A Perfect New Year's Eve

A family celebration from FamilyFun

In This Article

Unmask the New Year

Materials
Sturdy paper (or paper plates)
Markers or crayons
Scissors
Felt strips, roughly one inch wide
Stick-on Velcro attachments
Stapler

A highlight of Boston's First Night is the Grand Procession, with its many costumed marchers and dancers. Wearing these two-faced masks inspired by the ancient Roman god Janus (for whom the month of January was named) can give a family First Night a similarly festive atmosphere. Janus, the guardian of doorways, sported two faces that allowed him to look ahead to the future and back to the past. No one could escape his vigilant gaze. In fact, the custom of making resolutions was started by the ancient Romans in an effort to please Janus and make the new year lucky.

On the stiff paper (or paper plates), each child draws and cuts out two mask faces that are somehow related. Younger children might draw two related animal faces, like a lion and a house cat, or a pair of opposites, like the sun and moon. Older children may try depicting two emotions they felt in the last year--say, the elation of getting straight A's in school and the sadness of losing a pet turtle. Color and decorate the masks, cutting out holes for the eyes, nose and mouth. Cut four lengths from the felt strip, stapling one to each side of the two plates. Stick the Velcro to the felt so the two pairs of straps meet to form a headband.

Let the two-faced parade begin.