Ah, New Year’s Eve parties.
Love ‘em or loathe ‘em, planning – and pulling off – a good one can be stressful.
Having absolutely zero cash left after Christmas, plus the pressure to have the Greatest Night of Your Life can be a recipe for disaster… but never fear, for we happen to be party pros and we’re here to help.
From adding glitter to your canapés to making it Cuban (and letting us take care of things), here’s a list of quick ‘n’ easy ways to make this NYE that little bit extra special.
Theme It – Go for Gold
Got people coming over? Enhance their experience by throwing a themed NYE party this year. A glitter or gold party always goes down well with guests – and it’s quick, easy and quite often fairly cheap to do.
Decorate your pad with a coating of glitter, and plenty of gold decorations – extra points if you go homemade. Put on a spread of sparkly food, like these DIY Glitter Doughnuts, and at midnight? Out comes the disco ball and a shower of glittering confetti as the clock strikes twelve. Just make sure you’ve got the hoover handy for the morning.
Serve a Signature
What’s a New Year’s Eve party without cocktails?
Wow your guests with a gorgeously festive blend – here’s our rich and creamy Eggnog Colada recipe. Or, play it safe and pick something classic… You simply can’t go wrong with a minty, rum-filled Mojito cocktail recipe. A firm favourite by anybody’s standards.
And if shaking drinks to order just isn’t practical, grab yourself a pitcher or punch bowl, plenty of ice and pre-make your mixes. Just keep them properly chilled until your guests arrive.
Bonus points if you’ve got a fountain for serving sharing cocktails.
Easy Peasy Antipasti
Sure, M&S party food is delicious – but it’s a total pain if you’ve invited more than four people over and it costs a small fortune.
Forget having to remortgage your flat to feed your guests by opting for easy appetisers and no-cook canapés. There’s a ban on cheese and pineapple, but skewers are your friend – they’re easy for layering up raw (but fancy) ingredients like salmon, cucumber and cream cheese sprinkled with dill.
We love Italian-inspired antipasti; layers of prosciutto, olives, sun-dried tomato, basil leaves, mozzarella balls and balsamic vinegar. Bellissimo!
Get in the Game
If the countdown’s been and gone, and the vibe’s starting to fall a little flat, reach for the nearest games compendium. Okay, we’re kidding – NYE is no time for chess – but we’re not adverse to a little old school organised fun.
Think the classic ‘Who Am I’? (the Post-Its on heads game) or, if you’ve got the time and cash, grab a version of Cards Against Humanity. Hilarious, at times shocking, and still a hit with any distasteful group of friends. And if you’re strapped for cash? They’ve even released a download-for-free printable version, here.
Champagne Cupcakes
Especially when you’re over 25, homemade cupcakes are a cutesy addition to any party. And, if it happens to be on New Year’s Eve? Champagne is a must.
Light and fluffy with a subtle boozy flavour, champagne cupcakes will be a hit with any fizz-loving friends you’ve invited over. They’re super easy to make too; a simple bubbly-infused vanilla batter and champagne buttercream. Have you ever heard anything more delicious?
For sweet-toothed visitors, it’s time to channel your inner Mary Berry, so check out the recipe here. Ready, set, BAKE!
Try Something a Bit Different
Go striking and elegant, with the likes of a masquerade ball or a ‘Roaring 20s’ Great Gatsby-inspired bash. Or, keep it simple and stylish with a black and white theme – a firm favourite as it’s so easy to find an outfit.
From carnivals with jugglers and circus performers to retro toga parties, the list is endless. Just don’t forget the props… Then sit back, and watch in glee as your guests really start to get into it!
By planning a night that’s new and exciting, your NYE party is guaranteed to go down in history. The finishing touches can be as subtle (or as outlandish!) as you like, from rolling out the red carpet on arrival – and hiring fire eaters to greet your guests! – to ending the night with fireworks in the garden.
Guests love theatrics. Just have the fire extinguisher at the ready.
And if all of that sounds like way too much effort…
Make it a Cuban New Year’s Eve party with us!
We’ll take the hassle out of the whole night – bringing you and your guests endless incredible cocktails, Latin-inspired exotic food and more thrilling live music than you can shake a maraca at. Sound good? You bet your shiny gold party hat it does.
