Ten ways to ring in the New Year

If you're like many people you're still trying to figure out what to do for New Year's this year. In honor of the New Year, we wanted to share ten ideas for how to ring it in instyle. All of these ideas can be pulled together in a short amount of time and will be a blast for you and your guests.

1. Game Night. Send a free Game Night online invitation to guests and use Punchbowl's potluck feature to add a new category: Board Games. Ask each guest or couple to bring their favorite board game. Put the name of each game in a hat and choose a new game throughout the night! 

2. Black & White Party. Make your New Year's party unique by hosting a black and white party. Set the tone on your invitation and instruct guests to dress in variations of black and white only. Decorate using black and white tablecloths and dinnerware accented with gold, silver, or hot pink. Play classic black and white movies or project them on the wall for a cool effect. 

3. Year in Review Trivia Night. Recap the past year by recounting the year's pop culture and political highlights through a game of trivia. Complile a list of questions incorporating the past year's headlines as well as your own guests' milestones from the year prior. Divide the party into teams and get ready for some serious competition!

4. Karaoke Party. Rent a karaoke machine and sing your favorite tunes all night long. Make each hour a decade (ie. sing 70s songs at 7pm, 80s songs at 8pm, and so on). You can make it even more interesting by choosing songs for other people who may or may not know the words.

5. Movie Night. Grab some popcorn and one of your favorite trilogies for a movie party. Use pillows as extra seating, and don't forget the blankets! This is also a great option for a kid's sleepover party on New Year's. 

6. Dinner Party. Choose a theme for your dinner party, such as "Taste of Italy" or 'Moroccan Nights" and focus your meal around dishes and delicacies from that region. If you host an Italian dinner party, for example, make sure to toast the New Year with prosecco, the Italian sparkling wine that's become an increasingly popular substitute for champagne. 

7. Casino Night. Invite friends over for a night of cards and dice games. Try your hand at poker, bunco, rummy, or blackjack. Host a casual casino night or encourage guests to dress up as if they were in a fancy casino in Monte Carlo. Either way, your guests will have to play their cards to see what the night has in store. 

8. Cocktail Party. Just because you're staying home doesn't mean you can't look your best. A New Year's Eve cocktail party is a great excuse to dress up! Serve martinis and champagne cocktails - maybe even hire a bartender - as well as passed hors d'oevres. Light background music and lots of mingling round out this New Year's party.

9. New Year's Day Brunch. Have as much fun on New Year's Day as you did the night before by hosting a brunch to ring in the New Year. Prepare big pitchers of bloody Marys adn mimosas in addition to standard brunch fare like strata and French toast. Send guests home with goody bags filled with advil, bottled water, and a notepad and pen to jot down New Year's resolutions. 

10. College Bowl Party. New Year's Day is a huge day for college football. Set up a large screen or projector and decorate with football-themed decorations. Make chili and arrange a tray of snacks and cold cuts. Make a list of the various college bowl games and have guests make their picks with prizes given to the winners. 

Whatever theme you choose, make sure to ring in the New Year with your favorite people! Start to plan your own celebration with one of our free New Year’s Eve party invitations.