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How about a New Years’ Day party?
An excellent way to balance a great NYE party is an excellent NYD Open House.
New Year’s Eve is a great time to celebrate, don’t you think? What better time to party than to ring in the new year? And I have to say – it’s a lot of fun to host. I should know, I’ve done quite a few. Many of my New Years’ Eve parties have turned into big events with the house packed with 100-plus guests. Most of the time for these New Years’ Eve parties the last guests are leaving way past 1am!
Sometimes with all the excitement of New Years’ Eve, we forget about New Years’ Day. In some ways, it’s an even better day to celebrate – with family and close friends. Even friends of mine who are not big football fans love to hang out together for a little NYD gathering.
Everyone who comes to my New Year’s Eve party knows that I also love to host an Open House on New Years’ Day. Yeah, I love it that much I have both NYE and NYD! They also know to be prepared for me to show up VERY CASUAL. No makeup, dressed down, and looking for a pleasant way to chill out. It’s the perfect way to have an Open House on New Year’s Day.
I start off the day before the first kickoff of the first Bowl Game with the Rose Parade. And usually, it’ll go on until the last minute of the last game of the day.
Here’s how I plan my Open House.
- Set the timer on that large pot of coffee to start brewing first thing in the morning so it will be ready for YOU when you open your eyes.
- People know that the parade starts early so if they’re coming to watch it then your day will start even earlier!
- Get deli trays: bagels, smoked fish, capers, cheeses, and veggies. Make sure you have a variety of flavors – onion, cheese, pumpernickel, everything – even if your favorite is a plain water bagel. Make sure that you ask the deli to slice them. That way you don’t have to AND if they aren’t all eaten you can put them in a Ziploc bag in the freezer!
- Set the trays out with the coffee, cream, sugar, juice etc. to get everyone’s day started.
- Decide on a great stew or chili for the afternoon. Make it a day ahead – that way you just have to put it on the stove and reheat.
- Aside from the veggies on the deli tray, bring in a simple mixed green salad and some great crusty bread. This’ll go with the stew or chili, and you’ll have a meal that can stay warm on the stove for whenever your guests arrive and are ready to eat.
- For plates – think about the cleanup. I recommend very sturdy paper (easy to dispose of) or any of the great plastic plates and bowls you can find from Yoshi. They have wonderfully designed plates, bowls, and strong plastic utensils (spoons, forks, and knives). Check out the really cute accessories they have that add to a light party atmosphere.
By the way, if you opt for paper plates and bowls, the emphasis is on “very sturdy”. Nothing worse than flimsy paper plates and bowls that spill on laps and couches while people are gawking at games! A friend of mine had a party a while back and gave everyone small serving trays. Worked pretty well as a way of catching spills, but also offers guests an easy way to plate appetizers and rest their utensils and such. You can find stylish rectangle plastic trays from Yoshi as well.
Last word. In many Asian cultures, New Year’s Day is actually one of the most important days of the year. Who you talk with and what you do will set the tone for the entire year. Talk about commitment! But it is a nice thought – what better way to ring in 2018 than hanging out with friends and family?
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