PARTY'S OVER FOR NYE: WE'D RATHER BE HOME ALONE, FINDS NATIONAL POLL

More Americans plan to spend NYE with Netflix or TikTok than with friends, while
two-thirds are skipping the celebration altogether

DALLAS, Dec. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This New Year's Eve, the guest of honor isn't champagne – it's the couch. A new national poll finds more Americans would rather stream Netflix or scroll TikTok on NYE than clink glasses at a party.

The poll of 3,000 U.S. adults for Sunny, the nonprofit tackling America's loneliness crisis with science-backed tech solutions, found:

• 45% said they prefer to spend NYE with screens – streaming or scrolling.
• Just 24% would opt to attend a party.

Throw in the additional 20% who plan to be asleep before midnight, and nearly two-thirds (65%) of Americans are skipping the celebration altogether. 

The single most popular NYE plan, picked by 35%, was staying home to watch Netflix or another streaming service. Another 10% opted for scrolling social media.

"We're evolving from social primates into screen mammals, and New Year's Eve shows it most starkly," said Dr. Iain Smith, Sunny's Head of Behavioral Science. 

It gets even worse: 

• 1 in 4 Americans (25%) would rather go to the dentist than attend a New Year's Eve party.
• 1 in 5 (20%) would rather get a root canal.

Sunny's poll findings are the latest sign of America's growing "party deficit" and social disconnection. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that just 4.1% of Americans attended or hosted a social event on an average weekend in 2023 – a 35% drop since 2004. 

"But America isn't just losing its appetite for parties," said Dr. Smith. "It's losing its social muscle."

Even among Gen Z, the most party-leaning age group, only 36% said they'd party, while 46% preferred Netflix or social media. Men were more pro-party than women (27% vs. 20%), but screens still won easily across the board.

The Western U.S. was the most pro-party region, though barely. Just 26% preferred to celebrate with others. However, Phoenix was America's most party-averse city, with only 15% up for a NYE party.

"The only thing many of us will be ringing in this New Year's Eve is another night – another year – with our screens," said Betsy Parker, Sunny's CEO. "Let's resolve to reconnect in 2026." 

Methodology: A nationally representative survey by independent pollsters Censuswide asked 3,000 U.S. consumers aged 18 and older how they'd choose to spend NYE, from a list of options offered, including "No preference" and "Other." 

About Sunny
In a world that's more digital, yet lonelier than ever, Sunny provides science-backed solutions to help people improve their social lives and fuel meaningful connection. Its Sunny Workplace™ platform, built into the flow of work, reignites team connection and vibrancy from the inside out. Sunny's free app for consumers tracks and boosts Social Battery™ while offering simple steps to connect. Sunny's purpose-over-profit model means it reinvests every dollar into expanding its reach and impact. For more information, visit gosunny.org or follow Sunny on Instagram and LinkedIn at @gosunnyorg and TikTok and Facebook @gosunny.org.

Media Contact:
Juliana Mitchell
[email protected] 
817-329-3257

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SOURCE Sunny