How to Have a Safe New Year's Eve Party

Hosting a party can be a lot of fun but also a lot of work. Hosting a New Year's Eve Party adds additional situations. Planning for them can keep you happy and enjoying your own party.

1. Plan on overnight guests

Yes, you did not invite them to stay over and yes, you planned on everyone going home after midnight. Even if you are serving no alcohol at your party, do plan on the unexpected guest or two. You don't need to advertise it, but as the host you want to make certain people are in a good condition to drive home safely. If they have had too much to drink, their designated driver actually started drinking, or they are simply having trouble staying awake, either offer them a ride home or offer them a place in your home to sleep. Either way it allows you to go to bed and enjoy a much deserved sound sleep without worrying about your guests after they leave your door. So, how do you convince them to take you up on the offer? See the next tip.

2. Have a key bowl or key board

In most stationary departments of almost any drugstore you will find little tags with string. When your guests first arrive, have someone, and it could be you, ask for their car key. Write their name on the tag, and if needed, their designated driver's name and then attach the tag to the key. Explain to your guests that you are collecting keys so that everyone remains safe. Ask them right up front to please honor the surrender of their keys on good faith at the end of the night. If they are awake and not drinking, then they get their key back when they leave. There are two ways you can store these keys: a large bowl kept safely near you or you can make a simple key board by driving nails or pegs into a piece of plywood or foam board. Hang the tags on the nails or pegs, again in a secure place.

3. Don't forget the midnight toast.

Bottles of champagne for toasting at midnight can get expensive. If you have a great number of guests, think about a bowl of champagne punch. You can have this on the table with punch glasses and ladle everyone a glass of punch. The punch can be used for the toast. Not having alcohol at the party? Then make it a ginger ale punch or something else with a nice fizz to it. Need another alternative toasting beverage? Egg Nog. Sometimes New Year's Eve is the only time people will drink it. Not sure which to serve? Try two punch bowls of each and let your guests decide on their favorite. At any rate, even if you provide alcohol, always make sure there is plenty of nonalcoholic beverages for the designated drivers. These individuals should not drink at all. Make sure there is something for them to drink.

4. On New Year's Eve we put on the ritz

On New Year's Eve we generally think glitzy. You can't go wrong with winter white, gold and silver decorations on New Year's Eve. Inexpensive effects can be gathering bare branches, clustering them in a pot and spray painting them white. Wire can be glued and sprinkled with glitter. Christmas Tinsel can be recycled to make nest type bowls or in lieu of grass around your winter tree. In her article, "How to Make Unusual Christmas Trees", Mary Jane Jones give some wonderful ideas that fit perfectly with the silver/gold theme. Carry this right on down to the napkins, plates and invitations. Want a tip for fanning napkins? Place your napkins in a small pile, all facing the same way. Get a rock or juice glass and very firmly press the side of the glass into the middle of the pile of napkins while you turn the glass in a circle. As you turn the glass, the napkins underneath will turn with it, spiraling outwards. Try it!

5. Silly New Year's Games

Games at parties are always good when the small talk lulls and can be a great deal of fun. It can present an opportunity to let your hair down. Games with a New Year's flair include:

Guess Who's Resolution? Have each guest write their worst New Year's Resolution on a note card. Once collected, the other guests have to guess who wrote that resolution. First person to get it right gets a point. The person with the highest points gets a prize.

Who's the Baby?Since the New Year ends the old man and begins with the baby, have your guests bring a photocopy of themselves as babies. Have them write their name on the back of the picture. The host holds up one picture at a time and everyone guesses who the baby is. The person with the most points wins a prize.

How many beans?Fill a jar with dried beans or jelly beans or substitute any hard type candy. Write the number you placed in the jar under the lid. Have the guests write down their guess on the number you have in the jar and place their guess in a bowl. Toward the end of the party, you open the jar and show the number. The individual, who comes closest, wins the prize.

6. What kind of prize?

Here, you can get creative. You can have a theme of silly prizes, very nice prizes, useful prizes or totally frivolous prizes. It is completely up to you and they can all be a lot of fun. Ridiculous prizes make everyone laugh and that is the greatest gift of all.

Happy New Year and Welcome to 2009!