Every day, about ten thousand babies are born. New Years Day is no exception. This past year, the very first baby of 2009 was born in New Jersey. Also, this past year Beach Nut gave free food to all the babies born on January 1st. That’s a lot of food! Often, there are other prizes awarded to New Year babies. Many women dream of giving birth to the first baby of the new year, but even if you’re not vying for that title, New Year’s Eve can still be a lot of fun. There are two aspects of New Year’s Eve celebrations that may not mix so well with your pregnancy, though: late hours and alcohol. With some flexibility and some substitutions, you can still bring in the New Year with a bang, without paying for it (or actually giving birth, for that matter).
Instead of putting the pressure to stay awake on yourself, plan an early celebration with your friends and bow out when you need to without regret. Set the ball drop to record on your DVR and watch the show over your bowl of cereal the next morning. (You can fast forward through the boring parts!) It’s twelve o’clock somewhere, right?
Go all out when it comes to hors d’oeuvres and (non-alcoholic) drinks. Don’t just buy a box of crackers, a sausage and a bottle of sparkling grape juice. Kick it up a notch with delicious virgin mixers and margaritas, flaky stuffed pastries, tarts, glazed barbecue meatballs, California rolls, mini gourmet pizzas, spinach artichoke dip and buffalo wings. Those are just a few of my favorites! Here’s a tip for a non-alcoholic drink that will impress your guests and tickle your taste buds. Mix equal parts 7Up and orange juice. Slowly pour a little grenadine into the glass so that it sinks to the bottom and slowly fades to the top, creating a “sunrise” effect. Add a few maraschino cherries on a cocktail stick and you’re ready to go!