Whether you are in New York watching the ball drop, in Idaho watching the Potato drop, or across the world celebrating, New Year’s is the time to get loud and crazy with your friends, family, or that special someone. The holiday can, however, bring in some safety concerns. Below, we have compiled a list of top New Year’s safety tips no matter where you are celebrating to keep you and yours safe as we look forward to a new and exciting year!
Hostess with the Mostest – Tips for Hosting with Safety in Mind
Hosting a successful New Year’s bash sets a hostess up for a year filled with well attended events. The tips below will ensure your guests have the time of their life – while also making it home safely.
- Stop serving alcohol an hour before the party ends
- This will ensure your guests have enough time to eat and drink water and process at least some of the alcohol in their system
- Serve a mocktail instead for a healthier option!
- Serve enough food
- We recommend saving one or two appetizer choices for the hour after alcohol is served
- Serving breads, pastas, or snacks with avocado or protein are always good ideas
- Watch out for guests who may get too crazy
- As the hostess, be mindful of those guests who may cause trouble or may get too over the top for the crowd invited.
- If there are guests that have certain restrictions, ensure you have options for them as well. For example, if you have a guest who chooses to not drink alcohol, have a mocktail option available.
- Help arrange rides if needed
- Ensure all guests have a designated driver or have a plan to safely get home
- Offer to call an Uber or Lyft for guests and be okay if a couple of guests need to leave their cars at your house
- If safe and possible, offer up the couch!
- If you are throwing a party with close friends only, invite them to spend the night and plan a fun breakfast for the morning!
Out on the Town – Partying in the City
House parties are debatably the best way to spend New Year’s, but heading to a rooftop bar or going to a friend’s rooftop patio in the city can be unbelievably magical. Here are some tips for staying safe out on the town!
- Plan a ride in advance
- If you are driving, stay sober for the good of yourself and the group
- Apps like Uber and Lyft are god options, or plan to have a trusted friend pick you up from your predetermined destination
- If you plan to drink and a friend offers to be the designated driver, ensure they are trustworthy and watch to ensure they are not drinking throughout the night
- Remember: never get in the car if the driver has been drinking!
- Be mindful of your money
- Keep all items in an RFID wallet, such as our Pocket Brook or Slim Shelly
- Card scanners can not breach these wallets as you are walking to and from the party
- While having a couple of drinks can be fun, getting wasted and having a hangover is not
- The best way to protect yourself is by staying sober or by not going over a set number of drinks
- Stay away from the edge of rooftops while drinking
- While sitting on the edge of a rooftop and looking over the city may be cool, remember that a simple nudge or bump from someone could cause you to fall off balance
- Rock the stylish Blaire necklace and the matching Barbara ring for added layer of security
- Great options for discrete protection, these two items are the perfect addition to may New Year’s fit
- The Blaire is a loud emergency whistle disguised as a simple, gorgeous necklace. This is perfect for when the party turns sour and immediate attention needs to be called and yelling will not work
- The Barbara ring hides a little surprise inside – a sharp barb to use in case someone is getting too close on the dance floor and not listening to “no”
Partying & Children – Safety at any Age
Staying up late with your children to watch the ball drop can be a wonderful memory that they treasure for years to come. Whether you are staying home with them or bringing them to a family friend’s house, here are a couple of tips to keep your children safe!
- Read and have a Kid-versation around our applicable Safe Hearts books!
- We recommend Madison’s Big Brother, All-Star Dugout Dreams, and My Friend’s New Toy which all cover saying “No”, coercion, and tricky friends
- Have a code word
- Creating a code word in the event your kid needs to leave for any reason is the best way for them to feel safe telling you
- Talk to your kids about firework safety
- If it is legal in your area, make sure you make it a point to talk to your kids about firework safety and encourage them to bang pots and pans rather than set off fireworks until they are old enough to be taught proper precautions
- Plan a ride for teens
- Offer to pick up your teen from a New Year’s Party and teach them the consequences for drunk driving
- Equip your teen with the Hear Me Out – Personal Alarm in case they need you to come get them quickly from an unsafe situation
We hope you have a safe and amazing New Year! For information on purchasing products and more protection options, contact your local Damsel Safety Educator here.
