Another year is quickly coming to and end...which means it's time to party like it's 1999...or something like that! This year, my husband and I will be celebrating the end of another fabulous year alongside our friends downtown after attending an intimate gathering at a friend's home. I always love to share my tips for a fun New Years Eve party so that everyone has as much fun as we do!
I love nothing more than to celebrate the end of the year and the beginning of a new year with my closest friends - and a few hundred strangers!
For those of you staying home this New Year's Eve and celebrating with friends and family, I have a few tips for making the evening memorable - but completely stress-free! You certainly don't have to go out on New Year's Eve in order to have a wonderful time, and you don't have to slave away over the stove in order for guests to enjoy their evening, either!
5 Tips For Throwing a Fun New Years Eve Party
1. Saftey First. If your party guests live too far to cab it home after the evening comes to an end, make sure that you have enough space for everyone to sleep over. There's nothing worse than reaching the end of the night and having friends who've drank too much have to feel unwelcome or burdensome if they need to crash at your place. Designate a sofa, air mattress - or even arrange with other party guests to take someone home if they aren't able to drive.
I want to point out that while I said drank too much - that is completely dependent on the person. For some, two drinks means that they are not able to drive home. And sometimes, being too tired to drive is just as dangerous as being too drunk to drive. As a party host, it is part of your responsibility to ensure that your guests are okay to drive home - in my opinion.
2. You don't have to go all out for a fun New Years Eve party . New Year's Eve parties start late because honestly, the party is all about that dropping of the ball at midnight. No one expects a four course meal. Pick up appetizers from your local grocery like cheese and sandwich platters, or buy a few frozen appetizers and heat them up right before guests arrive. Make sure to have easy things like chips and dips, veggie and fruit platters and you're all set!
3. Stock the bar with fun mixers! Aside from beer and wine, make sure that you have plenty of fun mixers for the liquor, like sodas, seltzer, cranberry juice, orange juice, etc. And don't forget to buy extra ice!
4. Don't go overboard on the decorations! Grab a Happy New Year banner from your local grocery store, a few party hats and kazoos are more than enough!
5. Make a playlist! My husband spends days creating a party playlist before we throw a big party. For a NYE party, why not compile a list of the most popular songs from the year? If you are having an intimate gathering, you can also create a photo slideshow for your guests to ooh and aw over while they mingle by creating a simple slideshow on a photo sharing website like Shutterfly of your photos from that year. A friend of mine used to do this when we had parties; he'd create a slideshow of all of the photos we had taken at other parties and events, and it was so much fun to look back on our fun times together!
I can't wait to spend New Year's Eve with my husband and friends...what are you doing this year?
Karen
I love the idea of a photo slide show from the previous year! It is a great conversation piece as well as a playlist!! Great post!!
Skye Moyer
Great tips- but Im sad Christmas is over 🙁
SleeperMan
Even if they are, there is the issue of legal restrictions. So, yeah, letting your friends to stay for a sleepover is the best solution. Although if there's too many of them, you might run out of sofas and air mattresses =)