by Jen Montbleau of Sterilite Corporation
Still trying to come up with a great New Year’s Eve plan? It’s a safe bet that many of your friends are too, so spare yourselves and your gang the hassle of squeezing into a packed club or the expense of a fancy meal and throw a party at your place!
First things first, when pulling together a happening New Year's Eve bash, you need a great group of people to attend. As for whom to invite, more is more on NYE! Even if your pad winds up a little too crowded, the energy created by all of those people will fuel the festivities. One mistake to avoid is starting things too early. If you start at 7:00, it can feel a bit like a five-hour drudge waiting for the clock to strike midnight. Begin your party at 8:30 or 9:00 – this will take the pressure off, as you won't feel like you have to keep everyone entertained.
The food and drink aspect of a New Year’s Eve party shouldn't be a dilemma. You don't have to be elegant for this occasion its just you, family and friends. Don't wipe out your grocery budget for Q1 of the new year. One solution is to ask all of your guests to bring a bottle of Champagne, this way bubbly will be abundant but you won’t have to fund it all. Provide tumblers for your guests so there won't be a lot of trash to pick up.
On the food front, you can turn inexpensive ingredients into great appetizers with a few presentation tricks. Place your hors d’oeuvres in symmetrical rows in simple containers to make them look organized and appetizing. Another trick is to provide bite size appetizers and supply store-bought desserts like brownies and small cookies. At the end of the night all you have to do is put the lids on, pop them in the fridge and go to bed. Provide several wastebaskets with lids so guests can pick up after themselves and you don't have to see the mess or worry about taking out the trash every hour.
If you want to serve something more substantial, skip the dinner menu and do a post-midnight breakfast buffet instead. Consider a breakfast casserole – served with pastries and fruit – that you can make ahead and just pop in the oven.
Make light of New Year’s resolutions by turning them into a guessing game. Give partygoers cards and have guests finish the sentences with hopeful wishes or tongue-in-cheek quips. Gather the cards in a container, read them aloud randomly, then let the gang to try to figure out who wrote what.
Print cards with these fill-in-the-blanks:
The bad habit I want to kick this year is …
The good deed I want to do this year is …
The new beginning I wish to create is …
The person I want to be more like this year is …
The part of my life I want to organize this year is …
The project I want to complete this year is …
Or download this PDF and just print and cut!
With these tips in mind, you can enjoy the countdown and when the clock strikes 12:00, you can relax and enjoy! Good luck!
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