HTruths logo HTruths

New Year's icebreakers for the countdown and beyond.

40 New Year's questions for parties, family nights and the first team meeting of January: countdowns, resolutions and the year ahead. Ask them out loud, or play them as a free live game where everyone votes on their phone, then guesses how the rest of the room voted.

🎉Live game Everyone plays at the same time, on their own phones. Each game draws a fresh mix from this list. Host a live game → 🔗Poll Everyone answers in their own time. Pick up to 10 questions and share one link. No meeting needed. Create a poll →

Countdown

  1. Best way to spend New Year's Eve?A big party · A small dinner · Asleep before midnight
  2. Midnight: fireworks or cozy at home?Fireworks · Cozy at home
  3. Awake at midnight, or happy to see it in the morning?Awake at midnight · See it in the morning
  4. The countdown: loud and proud or quietly watching?Loud and proud · Quietly watching
  5. New Year's Day: brunch or stay in pajamas?Brunch · Pajamas
  6. Best midnight snack?Something sweet · Something savoury · Pizza
  7. Dress up or dress comfy for New Year's Eve?Dress up · Dress comfy
  8. Watch the countdown on TV or in person?On TV · In person
  9. New Year's Eve plans: made weeks ago or last minute?Weeks ago · Last minute
  10. At midnight it's…Hugs all round · High fives · A happy dance

Resolutions

  1. Do you make New Year's resolutions?Every year · Sometimes · Never
  2. How long do resolutions usually last?A week · A month · All year
  3. One big goal or small daily habits?One big goal · Small daily habits
  4. The most common resolution in this room is about…Health · Money · Learning something new
  5. Tell people your resolutions or keep them private?Tell people · Keep them private
  6. Fresh start: January 1 or whenever you're ready?January 1 · Whenever I'm ready
  7. Resolutions: write them down or keep them in your head?Write them down · In my head
  8. The gym in January is…Motivating · Too crowded
  9. A better resolution: start something or stop something?Start something · Stop something
  10. Do resolutions actually work?Yes · Not really

The year ahead

  1. Next year will be…Better than this one · About the same · Too soon to say
  2. More travel or more time at home next year?More travel · More home time
  3. Learn a new skill or master one you have?Learn something new · Master what I have
  4. Plan the year or go with the flow?Plan it · Go with the flow
  5. Your word for next year?Adventure · Balance
  6. Look back on the year or only look forward?Look back · Only forward
  7. The season you're most looking forward to?Spring · Summer · Autumn · Winter
  8. Paper calendar or phone calendar?Paper · Phone
  9. New year, new look?Time for a change · Keep it the same
  10. Biggest thing to look forward to next year?A trip · A milestone · More of the same, happily

New Year's would you rather

  1. Would you rather relive the best day of this year or skip ahead to next December?Relive the best day · Skip ahead
  2. Would you rather ring in the new year on a beach or in a snowy city?A beach · A snowy city
  3. Would you rather watch fireworks or wave sparklers?Watch fireworks · Wave sparklers
  4. Would you rather get a year of free travel or a year of free food?Free travel · Free food
  5. Would you rather know one thing about next year now or be surprised?Know now · Be surprised
  6. Would you rather start the year with a big trip or a cozy week at home?A big trip · A cozy week
  7. Would you rather keep one resolution perfectly or five a little?One perfectly · Five a little
  8. Would you rather celebrate midnight in every time zone or just once?Every time zone · Just once
  9. Would you rather write a letter to your future self or read one from your past self?Write one · Read one
  10. Would you rather spend New Year's Eve with friends or with family?Friends · Family

New Year's questions work because everyone has a plan, a resolution or a strong opinion about staying up till midnight. Keep them hopeful and light. A question about the year ahead gets people talking far more than one about the year that's ending.

Questions people ask

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

Quick, hopeful questions everyone can answer: big party or small dinner, do you make resolutions, plan the year or go with the flow. They fill the time before midnight and get people sharing plans without anyone having to give a speech.

How do you run a New Year's Eve game?

Start the free New Year's pack on HTruths about 15 minutes before midnight and put it on the TV. Guests join from their phones, vote on each question, and guess how the room voted. Six questions take about ten minutes, so you finish just in time for the countdown.

Can I use these at work in January?

Yes. The resolution and year-ahead questions make an easy opener for the first team meeting of the year, in the room or on a video call.

Should I play these live or send a poll?

Play them live when your group is together at the same time, in a room or on a call: you show each question on a screen and everyone sees the reveal together. Send them as a poll when people are in different places or on different schedules: pick up to 10 questions, share one link, and people answer whenever suits them. The poll stays open from six hours to a week.

Ready to play?

Two ways to use this list, both free with no sign-up and no player limit.

🎉Live game Everyone plays at the same time, on their own phones. Each game draws a fresh mix from this list. Host a live game → 🔗Poll Everyone answers in their own time. Pick up to 10 questions and share one link. No meeting needed. Create a poll →

More ideas: Year in Review Questions · Holiday Party Icebreakers · Thanksgiving Table Questions · Family Icebreaker Questions