See ya! Bye, 2020!
Words by: Jess Lackey
It’s safe to say pretty much everyone is ready to leave 2020 behind and ring in the new year. Since many of us will be celebrating at home, we’ve compiled a New Year’s Eve party guide to help put the dumpster fire that is 2020 behind us. Focus on the fabulous future ahead with these DIY party ideas.
Décor
Crisp bubbly in gold-rimmed champagne flutes. The warm glow from candlelight. The rich, glamorous sparkle of deep golds, bronze and silver. Glittering sequins. Fabrics of satin and silk. The warmth and comfort of family and friends, whether in person or on a screen. The sound of subtle electric beats in the background. It’s a definite vibe. And these are the things that ignite our soul and elicit excitement for the new year to come.
NYE Décor Shopping List
- Black Plates with Gold Rim – Amazon
- Gold Whip Stitched Napkins – Amazon
- Gold Sequin Table Runner – Amazon
- Flameless Silver Pillar Candles – Amazon
- Glitter Tealights – Amazon
- Champagne Dot Ceiling Garland – Amazon
- NYE Hats and Noise Makers – Amazon
- NYE Temporary Tattoos – Amazon
- F**k 2020 Banner – Amazon
Cocktails
With new beginnings, we often revisit the past, and with that in mind, we’ve curated a list of classic vintage cocktails for you and your guests to enjoy.
The Hepburn
Classic Champagne Cocktail
Ingredients:
1 Sugar Cube
Angostura Bitters
6 oz Champagne
Lemon Twist
Soak sugar cube with a few dashes of Angostura bitters and place into a champagne flute. Top with champagne or bubbles and garnish with a lemon twist. Add some edible gold flakes for an extra glamorous touch.
Edible Gold Flakes – Amazon
The Vintage
Classic Bourbon Cocktail
Ingredients:
1 oz Bourbon
½ oz Lime Juice
½ oz Allspice Dram
1 Teaspoon Simple Syrup
1 Dash Angostura Bitters
Lime Cut into Wheels for Garnish
Combine ice, 1 oz bourbon, ½ oz lime juice, ½ oz allspice dram, 1 teaspoon simple syrup and 1 dash bitters in a shaker. Shake rigorously. Strain into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a lime wheel. For an extra sparkly touch, sprinkle some pearl dust on top.
Luster Petal Dust – Amazon
The Movie Star
Sweet and Spicy Gin Cocktail
Ingredients:
2 oz Gin
½ oz Honey
½ oz Simple Syrup
¾ oz Lime Juice
1 Pinch Chili Powder
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake rigorously. Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon or these freeze dried lemon wheels from Amazon.
Activities
Activities propel the momentum of the party forward and help to get everyone involved in a collective experience. Check out these fun NYE party activities that can be done in person or via Zoom.
Two Resolutions and a Lie
Let’s face it, after the year we’ve had, if you went into 2021 with only one resolution of simply surviving the year, no one would blame you. However, if you and your guests have some goals in mind for the new year, this game could be a big hit. A fun twist on “Two Truths and Lie” this NYE version calls on guests to reveal two real new year’s resolutions and one fake resolution. Party guests then guess which ones are real and which resolution is a lie.
2020 Bingo
Sometimes, if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry. With 2020 bingo, you can laugh (and maybe cry) at the ridiculousness that ensued this past year. We’ve designed a 2020 bingo card in 10 variations that will hopefully give you more laughs than tears.
Virtual Dance Party
One of our favorite things about NYE is dancing the night (and year) away and just because you’re celebrating at home, doesn’t mean the dance party has to stop. Insomniac.com hosts continuous, livestream DJ sets on InsomniacTV to keep you and your guests moving and grooving. Twitch.tv also offers access to endless live DJ sets for free for you and your guests to stream. Or you can buy tickets to one of many virtual DJ sets offered for NYE, including Tomorrowland’s NYE event.
Virtual Escape Room
With a virtual escape room from The Escape Game, you and your guests can navigate your way through a 1950s prison break, escape mysterious temple ruins, discover lost treasure or recover stolen museum art, all within 60 minutes. Services available for small groups of 8 or less and larger groups of 9 or more.
Zoom Backgrounds
If décor isn’t quite your thing and you’re entertaining virtually, select a Zoom background from PartySlate to help you get in the party mood.
Party Playlist
And lastly, nothing quite sets the vibe for your NYE party like the perfect playlist. We recommend Spotify’s NYE playlist or take some tips from Cosmopolitan Magazine with their top 43 songs from 2020.
Spotify New Years 2021 Playlist
Party On
As we reflect on the past year, it seems that there is almost a movie reel of “highlights” or the most impactful pieces that we’ve experienced. For some of us, it is in our natural behaviors to look back with disappointment or regret, wishing we had achieved more.
This new year, we want to remind you that if you simply survived the year, you’re doing really great. There is no need to put extra pressure on yourself to do better next year or to look back in disappointment for things you didn’t accomplish. Take pride in the small things; did you gain a new perspective? Did you talk to family and friends more? Did you vote? Did you make it through one of the hardest years of our collective lifetime? If you answered yes to any of these, then you’re doing just fine. Keep going. 2021 is another year, and we are here for it.
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