One of the biggest challenges of celebrating New Year's Eve with kids is that the pinnacle of the party is well past their bedtimes. The Kirkham family of Pocatello, Idaho, solved this problem by moving the festivities to an earlier time zone--without leaving their home. Over the years, the Kirkhams have toasted Midnight in Miami, New Year's in New York and Midnight in Maine--each of which falls at 10 P.M. Mountain Time.

The gatherings feature menus and decorations suited to the site. To create a Maine ambience, the Kirkhams served a seafood buffet. For New York, they offered up bagels, soft pretzels and "Big Apple" pie while Broadway musicals played on the VCR. And for Miami, guests donned bathing suits, romped in the hot tub and barbecued amid knee-deep Idaho snow.

Those on the East Coast could hop ahead two hours to Rio de Janeiro or celebrate at seven as Big Ben strikes midnight in London.