As 2011 begins to turn into 2012, kids and adults alike are planning their New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Typical festivities consist of partying into the early morning, but high school students' celebrations get much more creative.

"For the past 3 years, my best friend and I have slept over at each other's houses on New Year’s Eve," Brea Stone, a junior at Los Alamitos High School, said. "We make a stop by the grocery store and grab a bunch of junk food, and then we watch Saturday Night Live reruns until midnight. It sounds kind of dorky, but it's still fun."

While some spend time with their friends, others prefer to stick with family members for the turn of the new year.

Said Marie Tapio, a freshman: "My family buys appetizers from Costco and makes them on New Year’s Eve. We snack on them while we watch movies and play video games together. Since I have four siblings, the whole family competes to see who can stay awake until midnight."

Still others take an extra step up by spending New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day out of the house. “January first is always spent with my family at Disneyland,” commented a junior, Nicholas Rogers. “It’s always extremely crowded, and you only squeeze in a few rides the whole day, but it’s worth it - it starts off the new year in a positive and memorable way.”

For those who are looking for a good way to celebrate the coming of 2012, Irvine offers its annual “Great Park Family New Year’s Eve” festival, held at Orange County’s Balloon Park. The festival is free to attend and will include food vendors, crafts booths, and carousel rides. In addition, places like Knott’s Berry Farm and the Los Alamitos Race Course are open until after midnight on New Year’s Eve. These events are safe for people of all ages.

Regardless of what your New Year’s traditions may be or how you’re going to celebrate with friends or family, be sure to have a safe and happy new year!