This take on Minted was made by undefined from , a member of Minted's community of independent artists.
It’s been quite a year and a festive New Years Eve Party is the perfect way to ring in the new year to come. Whether you're doing a virtual or in-person gathering, or a party for adults or kids, there are endless possibilities for party themes. New Year’s Eve is typically a fancy affair, but there are more casual themes if you'd prefer not to get dressed up this year. Whether you’re hoping for a raucous gathering or a more sophisticated dinner party, your theme and decorations will set the tone. Send invites well before the holidays so they don't get lost in the Christmas card pile. People like to make their NYE plans early!
Geometric Holiday Party by Kelly Schmidt
1. Masquerade: After a year apart, we could all use a reason to dress up. This is an elegant NYE party theme, so have fun with it. Have decorative eye masks for everyone at the door or encourage them to bring their own disguises. For the decor, think luxe and sophisticated but mysterious. To make your event more formal, consider having place cards and menus. If you're serving dinner, you'll want to pay special attention to your table settings.
2. Travel theme: A lot of us didn't get to vacation this year, so a travel-themed New Years Eve party is an opportunity to bring the world to your dining room. This works best as a potluck where each guest brings a dish from their dream vacation country. Wish you had traveled to Paris last year? Bring a baguette and a French cheese board. Longing for the bright lights of Tokyo? A sushi platter is a wonderful cocktail party finger food. For drinks try a Brazilian favorite, the Caipirinha. Prepping for this party and shopping for unusual ingredients can be as much fun as the party itself. Your guests' dishes, attire, and travel stories create natural conversation starters if you have guests that don't know each other well. And they are sure to leave with plenty of ideas for their trips for next year. Bon voyage!
3. Las Vegas Theme: This NYE party theme perfectly matches the kitchy tone of a traditional New Years Eve party. Afterall, what is Vegas but a big party? Rely on your decor to set the ambiance. Think flashy and fun. Encourage guests to dress up! You could even have a custom photo backdrop. Set up a poker, black jack, and craps table. If you're concerned that some of your guests might not feel comfortable playing with real money, consider getting chips to play with instead. You could offer gift bags for winners. The house always wins with this one.
4. Black Light Party: This theme creates a really fun party atmosphere. Black lights are inexpensive and easy to come by. Order lots of glow sticks, neon beads, and sunglasses, and place them in bowls around the room. Encourage guests to wear white. Cups and other decor that are white will also stand out in your black lit room. Then turn off the lights and let the fun begin!
5. Couples costume dinner party: Ask guests to come as their favorite couples from history, film, or literature. For decor you can go for a theme that fits with the hosts’ costumes (If you're Elvis and Priscilla, pretend your home is Graceland). Or you can stick to classic party decor and enjoy the eclectic atmosphere. I'm sure Jackie Kennedy and JFK will have a lot to say to Cleopatra and Mark Antony. It will be fun to see who stays in character!
6. Southern flair dinner party: This theme really allows you to showcase your cooking skills with a dinner party centered around Southern cuisine. The South is known for its rich comfort food: think fried chicken, okra, barbeque, or fried green tomatoes. You can go Louisiana-style with a gumbo, or stick to the Southern coasts and serve shrimp and grits. Whatever you choose, your guests won't be going home hungry. For drinks, try a Southern classic, a mint julep. But don't forget the cocktail napkins. For decor, you'll want something simple and elegant, but also homey. You could even print menus and placecards.
1. Murder Mystery night: Hosting a murder mystery party is a really entertaining option if you can't be together this New Years Eve. There are many online scripts and character assignments that you can send around to guests ahead of time. Encourage everyone to stay in character. Solving this riveting murder mystery is sure to keep everyone absorbed until the ball drops.
2. Prom theme: If you have to be apart this New Years Eve, then you might as well take a trip down memory lane. Everyone should dress up like they're headed to prom. Think tiaras, floor length dresses, tuxes, and boutineers. It will be a blast from the past as you all remember your prom dates and outfits. Best of all, ask all your guests to share photos from their prom. Sitting in your own living rooms, Zooming with friends in formal attire will make for a hilarious evening.
3. Party Game theme: There are plenty of lively party games you can play with friends remotely to pass the time until the ball drops. Think charades, bingo, 20 questions, or a trivia night. In your household, you can liven things up by having fun party snack foods and decorating the space that will be in view of the screen.
4. Wine Tasting Party: This one is obviously best in person, but if you need to gather with loved ones virtually you can easily do it online. Send out a list of wines ahead of time. You can also send your guests a printable wine tasting notes template. Then, sip and compare! Dress like you're headed to Napa.
1. Game night: New Year's Eve should be fun and a game night will keep the kids entertained for hours. Set up a game area in your home with various board and card games. You can also suggest they play performance games like charades. Depending on how many kids will be attending, you may want to set up unique stations so that different groups can play different games at the same time. Festive decor will improve the ambiance. You can set up snack stations around the room so they can nibble between rounds.
2. Homemade pizza party: Kids of all ages love this one. Set up a toppings station at the center of the table; peperoni, olives, pineapple, mozzarella, sauce, and anything else your crowd might enjoy. Each kid can knead the dough for their personal pizza and then add toppings of their choice. They'll be so proud of their culinary creations and can all try each other’s. Keep the pizzas coming in and out of the oven all night! And don’t forget to cook in style with matching aprons and oven mitts.
3. Indoor picnic theme: Roll out the blankets and let the kids pretend like they're dining under the stars. You can pack them lunch bags or let them pull snacks out of a big picnic basket if you have one. If you have a fireplace, light it up and let them roast marshmallows (close supervision required of course!).
4.Costume party: There is almost nothing more fun and imaginative than dressing up. And why wait for Halloween? You can suggest a theme (safari, storybook characters, or dress like who you want to be when you grow up) or you can leave it to them and let their imaginations run wild. Providing classic party games for them to play until the ball drops will ensure an action packed party. Think board games or pin the tail on the donkey. Little party favors are always a nice touch.
5. Ice Cream social: Similar to the pizza party idea, for this one you'll set up a make your own ice cream sundae bar. Depending on the size of your gathering, you'll want to offer several flavor and topping options. But don’t forget to keep allergies in mind. You can even add some healthy toppings like fresh fruit and nuts. They'll love creating their own concoctions. The decorations will make this one a truly festive party environment.
1. Pajama Party: Kids love an opportunity to show off their favorite pajamas. And it's a cozy option too! Make sure there are activities at this one by adding some games into the mix like charades, 20 questions, or Bingo. And just because they have to be apart doesn't mean you can't be festive. Decorate your home, serve fun nighttime snacks like hot chocolate.
2. Movie theatre: These days, there are plenty of ways to watch movies together from afar, so if you can't be together this New Years Eve, a virtual movie night is a great choice. Make this night feel special in your household by serving popcorn or other movie snacks of your choosing and encourage the other parents to do the same. If you're feeling especially creative, give them tickets and ask the kids to hand them to you before the movie starts. Having trouble picking a movie? No problem, pick two! You'll have plenty of time before the ball drops.
3. Beach Theme: It's winter, so it's a great time to pretend you're somewhere warmer. You can wear your favorite swimwear and sun hats. For decor, bright colors are a summery option. Send around your favorite cocktail recipes for adults and mocktail recipes for kids. Add umbrellas to their drinks for a fun touch.
4 . Family feud: This game show themed NYE party is a great one for the whole family and is easily turned into a virtual event. It works best if you have two families going head to head, though it's possible to have a round robin competition. Not sure how to play? Follow these instructions. As the host, you can even have a prize for the winners. Encourage the families to wear matching shirts so they look like a team. Don't forget the game-show themed decorations! Have fun with this one and don't be afraid to get a little silly.
5. Karaoke: Turning karaoke into a virtual event is easy, just follow this step-by-step guide. The fun is sure to last for hours and hopefully by the end, even the quietest wallflower will be participating. This is also a fun theme for grown-ups to try.
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