Parties; We throw them, we attend them and we generally love them. Our methods of party throwing, however, are pretty basic to say the least. We might set up a beer pong table, grab a few bags of chips, some cheap beer and get to it. Parties in this day and age are stripped down to the bare essentials and thrown without the east bit of pomp or flash.
With New Year's Eve is right around the corner, why not throw a spectacular party that screams class and style. There are plenty of other weekends dedicated to the boring routines we all have down to a science. New Year's Eve is a special reason to celebrate and we should do it right.
There are a few simple ways to throw the perfect New Year's Eve party without driving yourself crazy in the process. For starters, decorating a space is a great way to reinvent your home to make it more festive. Silver and Gold are the only two colors you need to focus on and adding splashes of it around your home will set the stage for the party. You can also adjust the lighting to a dimmer setting to create ambiance. A couple of candles placed in safe spots can really add warmth to an environment as well. Of course, music is another crucial element, so make sure you have some on that isn't too overpowering. Be sure that it doesn't drown out conversation and be sure to have the T.V on with no volume so that you don't miss the ball drop!
Another element of a party that can be revamped for a special occasion is the food. Sure, ordering pizza and putting out a bowl of chips is easy, but where's the "wow" factor? Making simple appetizers ahead of time is both easy and impressive. Buy some filo dough at the grocery store and stuff it with mushrooms, your favorite cheese and spinach. You can really stuff it with anything because filo is super versatile and amazing. There is even an entire section in the freezer department of the grocery store that has frozen appetizers that you can simply pop into the oven. Most local Italian restaurants also offer party sizes of your favorites menu items, so if you have some extra funds, head down to one and let them do the work for you!
No party would be complete without the booze. You can set up a bar using a card table or any other appropriate surface. A bar should consist of a few different liquors, mixers and garnishes. The basics are generally vodka, whiskey, gin and rum, paired with different juices (cranberry,orange,) or soda like ginger ale and coke. Mixology is a complicated art and there is a plethora of drinks you can create, but they can be time consuming and expensive. For the holidays, it may be easier to offer two different mixed drinks and a small selection of beer and wine. Rumchata is a popular ingredient lately, so it might be trendy to use it in a cocktail, but my favorite is simple and delicious: Mix one part vodka ( I like Tito's) with two parts ginger beer. Add a splash of cranberry juice for color and you're done! Please, please drink responsibly. We are adults, so act like it. Get a ride, give the host your keys or call your parents for a lift. They've only been telling you to do so since the 8th grade!
Finally, and I stress this last point because so many people do not put in the extra effort, go put on something nice! People don't dress for parties the way they used to and it's up to our generation to bring back some class. Put on a dress, dress shirt, heels, lipstick, cologne or anything to show off your style. Look good and feel good!
If all else fails and you are losing your mind over party planning, just get on Pinterest and search for "New Year's Eve party". It's filled with thousands of ideas to help you throw a memorable, classy and fun party that people will be talking about for months afterward. Now, get going, because you don't have much time! Happy New Year!
