Eight New Years Eve Ideas for an All Night Party

There is no escaping New Year’s Eve revelries, especially when it has become an on-going tradition for families and friends to huddle together waiting for the clock to strike midnight. Trying to stay awake can be an ordeal in itself if the annual gathering keeps the same routine since time immemorial. That said, why don’t you inject some New Year’s Eve ideas to perk up the atmosphere and greet the birth of a new year with a real bang?

New Year’s Eve is not complete without a party, so you can host your own that has no place for boredom to set in. Presented here are tested ideas that can surely make your guests stay well beyond until New Year’s Day.

• Set the table in mix-match fashion. You can veer away from traditional pairing of dinnerware. Be more experimental in expanding outside a particular colour scheme. Find creative new designs from magazines and the Internet like finger food plates with cute designs.  Time your shopping binge after the holiday to hunt for party items sold as much as 75 percent off during this time.

• Create impressive desserts. Make your guests drool at the sight of elegant-looking pastries on the table. They would think you have spent the whole year preparing the dessert galore. The secret is to pour heavy cream into a pudding mix, then spoon onto pre-made chocolate or pastry shells. Garnish with fruits, berries, powdered sugar, or chocolate syrup for that one last professional touch.

• Host a fondue party. Ask your guests to bring one food item to dip into the fondue. It is important to remind them that the food must represent their New Year’s resolution. When it is time to dip, each guest must express the meaning of the food in relation to what they hope to accomplish for the coming year.

• Play interactive games. Keep everyone up on his or her toes well beyond midnight. Think of games that can be played by all the people in the party like shot glass roulette for adults and pinata for the kids. On the other hand, ask your guests to write down a particular food or drink item they promise to give up. Place the rolled papers in a bowl, and as you pick each piece of paper, read aloud what is written on it. Have the people guess the right person who they believe made the promise.

• Float the root beer. Do not count out the children when it’s time to raise the glass for the midnight toast. Have plenty of ice cream and soda to create a fizzling drink for kids who remain awake through the night. They will feel great knowing they are part of the party.

• Let the party sparkle. Shop for sparklers early on to avoid being caught up in the New Year rush. You can also buy online at cheap prices. Light the sparklers as you start the New Year’s Eve countdown. Be careful, though, for you only want a few sparks, not a big fire.

• Look at the year that was. Travel down memory lane with the family and guests. Hang up a clothesline in the party area and pin up pictures of your guests captured in many different angles of events that transpired during the year. It will surely inspire everyone to sing “Auld Lang Syne” with more depth and emotions.

• Freshen up the air. Expect lots of kissing at midnight when New Year heralds its coming. So splash mints and breath freshener all over the place, mainly in the bathroom to keep those kissable lips fresh.

The party may extend well beyond midnight. However, when it is time for guests to face the first day of the year, make sure that your final New Years Eve ideas allow them to remain alert to meet it head on. Bid them goodbye with fun care packages filled with Alka-Seltzer, vitamin C, aspirin, and that piece of paper to remind them of their New Year’s resolution.