There’s just something magical about a fresh start and you know I love any excuse to throw a party. New Year’s Eve is the perfect occasion to have friends over, pop some bottles, and celebrate the start of 2022! Planning ANOTHER party after the holidays can seem like an overwhelming task, but the thing I love about New Year’s Eve is that there are no real expectations other than the countdown to midnight.

Let me walk you through some of my tips and tricks for throwing a party so memorable and fun everyone will be talking about it till 2023!

Safety First

As a hostess, the number one rule I always abide by is to make sure everyone feels like my home is their home. If my guests walk out the door at the end of the night feeling relaxed, laughing, and with a full belly, then I know the night has been a success. The best gift anyone can give the host or hostess doesn’t come wrapped. All I want at the end of the night is to know that everyone got home safely. Please make sure before you head out for New Year’s Eve that you have picked a designated driver, or have a plan to get home safely and remember to drink responsibly. Now that you have your ride home, let’s move onto the fun stuff!

New Year’s Eve Cocktails

Life should be celebrated and I just don’t know if there’s a better way to kick off the night than with a glass of perfectly chilled prosecco. Imagine your guests walking in the door, handing off their coat to you, and guiding them over to your drink cart. A signature cocktail is an easy way to make a New Year’s Eve party feel extra special. If you’re looking for some inspiration, check out La Marca’s cocktail recipes. I personally love a Pomegranate Sparkler, but I’m not discriminating against a glass poured straight from the La Marca bottle.  If you are looking to make a Pomegranate Sparkler, it’s simple!   Just pour two ounces of pomegranate juice, top with four ounces of La Marca Prosecco, pop in some pomegranate seeds, and a sprig of fresh rosemary.  It’s so tasty!  And Pomegranates are a symbol of good luck for the new year.

New Year’s Eve Games

It never hurts to have a few tricks up your sleeve to keep your guests entertained. You could go around the table and share your resolutions, but what if you throw a twist on it? Instead of playing two truths and a lie, you can play two resolutions and a lie. Ask your guests to share two real resolutions they’ve made for themselves and one they have no intentions of keeping. Everyone else gets to guess which one is the lie. I’ll go first…1. Start the day with a morning work out! No matter what. Even if it’s just a 15 min ab class. I feel like a work out first thing, helps me make healthy choices and stay focused the rest of the day. 2. Explore more of the US with the family. 3. Travel to Thailand Wanna guess which one was the lie? Comment below.

You could even have your guests fill out premade cards and envelopes with their real resolutions, predictions, or hopes for 2022. For a nice touch, add a quick personal note and drop them in the mail in June as a thoughtful reminder. It really doesn’t take much to keep everyone laughing until the ball drops. All you need is a bowl, a pen, and some scraps of paper to throw together a game of charades. Are you brave enough to get up and sing karaoke? Remember you’re amongst friends. You don’t have to be Celine Dion to sing your heart out.

New Year’s Eve Party Must-Haves

No party is complete without an Instagram moment. You could do a balloon wall or grab some decorations at the store to make a backdrop for guests to take pictures to commemorate the night. Pick up some props and it’s like you have your own photo booth for the night. 10, 9, 8……when it’s nearing the countdown break out the noisemakers, party hats, and confetti poppers! For some of us, it’s a miracle we’ve managed to stay up till midnight. You better believe we’re not going quietly into the night.

New Year’s Eve Party Favors

It’s a new day and a new year. Send your guests off with a little something to start off 2022 right. What’s better than waking up the next morning and keeping the celebration going with a little mimosa at breakfast (or brunch for those smart enough to have gotten a babysitter)? I love gifting mini bottles of La Marca prosecco and orange juice, so my guests can think of the night before and smile when they start their day. Cheers to a happy and healthy 2022!

(Thank you La Marca for sponsoring this post.)