5 . . . 4 . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . Happy New Year!
Everyone loves the sound of the countdown to a new year, and what better place to do it than a New Year’s party at your place.
New Year’s parties can be the easiest to host. The entertainment can be as simple as watching the New Year ball drop on national TV. A New Year’s cocktail party is fun to host – finger foods and snacks are easy to prepare in advance and can be placed around the house to keep guests mingling.
Use small plates and festive napkins. If you’re using paper, check out your local party store or online resources such as Century Novelty for New Year's theme paper products. Whether your theme is snowflakes, silver and blue, glitter and white, snowmen, fireworks, or black and gold, look for partyware to match.
For your New Year’s party, offer a variety of hors d’oeuvres – something hot-from-the-oven, a dip with chips, a spread with crackers, a cheese, a finger food that’s hearty and substantial, and something sweet for dessert.
Here’s an ideal cocktail party recipe for your New Year’s Eve party. Caponata Bread Cups can be made in advance and served at room temperature. Perfect for the New Year’s party host.
Caponata Bread Cups
For bread cups:
Lay out slices of thin, white bread and, using a round cookie cutter or the rim of a drinking glass, cut out a circle from the center of each slice. Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking oil and place bread rounds into muffin tins. Press the bread rounds down to flatten against the bottom and sides and make a cup out of each. (You may have to overlap the edges. Snip with scissors, overlap and press as needed.) Brush each bread cup lightly with olive oil. Bake in a preheated 425-degree oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. Fill each cup with a spoonful of caponata and serve at room temperature.
The Champagne
Intimidated by that bottle of bubbly? Fear not! Chiff.com has step-by-step instructions on how to open a bottle of champagne, as well as how to serve it, drink it and use it in recipes.
Plan a minutes-after-midnight toast in which everyone gets to participate.
If you don’t entertain with champagne often enough to have a set of champagne glasses on hand, buy plastic champagne flutes. Hand paint them with the year in glitter paint for a memorable souvenir for your party guests.
Think Outside the Box
Do something different this year. Start out the year right by throwing a party that’s unexpected and you’re guests will be delighted. Here are some New Year’s party ideas with a twist.
More Internet resources for New Year's Party ideas:
New-Years-Day.com - Suggestions for New Year's party themes and party planning ideas.
Best Kids Book Site - Not just for kids, this site has loads of ideas for New Year's games, crafts and party plans.
PlumParty.com - A large selection of unique New Year's party supplies.
Everyone loves the sound of the countdown to a new year, and what better place to do it than a New Year’s party at your place.
New Year’s parties can be the easiest to host. The entertainment can be as simple as watching the New Year ball drop on national TV. A New Year’s cocktail party is fun to host – finger foods and snacks are easy to prepare in advance and can be placed around the house to keep guests mingling.
Use small plates and festive napkins. If you’re using paper, check out your local party store or online resources such as Century Novelty for New Year's theme paper products. Whether your theme is snowflakes, silver and blue, glitter and white, snowmen, fireworks, or black and gold, look for partyware to match.
For your New Year’s party, offer a variety of hors d’oeuvres – something hot-from-the-oven, a dip with chips, a spread with crackers, a cheese, a finger food that’s hearty and substantial, and something sweet for dessert.
Here’s an ideal cocktail party recipe for your New Year’s Eve party. Caponata Bread Cups can be made in advance and served at room temperature. Perfect for the New Year’s party host.
Caponata Bread Cups
- 1 large eggplant, peeled and diced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, crushed
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
For bread cups:
Lay out slices of thin, white bread and, using a round cookie cutter or the rim of a drinking glass, cut out a circle from the center of each slice. Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking oil and place bread rounds into muffin tins. Press the bread rounds down to flatten against the bottom and sides and make a cup out of each. (You may have to overlap the edges. Snip with scissors, overlap and press as needed.) Brush each bread cup lightly with olive oil. Bake in a preheated 425-degree oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. Fill each cup with a spoonful of caponata and serve at room temperature.
The Champagne
Intimidated by that bottle of bubbly? Fear not! Chiff.com has step-by-step instructions on how to open a bottle of champagne, as well as how to serve it, drink it and use it in recipes.
Plan a minutes-after-midnight toast in which everyone gets to participate.
If you don’t entertain with champagne often enough to have a set of champagne glasses on hand, buy plastic champagne flutes. Hand paint them with the year in glitter paint for a memorable souvenir for your party guests.
Think Outside the Box
Do something different this year. Start out the year right by throwing a party that’s unexpected and you’re guests will be delighted. Here are some New Year’s party ideas with a twist.
- Have a New Year’s Eve Effigy Party. Do you have negative energy or bad habits from the old year that you want to be rid of? What better time to go out with the old than New Year's Eve? Check out this party idea from Fabulous Foods.
- Involve the children and become a kid again. Family Fun Magazine has some original and outstanding ideas for New Year’s parties for kids and families.
- Play party games. Party Game Central has some ideas for new year’s party games, including “Guess My Resolution” and guessing games on the year’s events.
- Pick a theme. Hire a fortune teller or a palm reader and give your guests a glimpse of what’s ahead for them in the coming year. Times Square is the center of attention on New Year’s Eve; go with a New York theme and replicate the dropping ball with a miniature version. Ask your guests to come as a famous person who made the news in the past year. You’ll all have fun trying to guess who’s who.
- Serve breakfast. Have your party start at 11 p.m., ring in the New Year and then let the festivities begin. Serve breakfast food – crepes, sausage pastries, an egg frittata and mimosas – and keep the party going all night long.
More Internet resources for New Year's Party ideas:
New-Years-Day.com - Suggestions for New Year's party themes and party planning ideas.
Best Kids Book Site - Not just for kids, this site has loads of ideas for New Year's games, crafts and party plans.
PlumParty.com - A large selection of unique New Year's party supplies.
