Stopped doing NY eve about 6 years ago in favor of a big gathering at our house on Jan 1 during the day. We typically invite our friends with kids. The kids play and we prepare a big dinner and chat freindly like. Usually make a prime rib. We get a little drunk on beer and wine. People bring some great noshes.

This way we don't fight crowds at public NYE parties. We don't risk the road and the drunks. We don't blow our circadian rythyms all to hell. We don't watch the kids melt down because they're up too late, and we don't waste time pretending that a some guy lowering a lighted ball down a flagpole is a dramatic event.