pexels-photo-285173 sparkler NY

The key to the perfect New Year’s celebration is to keep it sweet and simple. It’s more about celebrating the past year with those who made it special and ringing in the new with those who mean the most to you, not having the biggest block party. With a few simple decorations and just a little bit of preparation you will have a fun, sweet (and inexpensive!) New Years party that everyone will enjoy.

  1. Gold, black and sparkles are your friends! Following this color scheme will make sure everything looks good together and add an elegant finish to your soiree. Curled ribbons can be hung from the ceiling, doorways, mirrors, light fixtures, anywhere! They look great and are so easy to curl. Reuse any metallic and gold holiday decorations you have. Christmas ornaments look dazzling in a bowl or tall glass vase. Place candles everywhere (but remember safety is your first concern!) for a soft, elegant glow.
  2. Set up a simple and sparkly photo backdrop. Buy some sparkly streamers, gold and black balloons and create a sign that says “Happy New Year!” and t. For added fun, set up a table of silly props that people can use in their pictures such as: giant glasses, feathered boas, floppy hats, and printable photo props. You can even designate a friend as the “official photographer” and create a quick slide show of all the photos before the countdown then share as an online album.
  3. Set the mood with a rockin’ playlist that everyone will agree on. Mix in some popular songs from the year with classics. A couple must haves are:
    • “Fly Me to the Moon,” Frank Sinatra
    • “Night Time is the Right Time,” Ray Charles
    • “The Best is Yet to Come,” Michael Buble
    • “It Had to Be You,” Harry Connick Jr.
    • “Golden Years,” David Bowie
    • “It Was a Very Good Year,” Frank Sinatra
    • “Tequila,” The Champs
    • “I Got You Babe,” Sonny and Cher
    • “Auld Lang Syne,” Jimi Hendrix
  4. Save the champagne for the midnight toast! Have a party cocktail prepared for your guests to enjoy throughout the evening (like our Hive & Honey Sangria!) plus an assortment of wines and other beverages to imbibe before the bubbly.
  5. Prepare some silly games for added laughter.
    • Have everyone write a prediction for the new year on a piece of paper and put all the predictions in a hat. Draw the predictions out one by one and have everyone guess who’s it was.
    • Have the guests each bring a crazy noisemaker. Have each guest demonstrate their noise for the group and then vote on the crowd’s favorite. The prize can be a new set
  6. And remember, at the end of the night make sure everyone gets home safe. Call a car service and look up the local cab service phone number. Be safe and start the year right, offer to host a simple eggs and bacon breakfast to any guests that need to come back for vehicles or even spend the night and you will be remembered as the best party host!