It’s the time of the year when we wrap up, wind down and start planning our year-end festivities. While some of us may be heading to exotic locations, others may be thinking of party hopping as we bring in 2020 with friends and loved ones. For those looking forward to the new year party ideas this season, we’ve got the perfect guide for you! Hosting a party doesn’t have to be a stressful task if you keep a few basics in mind. Discern Living shares a few tips that can save a lot of time and make your party the talk of the town!

Plan

This is the first step to organising any event, so plan carefully. Make a list of your invitees, food and drinks, entertainment and everything else you want at your party. Having your lists in place ensure that all the boxes are ticked and nothing gets missed. Tracking RSVP’s can help you plan your food and entertainment as per your guests’ tastes, making your job a little easier. Grab hold of a little notebook in which you can make your lists, or use your smartphone to keep track – whatever works best to make you feel organised !

Prepare

If you are sending out invites, get started on those first. December is a very busy month socially for most of us so you don’t want to be late in getting into your friends' calendars. Once these have gone out, start preparing for the day itself. Firstly, remember that house parties can become quite rambunctious, especially when everyone is having a great time, so make sure any easily breakable and valuable items are put away safely. Next, consider the decor. You should ideally choose elements that look good while remaining durable. Cover your surfaces with colourful table runners so that they remain protected while still looking festive. Scatter confetti, party poppers and whistles around the space for a cheerful feel.

Flamingo Cotton Finished Goods - Table - Runner - Pink - 13 x 72 - Shop Now

Lavender Purple Cotton Finished Goods-Table-Runner - 13 x 72 - Shop Now

Always remember, mood lighting can do no wrong. Candles, fairy lights or your regular lights on a dimmer are one of your new year party essentials as they work well to create a welcoming ambience for your guests.

It’s important to create a welcoming vibe in the guest bathroom, where your invitees will be traipsing in and out all night long! Ensure you have a stack of fresh hand towels as these tend to run out quickly. A perfumed candle or diffuser provide a pleasant scent in the space. Bonus points if you decide to put together a small basket of goodies for your guests, such as mints, mouthwash, hairspray and more to keep them looking and feeling their freshest best all night long!

Think carefully about the presentation of the food and drinks, and how you plan to serve them. Ensure you have plenty of durable plates, cutlery and glasses to avoid any breakage. Your bar will be a focal point on this night of festivities, so keep it well-stocked to avoid disappointment!

Blue Cotton Woven Vasa Hand Towel - Shop Now

Frangipani Oval Platter Coral - Shop Now

New Year’s Eve parties culminate in a countdown to midnight. Make sure you're ready for this moment with a clock that is large enough for all your guests to spot, no matter where in the room they are. 3...2...1 - it's almost time!

Kanya 01 -Medium Sized Clock - Shop Now

While events of this nature are certainly about having a good time, it may be fun to encourage your guests to take a moment to look back and reflect on the year gone by, and what’s to come. If the group is small enough, distribute cards and envelopes and ask them to write down their New Year resolutions. Seal the envelopes and give them to the guests to take home. They can open them up in 2020 to see how much progress they've actually made!

Party

Once you’ve got the food going and the wine flowing, there is nothing stopping you from having a good time. Make sure you don’t get too busy hosting to have fun yourself! Keep those glasses full and soak in the festive spirit with your loved ones, to end 2019 on a happy note. Hope you will implement our new year eve party ideas and make it worthwhile. Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

