As 2025 winds down, Americans are increasingly opting out of the traditional countdown chaos in favor of something calmer and more comfortable. According to the New York Post, a recent survey of 3,000 people by the social app Sunny found that only 24 percent plan to spend New Year’s Eve surrounded by others in a social setting. Instead, many are choosing solitude, screens or even sleep.
“It’s always such a production,” said Mel Tolferson, a social Millennial who frequently goes out with friends in Nashville, Tenn. “There’s so much expectation to have a good time – you end up paying a lot of money to be some place that’s super crowded and not even that fun. I’d much rather do Netflix and chill – and treat New Year’s just like any other night.”
The Sunny survey found that 35 percent plan to stay home streaming their favorite shows, while one in five intend to call it an early night. Others will scroll their socials as midnight passes on by – no party (or cover charge) required.
The aversion to going out runs so deep that a quarter of respondents said they’d rather go to the dentist than attend a New Year’s Eve party. One in five claimed they’d actually prefer a root canal.
Gen Z is the exception. More than a third of younger adults still plan to dress up and make the scene, while older generations are happily powering down.
The Times Square irony
Some of this year’s biggest New Year’s Eve spectacles are bigger than ever. In New York City, the iconic Times Square ball drop is unveiling its most dramatic upgrade yet. The new Constellation Ball is the largest in history, weighing more than 12,300 pounds and sparkling with over 5,000 Waterford crystals.
Visitors can now interact with the ball up close, watch crystals being swapped, and even send personalized Morse code messages as part of a premium experience. The building beneath it, One Times Square, has undergone a massive renovation, adding interactive exhibits, glass balconies, observation decks and even wedding packages.
Yet despite all the glitter, many people are choosing to admire the spectacle from afar – or just skip it altogether.
Celebration redefined
Spending habits are shaping the shift as well. With rising costs making nights out feel less justifiable, people are prioritizing value over spectacle. They’re still willing to go out – just not to overdo it.
This New Year’s Eve, celebration doesn’t mean louder, later, or bigger. It means intentional. Whether that’s having a quiet dinner with friends, streaming the Stranger Things finale from the couch, or simply falling asleep before midnight, the aim is the same: ringing in the new year on your own terms.
Content Creator Brooke Bunch may be reached at brooke_bunch@yahoo.com.
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