Questions to Ask on New Year's Eve

Open questions for the last evening of the year, from dinner to the countdown.

Questions to Ask on New Year's Eve

What did you say more often this year than in any year before?

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Who heard you say it the most?

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How it works

These 103 questions to ask on New Year's Eve look back at the year, round the table and ahead. One set is for children still awake, and one is short enough to answer in the last minute before midnight.

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New year questions to ask, from dinner to midnight

Early in the evening, take The year in one answer: What was the plot twist of your year? Around this table is about the people present: Which thank-you do you owe someone here? Near the countdown, switch to One minute to midnight: What are you leaving behind at midnight, in three words?

The year ahead, without resolutions

The year ahead asks for hopes a person can say out loud: Which door would you like to knock on next year? No card asks for a resolution about a body, a diet or money. For children still awake has 17 of its own: What sound should we make at midnight?

  • Keep one answer from The year ahead on paper and read it out next New Year's Eve.

Questions and answers

What are good questions to ask someone on New Year's Eve?

Ones about this year in particular: What did you say more often this year than in any year before? Who made this year easier for you? Each has a follow-up, so a one-word answer gets a second chance.

What are questions to ask about the new year?

Ask for a picture, not a promise: What do you hope a summer evening looks like next year? What should happen every first of January from now on? The year ahead holds 17 like these.

What are new year conversation topics for a family?

Mix two sets. For children still awake asks what a child grew out of this year and which game to play while waiting. Firsts and lasts of this year suits every age: What is the last photo you took this year, as of now?

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All 103 questions

The year in one answer 18

  • What did the year take from you, and what did it hand back? Follow-up: How fair was the trade?
  • What did this year ask of you that last year did not? Follow-up: How did you answer the year?
  • What did you carry everywhere this year: a bag, a book, a tune? Follow-up: What becomes of it after midnight?
  • What did you say more often this year than in any year before? Follow-up: Who heard you say it the most?
  • What did you spend a good part of this year waiting for? Follow-up: How did the wait come to an end?
  • What did you use this year until it wore out? Follow-up: What have you replaced it with?
  • What does this year look like from far away, in a single sentence? Follow-up: What does that sentence leave out?
  • What kind of weather was this year for you, start to finish? Follow-up: In which month did the weather turn?
  • What was the best laugh of the year? Follow-up: Who else was laughing with you?
  • What was the plot twist of your year? Follow-up: Who saw the twist coming?
  • Where did you spend your happiest hours this year? Follow-up: What were you usually doing there?
  • Which conversation from this year do you keep replaying? Follow-up: What would you add to it now?
  • Which ordinary day of this year do you somehow still remember? Follow-up: What made that day stick?
  • Which season of this year was your best? Follow-up: What did a good day in that season look like?
  • Which small thing from this year turned out to be a big thing? Follow-up: When did you see how big it was?
  • Which smell will bring this year back to you? Follow-up: Where does that smell put you?
  • Which street, path or route did you travel most this year? Follow-up: What did you pass every single time?
  • Who made this year easier for you? Follow-up: How could you let them know tonight?

Firsts and lasts of this year 17

  • What did you do for the last time this year, on purpose or not? Follow-up: How do you feel about that ending?
  • What did you say goodbye to this year? Follow-up: What did the goodbye make room for?
  • What did you think this year would be like when it began? Follow-up: How well did that guess predict the year?
  • What did you try once this year and quietly decide never again? Follow-up: What did the one try at least teach you?
  • What is the first thing you remember about last January? Follow-up: How far away does that January feel?
  • What is the last photo you took this year, as of now? Follow-up: What should the first photo of next year show?
  • What is the last thing you want to do before midnight? Follow-up: Who needs to be there for it?
  • What was the first message you sent this year, as far as you can tell? Follow-up: What should the first one of the new year say?
  • What was the first thing you made or fixed this year? Follow-up: How is it holding up now?
  • What was the last errand of your year? Follow-up: What did you nearly forget to do?
  • What was the last thing you cooked this year? Follow-up: What should the first meal of the new year be?
  • What was the last thing you crossed off a list this year? Follow-up: What moved to next year's list?
  • Where did you set foot this year that you had never been? Follow-up: What would you tell someone heading there?
  • Which habit began this year without any announcement? Follow-up: What set the habit off?
  • Which was the first birthday you went to this year, and which was the last? Follow-up: Whose party had the best cake?
  • Who did you meet this year that you hope to keep knowing? Follow-up: Where did the two of you meet?
  • Who was the first person you spoke to this year? Follow-up: Who do you want it to be next year?

Around this table 17

  • What award would you hand each person here for their year? Follow-up: Which award is the hardest to give out?
  • What did someone at this table do this year that you admired? Follow-up: How did you come to hear of it?
  • What did someone here teach you this year? Follow-up: How have you used it since?
  • What did you learn about someone here this year that you had not known? Follow-up: How did it come to light?
  • What do you hope stays exactly the same about this group next year? Follow-up: What one thing would you add to it?
  • What is this table's tradition tonight, or what should it become? Follow-up: Who began the tradition?
  • What would you like to say to this table before the year runs out? Follow-up: Who do you want to hear from next?
  • Where should this table meet again before the next countdown? Follow-up: Who is going to organize it?
  • Which moment of this year do you share with someone sitting here? Follow-up: What do they remember about the same moment?
  • Which plan did this group make this year and never carry out? Follow-up: What would get it done next year?
  • Which story from this year will this table still be telling in ten years? Follow-up: Who at the table tells it best?
  • Which thank-you do you owe someone here? Follow-up: What was the favor they did you?
  • Who at this table did you see the most this year? Follow-up: What did the two of you mostly do?
  • Who here had the biggest year, by your count? Follow-up: What made their year so big?
  • Who here would you put in charge of next year's party? Follow-up: What would they insist on having?
  • Who is away tonight that we should call or message at midnight? Follow-up: What should the message say?
  • Whose cooking, joke or playlist carried a gathering this year? Follow-up: Which gathering did it rescue?

The year ahead 17

  • What are you curious about for the year ahead? Follow-up: Where could you begin looking into it?
  • What do you hope a summer evening looks like next year? Follow-up: Who is sitting out there with you?
  • What do you want next New Year's Eve to look like? Follow-up: What about tonight would you keep?
  • What do you want to celebrate properly next year? Follow-up: Who is on the guest list?
  • What is enough for you to call next year a good one? Follow-up: Who shares that hope with you?
  • What should happen every first of January from now on? Follow-up: Who has to agree to it?
  • What would you like to be braver about next year? Follow-up: What is the smallest brave thing you could do in January?
  • What would you like to give away next year? Follow-up: Who ought to have it?
  • What would you like to have finished by the last night of next year? Follow-up: What has to happen in January for that?
  • Where could next year surprise you, if it tried? Follow-up: How would you know the surprise when it came?
  • Which book, film or series are you saving for the new year? Follow-up: On what kind of evening will you start it?
  • Which door would you like to knock on next year? Follow-up: What would you say when it opens?
  • Which kindness would you like to pass on next year? Follow-up: Who first showed that kindness to you?
  • Which ordinary thing are you glad to get back to in January? Follow-up: What makes it better than a holiday?
  • Which question would you like answered by this time next year? Follow-up: Who could you ask about it in the meantime?
  • Which room, shelf or corner at home gets your attention next year? Follow-up: What do you picture there once it is done?
  • Who would you like to write to, call or visit before spring? Follow-up: What is the first thing you would say?

For children still awake 17

  • What are you bigger, faster or braver at than last New Year? Follow-up: How can you tell that you are?
  • What can you do by yourself now that needed help in the spring? Follow-up: Who used to help you with it?
  • What do you hope happens next year? Follow-up: What can you do to help it happen?
  • What do you think the first morning of the new year will look like? Follow-up: Who do you think will be up first?
  • What do you want to do when the clock says midnight? Follow-up: How loud are we allowed to be?
  • What do you want to try next year that you were too little for this year? Follow-up: Who will show you how?
  • What is the best thing we did as a family this year? Follow-up: When can we do it again?
  • What is the latest you have ever stayed up? Follow-up: What did you see or hear that late at night?
  • What made the whole family laugh this year? Follow-up: Who laughed the hardest at it?
  • What sound should we make at midnight? Follow-up: How could we practice it quietly now?
  • What was your favorite thing to play this year? Follow-up: Who did you play it with the most?
  • What would you tell last year's you about this year? Follow-up: Which part would surprise last year's you?
  • Which game should we play while we wait for midnight? Follow-up: Who gets the first turn?
  • Which shoes, coat or bike did you grow out of this year? Follow-up: Who gets it next?
  • Which snack belongs at a New Year's Eve party? Follow-up: Who should be in charge of the snacks?
  • Who do you want to hug at midnight? Follow-up: What will you say to them?
  • Who was your best helper this year? Follow-up: What was the hardest job the two of you did?

One minute to midnight 17

  • How would you count down if numbers were not allowed? Follow-up: Who should lead the countdown?
  • What are you carrying into the new year, in three words? Follow-up: Who helped you find it this year?
  • What are you glad of right this second? Follow-up: Who should hear that from you tonight?
  • What are you leaving behind at midnight, in three words? Follow-up: How will it feel to put that down?
  • What are your last words of the year going to be? Follow-up: Who are you planning to say them to?
  • What is one thing you forgive this year for? Follow-up: What did the year give you in return?
  • What is one wish for the person on your left? Follow-up: What do you wish for the person on your right?
  • What is the first thing you will do in the new year? Follow-up: And what is the second thing?
  • What is the first word you want to say next year? Follow-up: Who gets to hear that first word?
  • What is your face going to do at midnight? Follow-up: Who will catch that face on camera?
  • What was the year's best minute? Follow-up: Who shared that minute with you?
  • What will you miss about this year? Follow-up: What will you not miss at all?
  • What would you shout from the doorstep at midnight? Follow-up: Who do you think would shout back?
  • Where were you at this minute last year? Follow-up: Who was with you at that minute?
  • Which moment of tonight should we save? Follow-up: How will you make sure you remember it?
  • Which window or doorway will you watch midnight from? Follow-up: What do you expect to see out there?
  • Who do you want next to you when the clock turns? Follow-up: What will you say to them first?