December 23, 2019
Thinking of going out to celebrate the New Year? Why not stay in? Staying in comes with a whole host of benefits; there’s no need to drive anywhere, no need to pay venue prices, and best of all you can invite all your friends, family, and neighbors. But… how can you host a New Year’s Eve party that’s not just good, but truly great?
Here are some top tips to help your party be a roaring success:
Perhaps one of the worst things about big parties is that they’re often confined just to one part of the house, which is easy for cleaning up the next morning, but not so great for your guests. Different people want different things from social get-togethers, so try to open up more areas of your home and set a theme for each space. For example, you could have an area for dancing (just pull up your favorite music station on your pop up TV lift cabinet), for snacking, for quiet conversation, and even for board games. Get creative. You could even use your backyard if the weather’s dry.
Awkward silences can happen, and the best way to minimize their effect is by having some sort of constant distraction that your guests can turn their attention to. While you may have music playing throughout your home, it’s a good idea to provide some sort of visual entertainment, too, which can occupy guests should the conversation start to fall flat. Have your TVs playing easy watching shows in the background; news channels often have NYE celebrations from around the world, which are always good to watch.
Remember that, in the last few months, most of your guests will have had two big sit-down family dinners over Thanksgiving and Christmas. New Year’s Eve should be less formal; a chance to relax and unwind. So try to keep it flexible. Rather than having set times for events and food and drink, instead try to ensure that guests have access to everything they need all throughout the night, giving them the freedom and flexibility to do what they want, when they want. Buffet-style food and a drinks cart are great ideas.
While you may think that partyware like streamers and party hats are a bit tacky, the rules go out the window at New Year. In fact, these little festive items are a great way to set the mood and get everyone excited about the big countdown when the time comes. But you don’t have to go with streamers, hats, and horns if you’re concerned about cleaning up in the morning; there are other more subtle ways to bring in a touch of New Year cheer, such as sparklers for the backyard, or sparkly, glittery drinks stirrers.
