As winter is fast approaching, people are thinking about how they’re going to spend the holidays. This has been quite a year, and many of us are ready for the next chapter to begin. Consider the following New Years' ideas to liven up your shindig.

1. Have a Winter White Themed Party

This one’s rather simple. Have all the decor you can in white, serve white foods, white cocktails, and if you think your guests will be game for it, have everyone at the party wear white, as well. 

2. Champagne Jello Shots

This is a great NY-themed dessert with a little bubbly twist. Get clear, flavorless gelatin from your grocery store or online and mix it with champagne (make sure to follow the package’s instructions, substituting champagne for water), keep them cold in the fridge, and serve when it’s time to start the festivities.

3. Get Glamorous with a Gatsby Themed Party

Want a glamorous golden age-themed party? Put on your flapper dress or tuxedo and pretend you live in the lap of luxury for the night. Decorate with as much gold as you can, make a champagne glass pyramid, and get some nice orchestra music playing. If you’re really convicted to the theme, learn the Charleston and teach your guests.

4. Fire Pit Party

If you’re just looking for a fun, casual atmosphere for your New Years' party, Start a big bonfire in the backyard. Fire up the chimney if you have one. For the festivities, if you have a friend with a band (most of us do!) invite them to play an outdoor concert. Fill a big tub with ice or have a couple of coolers to keep the libations cold. You could even rent a keg for the occasion. You can roast marshmallows and weenies and jam out with your friends to ring in the New Year. Tiki torches are a good touch for this kind of casual get-together. Don’t forget the sparklers!

5. Black and Gold Party

This is a classic theme and it’s simply done. Decorate everything in your party space with black and gold and ask your guests to dress accordingly. This is a classy, understated look that puts an air of class to your NYE bash.

6. Pajama Party

Want to get comfortable for the New Year? A pajama party might be exactly what you’re looking for. The theme is simple: everyone wears pajamas. You can take it one step further by throwing a bunch of pillows and blankets in front of the tv and having a mock slumber party, eating pizza, and watching a favorite movie leading up to the countdown. 

7. Champagne Ice Cubes

Simple and classy, this is a great way to keep your champagne cold without diluting it. Your guests will take notice.

8. DIY Ball Drop

This is a fun idea if you’re feeling crafty. Take any kind of ball (like the ones you can find in big bins in the toy section of most supermarkets), spray paint it gold or silver, tape a string to it, and attach it to a hook in a prominent place everyone will be able to see. As the countdown starts, you can have your own mini NYC New Years' ball drop.

9. Around the World Themed Party

People have different New Years' traditions all over the world. Why not celebrate the beautiful diversity of culture by having an Around the World party? For example, in Spain, it is good luck to eat 12 grapes as the clock strikes down to 0. In Japan, they eat special “new years noodles”. For extra fun, have each of your guests pick a country and bring one of their New Years' traditions to the party. It’s fun and educational! 

10. Gold-dipped Balloons

This one’s an easy and cheap way to bring some pizazz to your festivities. Buy some balloons in any color you like (silver, black, or pale blue work great, depending on your theme) and blow them up and paint the top 3rd of them with gold paint, let them dry, and then hang them up. This adds a little bit of glam to your party space.

11. Champagne Tower

You might have to be a little adventurous to do this one. Using plastic stemmed glasses, stack them into a pyramid shape. You can use this as your centerpiece for the event. If you’re brave, you can pour from the top to fill all of the glasses like a waterfall. You can also, just have it there for looks, and have people poor their own champagne glasses and save the potential mess.

12. Pigs in a Blanket

This is simple but delicious party food. Just wrap miniature sausages in thin dough, bake them, pop them in the oven until the bread is fully cooked, pop a toothpick in each of them, and put them on a serving tray. No one will complain and you may need to make extras because these go fast!

13. Countdown Cupcakes

For this festive treat, just make regular cupcakes of your choice, top with store-bought icing. Then, take an Oreo cookie, take the top cookie layer off, and, using an icing pen, draw the hands of a clock and top the cupcake with the cookie clock. Your guests will think you spent much more “time” than you did on it.

14. Mock Champagne

Don’t leave children and people who don’t drink out of the fun! Simply pour them some ginger ale or sparkling grape juice in a champagne glass. 

15. New Years Tree

If you haven’t taken down your Christmas tree before New Year, don’t feel ashamed. You can turn it into a New Years' tree! Simply remove all the overtly Christmas-themed decorations, making sure to leave the gold, black, silver, or blue ones there, and twirl a think gold or silver ribbon around the tree. Voila! You’ve got yourself an NYE tree.

16. Repurposed Christmas Decoration Centerpiece

If you have gold or silver globe Christmas decorations, put them in a glass bowl obscuring the hook part, and you’ve got the perfect New Years' centerpiece.

However, you decide to ring in the new year, make sure you have fun doing it!