With Christmas festivities wrapping up, it’s time to think about the next holiday celebration – New Year’s Eve! There are two important jobs a good party host must do on New Year’s Eve. The first is to make guests feel welcome and the second is to help them get home safely.
Safety First
People can tend to overindulge on New Year’s Eve. Discuss with friends ahead of time to make sure everyone has a plan for a safe ride home. You or they can book a cab or an Uber car, or hire a driving service to make sure everyone get home safely. Some cities offer free transportation on New Year’s Eve to reduce the number of drunk-driving accidents. It is also smart to be prepared to have overnight guests – make it a slumber party! Best to be safe.
Festive Décor
Festive ideas include using clocks (they don’t need to be functional), the New Year date or just lots of sparkle. You can repurpose some of your Christmas décor. How about a New Years tree?! Popular color schemes are black and white, silver and gold or any combination! Think sparkle and glitz! A winter wonderland is another great idea. Paper snowflakes and/or snowflake ornaments hanging from the ceiling and filling glass bowls throughout your home. A party by candlelight is always warm and welcoming.
Food and Drink
Since we are just coming off of Christmas, it’s okay to keep thing simple. Quick bites are best – appetizers and desserts. If everyone brings a plate to pass, the snacks will be eclectic and you will have less to do to prepare for the party. Having a signature cocktail or party-pleasing punch will also keep things festive and simple. Do make sure to have plenty of water and a couple of soft drinks available too.
Don’t want to skip the champagne toast at midnight? That’s fine! If you have never opened a champagne bottle before, you may want to practice opening a bottle or two a few days before the party. Here are a few tips for removing the cork like a pro:
- Have a clean dish towel handy to catch any champagne that bubbles out of the bottle when it’s opened
- Hold the bottle in one hand with the neck facing away from anyone, including yourself
- Untwist the wire cage from the top of the bottle
- Grip the cork firmly, and turn the bottle until you feel the cork begin to loosen
- Slowly pull the bottle downward, away from the cork, and ease the cork upward until it pops out
Party Props and Photo Ops
It's always a good idea to have interesting party props and activities planned to keep the party-mood going. Party props can include noise makers, decorative eye masks, hats, mustaches on sticks etc. Activities can be creative games specific to New Year or pull out the cards and board games. Another fun aspect to include is a photo backdrop or cardboard frames and props for fun photo opportunities. Have fun ringing in the new year!
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