I honestly can’t believe I’m already writing a post about New Year’s Eve. Where did 2018 go?! It’s been a crazy year, but one I’m very thankful for. To send it out with a bang, how about a little at-home NYE party tutorial? If you’re like me and prefer hosting your own shindig versus heading out to a crowded bar or restaurant, you’re definitely going to love this post. In my opinion, there’s nothing more fun than an intimate and food-filled evening at home, instead of spending the night with trendy strangers.
5 Essential Tips for Throwing an At-Home NYE Party!
Send Invites
You can definitely just make yourself a Facebook event and call it good, but if you want to get a little more festive, send an actual invitation! You can do this by mail or if you want to reduce waste, create an e-vite using Paperless Post or another digital invite platform. I think doing an actual invite sets a tone for your party and classes it up a bit.
Decor
You don’t have to have tons of fancy decor, but what’s your tablescape going to look like? Will you pop a bottle of champagne at midnight and blow those ridiculous paper roll-up things? Think about the little details you might want to include to make the evening feel New Year’s Eve-y. Our festive New Year’s Eve cocktail stirrer is a great place to start. Also, I think a few festive streamers draped around a window and 2019 spelled out in gold foil numbers are perfect along with a bottle of bubbly.
Food and Drink
When it comes to food and drink, the first thing you need to know is how many people are coming. If it’s just a few, maybe you want to make a plated dinner, provide the alcohol and throw more of a dinner party. If it’s a small group, you may want to opt for heavy appetizers and even ask friends to bring a dip or side dish and their favorite drink. We’ve shared lots of party-friendly recipes here on the blog, too:
- pomegranate poinsettia cocktail recipe
- my FAVORITE easy champagne cocktail recipe
- how to build a lighter cheese board
Entertainment
No need to go too crazy here, but have a few ideas ready to spark the conversation. No one likes an awkward party and adult-themed games can be just the thing to get people talking and laughing. What Do You Meme and Cards Against Humanity are two easy, funny games that come to mind. I also recommend having music playing in the background. Nothing too slow or serious, but something upbeat that will have people feeling excited and festive.
Have a special moment planned for midnight
I mentioned a bottle of bubbly above, which is a great start. Try to make the clock striking 12 something your guests will really look forward to (because, let’s be real, midnight is late for us old people). Maybe you break out a special dessert you made once it’s midnight or depending on where you are, you light off a few fireworks (or watch them on TV) and sprinklers. My good friend’s mom always hands out 12 grapes after the stroke of midnight for good luck each month of the year.
And there you have it! Your New Year Eve party is basically taken care of! What are you doing for NYE? Are you the stay at home type or prefer going out?
