After the hubbub of Thanksgiving and Christmas you may not really want to think about New Year’s Eve. However, the holiday will arrive and you want to celebrate the changing of the calendar. Use these New Year’s Eve budget party ideas so you don’t destroy your already stretched budget.
You may not be able to travel to Time’s Square to watch the New Year ball drop, but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate the holiday in style. Ask friends and family to join you at your home to watch the live television broadcast. You’ll be much warmer and will have everything you need right at hand.
Decide on a budget for your party. You don’t need to spend a great deal of money to have some friends and family over. If you let those attending help supply some of the party’s needs, it can drastically reduce how much your party costs.
Ask everyone on your list to help with the food and beverages. You may think it seems ungenerous to have a pot luck New Year’s Eve party, but it’s a great way to have a party on a budget. Everyone else just celebrated Christmas, too, so they will probably be more than happy to chip in.
Disposable plates, glasses and silverware may seem ‘cheap’ but who wants to spend January 1 washing a ton of dirty dishes? You can find holiday and plain party items at most dollar stores and the price is low enough not to break your budget. Be sure to get at least twice as many as you think you’ll need so people can go back to the food table for seconds.
Avoid the concerns about too much drinking for the holiday by inviting friends with children. This will give everyone permission not to drink and you’ll know there won’t be a problem when they go home. Of course, you may want to have sparkling cider on hand to at least give the impression that you’re having champagne when midnight comes.
Break out the board games while you’re waiting to ring in the New Year. Set up several games on different tables throughout the home. This will give everyone a couple of choices of games to play. If your guests have children, ensure you have children’s games for them to play as well.
Choose simple decorations. Fancy balloons and streamers are all fine and dandy if you have the money for them, but they’re really not necessary. Make a “Happy New Year” sign on your computer or don’t have decorations at all. It’s not likely anyone will complain because there were no decorations.
Of course, if you’re really concerned about your budget, you can have a simple New Year’s Eve party at home with your own family. Watch a movie until midnight and then go on to bed. You could also go to bed early and sleep through the changing of the year. There’s nothing that says it must be celebrated in a particular way. Find something that meets your needs and enjoy.
These New Year’s Eve budget party ideas are pretty universal. You can enjoy friends and family without having to go broke. Set a budget and stick to it. Ask your guests to bring something to share. Don’t serve alcohol. These simple ideas will keep every party you throw be fun without your having to worry about the cost.
