Don’t you want to send 2013 off right? We do too! This year, we decided it’s time to take matters into our own hands and plan a New Year’s Eve bash of our own. But a great New Year’s Eve party is an entirely different beast than the decadent holiday get-togethers we’ve been hosting over the past month, so we turned to our our resident entertaining expert, Tony, who revealed his professional insights to planning the perfect New Year’s Eve party. Read on to take a look at our favorite tips.
1. Get rid of your red and green. “Let’s ditch the red and green for some winter glitz on New Year’s Eve. Try a more elegant approach. Flood your buffet with clear glass, silver, white ceramics and a splash of mercury. “
2. Avoid dark beverages. “Mix your champagnes and white wines into a beverage tub so people can choose whatever they want. This isn’t really the time for red wine, especially because everyone’s going to be shaking their tail-feather — and you don’t want to have to get red wine out of your sequins or your sofa.”
3. Stick to classic cocktails. “Keep it as elegant as you can, and stick to a simple gin or vodka martini. If you want to do something a little special, switch it up a little bit and make a Gibson instead of a martini, or throw a black olive in there and make it a Baltic martini.”
4. Keep your food light. “Stick with finger foods. You don’t want anything too heavy. Make it easy! Have just one hot finger food out of the oven, and have everything else out and ready to serve. Cheese, oysters on the half shell and olives are fresh and fabulous. If your guests are hungry after midnight, keep your favorite takeout menu on hand!”
5. Be a good guest. “If you’re going to be a guest at someone’s house this New Year’s Eve, bring them a gift. You could bring a bottle of champagne, but dress it up with a stopper or tie a German Glitter Ornament around it. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the name of the person — choose an X and an O. The ornaments will last longer than the champagne. Or bundle six of our fabulous Schotts Zwiesel champagne flutes to bring with your bottle. Your host will probably need them. “
6. Don’t forget the men at the bar. “Make Champagne a little more masculine for your New Year’s and make a Black Velvet: Guinness and champagne”
7. Flameless candles are a must. “I’m going to say it again: Do yourself a favor and use flameless candles this year. The fire department is the last guest you want at your New Year’s party!”
8. Add sparkle to your sofa! “Every part of your home should shine. Add some rustic luxury to your home with our beaded pillows and a fur throw.”
9. Glitz should be classy. “Not the disco ball type? Mercury your mantel! I love our Antique Mercury Glass Pillar Holders, and you can pair them with our LED string lights. A budget option is to run a white extension cord and use your leftover Christmas lights to set your candlescape aglow. Sprinkle some of our faux snow on top, if you were lucky enough to get it before it sold out.”
10. Mix décor and entertaining. “With buffet tables, your centerpiece can be any height. Use decor-taining ideas. Pair some of our great functional entertaining pieces with some other decor. Silver Malta Lanterns can be paired with a couple small Malta lanterns and an Antique Silver Three Tiered Stand. Offer the proverbial olive branch to your friends and family for the New Year and run an Olive Leaf Garland down the center of the table.”
Tell us: What are your New Year’s Eve plans this year?
