How to Throw a Last-Minute New Year’s Eve Party

When I was single, New Year’s Eve always presented a dilemma: restaurants and organized parties charged an arm and a leg, but how to make the night special?

Now that we have children, finding and paying a babysitter doubles the premium for a night out.

Over the past few years, we’ve developed a new tradition of throwing a small party: we invite a few couples over for dinner and dancing. So kids can be involved, we celebrate midnight with the Brazilian islands: at 9 p.m. Another hour of dancing and carrying on, and there’s still time for a good night’s sleep (or another party for guests who are still cool enough).

Here’s how to quickly put together a little bash that won’t break the bank, but will be easy enough that you’ll want to repeat it year after year.

Set Your Clocks to Midnight…Somewhere

It gets dark early these days, so it’s easy to trick yourselves into believing the night is not young.

My friend Eve arranges her kid-friendly parties around Morocco’s celebration at 7 p.m. To celebrate at 8 p.m., call it an Azores festa.  My parents and their friends line up with Buenos Aires and make the ball drop at 10 p.m.  (Tailor your own party by finding out who is chiming in the new year when.)

Allow about an hour for appetizers and chatting, an hour or two for eating dinner (depending on whether you’ll have a separate seating for the kids), and at least an hour for toasting “midnight,” dancing, and generally acting silly.

Gather Your Guests

Use the phone (or email) to get instant responses so you can start planning. To make the home party a little more glamourous, ask people to get a little fancy or to wear something crazy.

Hit the Dollar Store

Grab some noisemakers, crazy hats and streamers. While you’re there, pick up candles of all sizes from tea lights to sticks to pillars.

Plan the Menu

To sail into the new year with ease, forget fancy recipes. Make the dishes that you know best:  your guests will be delighted to be treated to dinner no matter the fare, and you’ll be able to relax and enjoy the party.

If your mind is drawing a blank, here are some fast and filling ideas.

Appetizers:

• Assorted cheese and crackers, mixed olives, and cocktail nuts; or
• Toasted baguette slices with artichoke spread, and assorted salami slices; or
• Shrimp cocktail, and smoked salmon and capers on crostini.

Main course (served with crusty bread slathered with butter):

• Lentils and sausage (a classic Italian meal at the new year, since legumes symbolize money and pork has its own lucky associations); or

• Spaghetti with a meaty tomato sauce; or
• Pot roast with oven fries.

Side dish:

• Salad with unusual toppings like pomegranate seeds and almonds, sliced pear and goat cheese, or pistachios and slivered parmesan; or
• Creamed spinach; or
• Oven-roasted asparagus.

Dessert:

• Ask your guests to bring the sweets; or
• Make an encore of (easy and seasonal) pumpkin and pecan pie; or
• Colorful and frivolous candy or cookies like our favorite Bon-Bons (see recipe at the end).

Don’t Forget the Drinks

Wine, beer and champagne are perfect items for your guests to chip in.  (You might want to have a bottle of bubbly on hand, just in case.)  And don’t forget some sparkling grape juice or other fizzy drinks for the kids and designated drivers.

Give a Thought to Decor

Use the party hats and horns to decorate the house and table. Christmas decor (like stars, snowflakes, tinsel, and silver and gold balls) easily add sparkle to the night. Dim the lights and place candles everywhere (obviously keeping in mind young children and fire hazards).

Line Up the Music

For arrival and cocktail hour, we like lounge music. Dinnertime: something smooth and rich like Andrea Boccelli or Il Divo. Party hour: dance music or nostalgic favorites from the 70s, 80s or 90s.

Besides the shameless singing, dancing and hat-donning, this is the one time of year we allow kids to dance on couches and coffee tables (okay, the grown-ups do it a little bit too).

And hey, how can the neighbors complain when it’s all over at 10 p.m.?

Bon-Bon Cookies

Mix thoroughly 1/2 cup softened butter, 3/4 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla. Mix in by hand 1 1/2 cups sifted flour and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add milk if dough is too dry.

Form dough into balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees until set, but not browned (about 10 minutes). Cool. Dip tops of cookies in icing and, if desired, decorate with sprinkles.

Icing

Mix 1 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar, 2 tablespoons cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add food coloring.

How do you ring in the new year?

First photo credit

Second photo credit

You also might like:

1. Sleepover Party: Really Cheap but Worth It?
2. Sleepover Party: Really Cheap but Worth It? (Final Episode)
3. Gems to Start the Year Off Right
4. Make Your Own Party Favor Lollipops
5. Eat Bonbons All Day: A Simple and Low-Cost Recipe