Holiday celebrations are some of the most exciting moments for kids, be it trick-or-treating or tearing open Christmas presents. But properly celebrating New Year’s Eve may be a struggle for the little ones. If you’ve let your kids try to stay up until midnight in previous years, you may have experienced sleepiness, tantrums, Smart Strategies for a Kid-Friendly New Year’s Eve Party Make It to the Countdown Without a Meltdown
And the Winner of This Year’s Scholarship Is ... We are proud to announce the selection of Cruz Cassard as the recipient of the Scott Vicknair Law Firm 2023–2024 annual scholarship in collaboration with Nicholls State University. Cruz is a freshman from Thibodaux majoring in political science.
and cranky mornings the next day, which isn’t the best way to start the new year. Well, this time around, you can be better prepared! Thanks to countless clever parents sharing their tips and tricks, we’ve compiled the most genius hacks that will make this New Year’s Eve not just kid- friendly but actually fun! A little secret won’t hurt ’em.
He aspires to work in politics as a policy advisor or chief of staff on the state or federal level. He is currently working as the senior voluntary advisor to the campaign manager of both the Louisiana House and Senate races, is Nicholls State’s SGA athletics senator, is a proud member of the 2022 Louisiana Boys State family, and serves as senior speech writer and advisor for legislative affairs of the Governor’s Office, Senate Pro-Tempore, and City Public Defender. When not debating U.S. domestic and foreign policy with friends, he enjoys reading political and historical fiction and watching high school and college baseball, especially Nicholls State and Southern Miss.
Have you tried a faux countdown? You can save yourself the headache entirely by implementing a little white lie. Changing all the clocks forward isn’t exactly new, but now, with the help of streaming services and YouTube, you can make a bulletproof fake countdown. At your preferred bedtime, play last year’s New Year’s Eve countdown on the TV. Amp up the celebrations with a rowdy countdown, cheering, and glasses of sparkling apple cider! Then, bring the festivities to an end and get your kids ready for bed. It’s as easy as that! If they do stay up, make it fun! Of course, if you would rather stay up with your children, feel bad lying, or don’t think you could pull the wool over their eyes, then there are some creative ways to keep them entertained until midnight without a meltdown. • Number colorful balloons and let your children pop one every 30 minutes or hour. You can even fill the final balloon with confetti to celebrate New Year’s Day! • Have everyone dress up fancy to make your at-home party feel more like a New York celebration. • Create a bucket list together for everything you want to do in 2024. • Get outside and play with sparklers! • Every hour, turn off the lights, play a song, and crack some glow sticks for a dance party! • Make fun and easy party appetizers together. • Look through old photos and videos of the past year together. When you plan ahead, you can ensure that your kids have enough activities to make it to midnight without any hassle. Of course, the fake countdown is always an option too!
Inspired by TheModernProper.com SKILLET CHICKEN POT PIE
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup butter • 1 cup chopped onion • 1 cup sliced celery • 2 cups sliced carrots • 1/2 cup flour • 1 tsp salt • 1/2 tsp pepper • 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1 tsp garlic powder • 1 cup milk • 2 cups chicken stock • 2 cups peas • 4 cups cooked chicken • 1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed • 1 egg
Directions 1. Heat oven to 425 F. 2. In 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, melt butter, then add onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes. 3. Add flour, salt, pepper, celery seed, and garlic powder to pan and stir. Sauté for 2 minutes. Slowly incorporate milk. 4. Add stock and bring to a simmer, whisking until mixture thickens. Add peas and chicken. 5. Roll out pastry sheet into 16-inch square on floured surface. Cut into 3-inch squares and place overlapping onto chicken mixture. 6. In a small bowl, whisk egg with 1 tbsp water. Brush egg over pastry and place in oven for 25 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
www.ScottVicknair.com | 3
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator