‘Tis the season for cookies, cocoa, and Christmas trees. It’s the time for hiding Christmas presents in every nook and cranny of your house, for belting out carols in the car, and for watching all your favorite holiday movies. Perhaps best of all, though, it’s the time of year when the whole family comes together to celebrate and enjoy one another’s company. After Christmas is over, New Year’s eve is the next big celebration and a new opportunity to host an event full of fun and excitement.
If this is your first New Year’s Eve Party, there’s no need to be nervous. With a little forethought, planning, and hard work, you can leave your guests with fond memories for years to come.
1. Inviting Your Guests
Invitations don’t need to be fancy, although they can be if you like. Send out gorgeous, hand-crafted invites in the mail, create an event on social media, or keep things as simple as a text telling your guests when to come.
2. Delegate the Workload
Just because you’re hosting the party at your house, doesn’t mean you need to do all of the work. Feel free to delegate. If you’re hosting dinner, ask guests to bring a side dish or an appetizer. If any of your guests will be staying the night, ask someone else to provide the things for breakfast.
One caveat for this tip is to ask that everyone tell you ahead of time what they’re bringing. Otherwise, you may have three people showing up with an identical tray of brownies or sugar cookies. If need be, you can even assign specific dishes to certain people.
3. Set the Scene
Your party will be fun no matter what the house looks like, but a little bit of decorating can go a long way toward giving your event that extra sparkle.
· Lights, Lights, Lights: Make your house glimmer like the hope of a new year with twinkling lights. Chances are your Christmas decorations may still be up around your home, so this one should be pretty easy. If you already took them down, add in a few strands of white lights for a soft festive glow.
· Glitz and Glimmer: Make your party feel extra special by putting up metallic streamers and festive accents. Glitter and confetti are always good options for adding a bit of sparkle to your space.
· The Living Room: It’s important to not only make sure that you have plenty of seating, but that it also has festive throw pillows and cozy throw blankets to wow your guests with stylish comfort.
· The Table: Whether you’re serving a full meal or just serving plates of treats and goodies, why not make your table look amazing? Set out a disposable holiday-themed tablecloth and light a few candles to make your spread look extra appealing.
When planning your decorations, try to keep things coordinated. Go for a classic black, white, and gold theme, or make your decorations pop with a few key colors. Check out Pinterest for more ideas.
4. Plan the Activities
A party isn’t a party until there’s an activity planned and you’ll want to put some time and thought into how to keep your guests engaged. After all, the last thing you want is an awkward silence and a room full of guests standing around not doing anything.
Party games are a great way to fill time. These can be physical games you purchase at the store, or they can be simple paper-and-pencil games. Charades is an excellent option that requires no accessories.
5. Plan Your Food Carefully
There’s nothing worse than watching the clock tick closer to party time as you continue to rush around the kitchen, knowing you still have hours of baking ahead of you. Don’t do this to yourself. Instead, take the time to sit down with your menu, perhaps a week before the party. Make a list of the things that can be prepared ahead of time and the ones that need to be made the day-of. Then, plan out a schedule for when you’ll make each item.
Don’t opt for recipes that require many expensive ingredients and hours in the kitchen. You’ll overspend, stress yourself out, and miss out on the party because you’re stuck in the kitchen all night. Instead, go for simple, easy and cost-effective dishes. Remember, the main attraction of your party is friends and family and the food is just a bonus.
Tips for the Day of the Party
For a party day that’s as stress-free and fun as possible, keep these ideas in mind:
· Plan for Overnighters: Are any guests coming from far away and spending the night? Blow up air-mattresses and complete similar tasks ahead of time. No one will have the energy to do it after the ball drops.
· Rearrange the Furniture: If a crowd of people is about to invade your house, it might be best to do a little rearranging. Drag out extra chairs, put away anything that’ll only be in the way, and try to clear a wide path through the middle of the room. This way, everyone will have the space to enjoy themselves.
· Designate a Coat Room: It’s December, and everyone is going to come bundled up in coats, boots, and scarves. Before your first guest comes, decide where you’ll be storing these things.
· Direct Traffic: Just because you're having guests over doesn't mean it's okay to clog up the road or your neighbor's driveway with cars. As guests arrive, make sure you direct them to the best places to park.
· Play Some Music: Dead silence can be uncomfortable. Lighten the mood with a pre-selected playlist and let it play softly in the background for a relaxed atmosphere that doesn’t put the pressure on anyone to fill the silence.
· Think About the Dishes For maximum ease and convenience, go for plastic utensils and paper plates. Any real dishes should be loaded into the dishwasher and out of sight, instead of leaving them out to clutter up the counter. If any dishes are particularly messy, soak them in the sink to make for easier cleanup later.
· Keep the Food Warm: If your food is supposed to be served warm, keep it in the oven. Set the oven to about 200 degrees and place your food in there to keep it warm — without burning it — until everyone is ready to eat.
It can be easy to get caught up in the stress of planning and preparing any event. But once the guests arrive, put the hard work behind you and enjoy yourself. With these tips, you’ll easily have a great party to ring in the new year!
