A new year is certainly something to celebrate. Yet New Year’s Eve parties have become much more scarce than they once were. It’s a safe bet that one of the biggest reasons for this trend is our shrinking budgets.
What many people do not realize is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to ring in the New Year properly. As long as your friends and family are there, you can always have a good time even without going to a great deal of expense. Here’s how.
* Host the party at your house if possible. If you do not have enough space, ask a friend or family member if you could have the party at their house. Renting a space can be expensive, especially on an occasion like New Year’s Eve.
* Plan your party for late evening. Everyone will probably be staying past midnight anyway, so there’s no need to get started early. If you have the party late, it will give everyone the opportunity to eat dinner before they show up, so you won’t be expected to provide a full meal. Instead, you can just serve some tasty finger foods. But just to be sure everyone knows what to expect, indicate on the invitations that you will be serving refreshments only.
* If you really want to have a meal, make it a potluck. Have each guest bring a dish, and even a drink if you like. You can supply the paper plates, cups, flatware and napkins.
* Don’t feel obligated to have a full bar. You can have a fun party without stocking every type of liquor. You could serve champagne punch or beer as an alternative, or make it an alcohol-free party if you like.
* Keep the decorations simple and inexpensive. Strings of white Christmas lights make great decorations indoors or out. For a centerpiece, gather some branches and pine cones and arrange them in the center of the table. For added flair, spray paint them silver or gold.
* Skip hiring a band to play at your party and make a nice mix CD for the occasion. Or if you have friends that play, ask them to bring their instruments along and have an impromptu jam session.
* Go with cheap entertainment. Borrow movies from the library for a movie marathon, or have guests bring board games that everyone can play. Or break out the cards and chips and have a poker night.
Who said celebrating the New Year required an all-out extravaganza? The point of a New Year’s Eve party is to have fun with the people who mean the most to us. And you don’t have to break the bank to do that.
