kids what they would like to do. Over time, you can create your own traditions.
2. Spend It with Friends
If you’re contemplating your first New Year’s Eve on your own, consider getting some support from others. Other friends – especially any who have been divorced – can be a great help on such occasions. You don’t have to be alone.
3. Volunteer Your Time
If you’re feeling a bit blue about the prospect of your first New Year post-divorce, remember that there are a lot of people who are struggling at this time of year for many reasons. If you feel up to it, consider doing something to help in your community.
Volunteering can be a great way to help others. This could involve helping at a soup kitchen or delivering hot meals to elderly people. Once you start looking, you’ll probably find lots of opportunities in your area. At the same time as doing something good, you can meet new people and have fun too.
4. Take Advantage of New Opportunities
Now that you are divorced, you may find that lots of new opportunities present themselves to you. If you’ve always stayed in with the family in the past, you might find that you can hit the town for the first time in a while. Perhaps you could even go away on a short break to catch some winter sun with a few close friends.
5. Celebrate the Day After
Perhaps you don’t have the kids for the big night, in which case you may want to simply give New Year’s Eve a miss and celebrate the first day of the new year instead. Spending New Year’s Day fresh and well-rested can be a great way to start the year. You could go for a walk with the kids, take them out for a meal, play games and whatever else you want to do.
Look Forward to the Year Ahead
If this is your first New Year following a divorce, it can seem like a struggle. But there are ways to not only get through it but to enjoy it too. Remember, this is the start of a new year and the start of a new chapter in your life. Take the opportunity to look forward to the year ahead and all that it holds – that’s always something to celebrate.
Gibson Kerr are family lawyers specialising in divorce. For any advice regarding divorce or separation, please contact us.
