How to throw the perfect New Year's Eve party
It’s that time of year again... The days are darker, the nights are longer and Christmas is around the corner, which can only mean one thing, the biggest party of the year is upon us, New Year’s Eve! This is the one night of the year where people all over the world have an excuse to celebrate.
Going out on this famous night can be quite stressful and not to mention incredibly expensive, so if you are thinking of throwing a big party instead, then there are a few ways in which you can guarantee it to be a success.
I thought I would share some of my favourite ways in which you can transform your home, making it look like the set of The Great Gatsby. From drinks to decorations and everything in-between, I hope these New Year’s party tips help you to create the look you desire, easily and affordably.
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Invitations: Keep it personal
A great party starts with a personalised invitation. This sets the tone of the party, weeks before you have even thrown it. The personal touch really goes a long way, it shows that you have thought about who you want there and taken the time and effort to personally reach out to them. These instant downloadable invites from ETSY will take the pain away from having to format your own design.
Just as important as keeping it personal is the actual design of the invitation. Both the colour scheme and the font you use reflect what your party will look like. For a really impressive invitation you could also use calligraphy.
A total safe combination is gold and black - when combined they are formal, sophisticated and classy, yet fun and exciting too. Keeping the scheme within a popular colour combination guarantees to keep your costs down because it will be significantly easier to source products that include these colours.
Now let's see what happens a day before the party! Prepare your home early so that you have the day of the party to relax and get yourself ready for it.
Transform your home with colour
A New Year’s party is the perfect excuse to have an extravagant, bold and elaborate theme. Don’t be afraid to go big, as this doesn’t always mean expensive. There are many ways in which you can turn any room in your home into the ultimate party space and choosing the right colour scheme will help you along the way.
A tried and tested colour scheme is the classic and always stylish gold and black. If you choose this scheme, then a great way of improving on an already winning combination is by including different shades throughout the room(s).
If you add balloons, go with similar colours - there's a very fine line between chic and kitsch! You can add a beautiful DIY balloon garland arch (which will take you up to 40 minutes to make, at a cost of around £10-12) or you can drop balloons on the corners of the room. If you have pets in your home, I would only suggest going for a balloon arch - a balloon on the floor will start picking up your pet's hair and the last thing you want is a guest to feel a little put off when picking one up.
Include gold accents throughout your room and bar accessories.
Source: Dunelm
Table top decor
If you are offering a seat-down dinner then in keeping with the details, place tags are a great finishing touch too for your table top decor. This will really add to the glitz and glam of the night. There are many ways to add place cards which can be store bought or made by you.
Idea: You can re-use old corks that are dipped in gold or copper paint and left on your guests' plates. This will surely help them crack a few jokes about how much you have been drinking lately, just for the sake of your design!
Where to shop for place cards: these marble-like cards with gold finish are a favourite (£3.99 for a pack of 25, Amazon) as are these die-cut snowflake design ones (£8.99 for 30 cards, Amazon).
Accessories to use on your table top:
Serveware: Whether you are including a 3 course meal or just serving snacks, your serveware can still be part of the theme. Keep the colours the same and allow these items to become part of the party.
Bar Accessories: No party is complete without a well stocked bar, but adding accessories to this is guaranteed to impress. Little things like chopped fruit for cocktails, themed straws and stirrers can really make a difference.
Lighting, Lighting, Lighting
It goes without saying that lighting is important for any party, but how you light it is where you can get really creative. The lighting you choose should reflect and even add to the theme of the night.
For example, if you were having a quiet, sophisticated night then large, gold candles can help to perfectly set that mood. Dress your lamps and candles in the style of the party; don’t be afraid to draw attention to them by creating bold and glittery lights that add fun and energy to the room.
Guest Gifts
You don’t have to provide your guests with gifts of course as they won’t expect it, but this is one of the reasons why it’s such a good idea. Surprising everyone with a little gift is a really nice and touching thing to do, it also makes you look like the expert party thrower.
Whether it’s personal and individual gifts to be opened after midnight or party bags gifted to the guests at the door, they are sure to be impressed and very grateful. Mini drinks (champagne, gin) and chocolate truffles are fun and thoughtful.
Food and Drink
There are so many different choices when it comes to what kind of food and drink to serve, but there are a few party recipes that are sure to impress everyone.
If you are looking for inspiration for drinks then you might be surprised to hear that your local supermarkets are advertising some great ones right now! For example, Sainsbury's have recommended a quick but impressive Disaronno Shimmer, and Tesco have advertised a recipe on how to make a very impressive Festive Prosecco Sangria (see it below).
Drop edible gold glitter over chocolate deserts or decorate the tip of your champagne glasses. This will help to make your party seem exclusive and elegant.
Cake: If you fancy pushing the boat out a little then having a tiered cake at your party is one way to guarantee happy and impressed guests.
Photo: Lia Griffith
In regards to food, a wide selection of canapes will always go down a treat. Smoked Salmon on cream cheese is the perfect crowd pleaser. However, if you fancy trying something a little more difficult and little more festive then why not check out this recipe from Tesco for Cranberry Camembert puffs.
Whatever you decide to serve, never underestimate the importance of what you serve them on as this can be just as much a part of the theme as anything else.
I hope that these party tips will help to get rid of any stress that throwing a New Year’s Party can provide. Choose a bold style, be creative with food and drink and most importantly, have a fantastic night!
