9 Ways to Celebrate An Alcohol-Free New Year’s Eve

For many people, New Year’s Eve is synonymous with getting glam and drinking the new year in. We all have the image in our heads; sparkling New Year's Eve dresses, champagne glasses in hand and 2023-shaped glasses on the head. Because of this, many of our new year's traditions surround alcohol. So what can you do to celebrate a low-alcohol or alcohol-free New Year's Eve? 

Here are some of our favourite ways to celebrate without alcohol on any budget.

1. Host a Murder Mystery Dinner

Growing up, every New Year's Eve my family and I would visit family friends, and one of us would host an elaborate Murder Mystery dinner. I honestly think these were some of my favourite New Year's Eve celebrations.

You can buy, or download free Murder Mystery games. These often come with a theme and suggested meal ideas, and we are sometimes talking about five-course meals here! Everyone dresses up and role-plays as their character and then between each course you play another round of the game. These games can last several hours and are a lot of fun.

2. Arrange a Games Night

Alternatively, you could arrange a quiet night in with friends and crack out the games. Whether it's tabletop games like Monopoly or Pandemic, or games on game consoles, like the classic Mario Kart, this lets you connect with the people that matter most to you, and celebrate the beginning of a new year, without the need for alcohol.

3. Watch Fireworks at Midnight

New Year's Eve around the world is celebrated with extravagant fireworks displays. If you are celebrating a sober New Year’s Eve, why not take the chance to check out some fireworks? You could attend the iconic London fireworks display which has finally come back after the pandemic or try watching fireworks at the seafront on the pier at Brighton. There are many stunning fireworks displays across the country you can choose from!

Wherever you find them, watching fireworks is a memorable and special way to welcome the New Year and celebrate the old. And you can easily have a steaming mug of hot chocolate and avoid any alcohol!

4. Go For a Midnight Hike

A more unusual way to celebrate an alcohol-free New Year’s Eve would be to take a nighttime hike. If you want some time to reflect on the last year, manifest new goals and mentally prepare yourself for the coming year you could go alone.

Or, go with your partner, close friends or family, bring a flashlight, and watch the revelry and fireworks from afar, or get right away from the hustle and bustle of the drunken New Year’s festivities and just enjoy good company, gentle exercise and a novel way of celebrating.

5. Host a Dinner

For the foodies out there, one of the best ways to celebrate New Year's Eve, whether you are drinking or not, is to eat a delicious New Year’s dinner. Make it as formal and fancy as you’d like, ask your guests to dress glamorously, and use your silver cutlery and best plates!

Why not have one last hurrah of food before the New Year begins? It is the perfect way to round off the end of a very food-focused season! And the best thing is you can easily keep your dinner completely alcohol-free.

6. Try New Years Traditions From Around The World

Around the world there are many different ways that people celebrate New Year's Eve, it could be fun to join a New Year’s tradition that you’ve never done before. It could be as easy as the Catalan tradition of eating one grape for every strike of the bell at midnight, ballroom dancing like the Austrians or eating a full-out meal at midnight like they do in Russia. Or you could spend the evening frying the traditional Dutch New Year’s snack, an oliebol.

For an easily accessible celebration, you could head to Scotland and join a traditional New Year's Eve Hogmanay ceilidh and dance the night away!

Whichever way, you can pick and choose from traditions around the world, many of which do not involve alcohol, for a unique and interesting New Year's Eve celebration.

7. Take a Weekend Away

For a slightly higher-budget New Year's Eve, you could take a couple of days away. Maybe travel to somewhere with an iconic New Year's Eve celebration, for example, you could watch the ball drop at midnight in New York. Or simply take the time to explore a new place and watch the New Year’s madness unfold in front of you! You won’t have time to even think about alcohol!

Alternatively, rent a cabin in the middle of the woods, on the beach or somewhere in nature, and enjoy some quiet time with friends, family or your significant other. 

8. Go To The Theatre/Cinema

Many theatres, cinemas and comedy clubs have special New Year's performances scheduled in. So choose something that sounds entertaining and head on to the theatre or cinema to enjoy a New Year's Eve extravaganza. You’ll be kept so occupied there’s no way to feel like you are missing out on alcohol.

9. Drink Alcohol-Free Drinks

With all of these ideas to celebrate New Year's Eve without alcohol, one addition could make the night perfect. And that is alcohol-free drinks.

With the huge range of alcohol-free drinks and spirits now available, there is no reason that you would ever have to have a sober New Year's Eve without delicious drinks again.

Not sure where to start? Then sign up for the JOMO subscription box and you will receive a box filled with different drinks to taste test. All our drinks are hand selected and our drinks boxes and thoughtfully created.

You will receive a full-size bottle of alcohol-free spirits, alongside a cocktail recipe, mixers garnishes and snacks. Alongside this, you will receive a selection of delicious ready-to-drink alcohol-free cans and bottles. That way you can taste-test everything and discover the alcohol-free brands that you like best.

So, make sure to head to the JOMO bottle shop or sign up for a JOMO alcohol-free subscription to find a sober New Year's Eve drink that will help make your New Year's Eve the best one yet!