Throwing a great party can be hard, but to throw a great New Year’s Party is an art. Here’s a checklist and a final countdown timeline to help you ring in the new year like a champ:
SUPPLIES
Make sure you have everything you need before the party starts. Here is a list of supplies to get you started.
- Non-alcoholic beverages – for people who don’t want to partake or don’t want to drink too much
- Small bites – while it is not expected to eat a huge meal near midnight, it’s a nice touch to offer small bites. Both savory or sweet will be fantastic with sparkling wine, so choose 3 or 4 of your favorites to share
- Wine – There is absolutely nothing wrong with having too much wine at the party, especially if it’s sparkling wine. For a good estimate, use the standard equation for having enough wine: [(Number of people) ÷ 6]+1= (Number of Bottles Needed Per Wine)
- A cloth or towel – for easy drip management and quick spill clean up
- Ice – If you’re having a large party, it can be hard fitting all the food and wine into the fridge. An easy way to chill all your wines and manage the mess of melting is to put all the wine and ice in the kitchen sink.
- Plenty of glasses – It’s better to have more glasses than you need, with a minimum of one per person. New year’s wouldn’t be new year’s without sparkling wine, but don’t feel pressured to have champagne flutes. Normal wine glasses allow for champagne’s aromas to shine.
- Pour/Dump Bucket – some people may want to switch wines or beverages before finishing the glass. This bucket, meant for liquids only, is a great nice-to-have for people who want to switch drinks quickly or hold back on drinking too much
- Information about the wines – If you have access to information about the wines you’re serving, it might be nice to print it out or read it over so you can answer questions should there be any.
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF A NEW YEAR’S PARTY: THE CHAMPAGNE (OR SPARKLING WINE) TOAST!
Keep your bottles chilled in the fridge or ice sink, and open them around 11:40 to make sure you have time to pour all the glasses. The sound of popping corks will capture a lot of attention. By 11:55, make sure everyone has glasses in hand and is ready for the toast. Then, ring in the new year!
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