New Year Would You Rather Questions
Reflection and resolution questions for New Year parties and January gatherings.
Using this list
New Year is the only occasion in the calendar where people are already in a reflective mood without being prompted, which makes it the easiest time of year to ask a serious question and get a serious answer. These lists lean into that. The year-ahead section works at a party at half eleven; the looking-back section works better on the second of January with two people and a pot of coffee, and it is the more interesting half of the page.
Best for: New Year parties, the first week of January, work kick-off meetings, and quiet evenings between the holidays.
- → The party section works standing up with a drink. The reflection section needs people sitting down.
- → Write down the year-ahead answers and open them next December. It is a better tradition than resolutions.
- → Good opener for a first team meeting of the year — low stakes, and everyone has an answer.
The night itself
For a party, standing up, at half eleven. (8 questions)
Would you rather stay out until sunrise or be in bed by half past midnight?
Would you rather spend it with fifty people or spend it with three?
Would you rather be somewhere with fireworks or be somewhere completely silent?
Would you rather host the party or be a guest at a better one?
Would you rather know exactly what happens at midnight or have no plan at all?
Would you rather be the one making the toast or be the one taking the photographs?
Would you rather spend it abroad somewhere new or spend it at home doing the same thing as always?
Would you rather have the best night and no photographs or have an average night and perfect photographs?
The year ahead
Write the answers down and open them next December. (8 questions)
Would you rather learn one thing properly or try ten things badly?
Would you rather have a year of steady progress or have one enormous unpredictable change?
Would you rather get much better at something you already do or start something entirely new?
Would you rather have more time or have more money?
Would you rather travel to one place for a month or travel to six places for a week each?
Would you rather read fifty books or learn one language badly?
Would you rather be fitter or be better rested?
Would you rather know how the year ends or find out as you go?
Resolutions, honestly
The section that admits how this usually goes. (8 questions)
Would you rather make one resolution and keep it or make ten and keep three?
Would you rather tell everyone your plan or tell nobody until it worked?
Would you rather give something up or take something on?
Would you rather be held accountable by a friend or be left entirely alone with it?
Would you rather start on the first of january or start whenever you are actually ready?
Would you rather have a habit that takes five minutes daily or have one that takes three hours weekly?
Would you rather be praised for trying or be left to get on with it?
Would you rather fail publicly and learn or quietly not start?
Looking back
Better on the second of January than at the party. (8 questions)
Would you rather relive the best week of last year or skip the worst one?
Would you rather keep one memory from last year forever or forget one thing entirely?
Would you rather know what you got right or know what you got wrong?
Would you rather be able to thank one person from last year or be able to apologise to one?
Would you rather have last year again exactly the same or have a completely different one?
Would you rather remember every detail of one day or remember the feeling of the whole year?
Would you rather give advice to yourself last january or get advice from yourself next january?
Would you rather have grown a lot quietly or have achieved one visible thing?
Frequently Asked Questions
Which section works at an actual party?
The first one. It is written for people standing up with a drink at around half eleven, and none of the questions need more than a few seconds of thought. The reflection sections need everyone sitting down and are better on a quieter day.
Can these be used as a work or team activity?
The year-ahead section works well as an opener for a first meeting of the year — low stakes, everyone has an answer, and it gets a team talking about direction without a formal agenda item.
Are these suitable for all ages?
Yes. Nothing on this page assumes an adult experience, though the reflection sections are naturally more interesting to older players. For a younger group, stick to the first and second sections.