DD1's first new years we had a heap of friends at our place, we put her to bed at the usual time and we all had a laugh, the boys had drinks and we had the music on etc as normal.
DD slept through it, last year i don't think we did anything at all.
I don't see why you can't have a nice BBQ, a few friends etc.
Looks like some friends with children the same age as ours are coming over for a bbq - the kids will entertain themselves for the most part (well, maybe not so much my DS2) and leave us old farts to eat, drink and be merry! Till 9pm-ish, at least. By then our friends will have left to put their youngsters to bed.
While DH and I may hang about till midnight, there's a better chance we'll ring in the new year snoring soundly. LOL!
Bookmarks