How to plan the perfect New Year's Eve Party

Every year you go through the same worries..who's party to go to? If you go to one and not all of the others, you find you may end up insulting your friends, because no person can be at all the parties all at once, especially here in Manhattan! The solution then is simple, host your own "on your way to somewhere else" party. With my tips you'll be quickly on the road to that successful party everyone will be talking about for years to come!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• good glasses
• hor doerves
• chips/pretzels
• table cloths
• munchies
• booze
• punch
• beer/wine
• invitations

1. First decide how many people you want to invite. If you have a small place, then invite in cycles. I once had 150 people to my small one bedroom on East 13th Street in Manhattan, and my secret was, staggard invitations, and of course I really didn't expect EVERYONE to show up!
2. On the invitation make sure you specify that this is a party for people "on their way to somewhere else" which makes it fun because they don't have to stay, which of course makes them want to stay all the more!
3. HAve a theme! And have lots of muchies. I like the instant hors deorve types because you can get them in bulk at a place like Cosco's and you can constantly replenish them as the guest go through them. Have a little of this and a little of that and definately those little pigs in a blanket!
4. HAve a lot of juice and water available as well. You don't want your guest to get plastered, and since most will just be stopping in to say their quick Hello's, it will be easy enough. Also have a guest book at the door. I find this to be quite fun to have each person jot their thoughts down, and you'll love looking at it in years to come.
5. As for the liquor, I usually buy, not the best, but not the cheapest, LEEDS has a nice variety. Have a little of everything, depending on your guest, and either you or your partner can mix the drinks while the other takes coats, etcetera. Also pass the food around. Have many napkins and plates and glasses and music and encouraging mingling.
6. Remove the chairs in the living room! Remember, at cocktail parties the only people sitting should be people who are either too old or too drunk. My party was a great success! Many people came because they knew they wouldn't have to stay long..and some people came back leaving Donald Trump and Kathy Lee! So that was when I knew we really had a hit.

Tips & Warnings

• Have an "after-party" plan. I usually have people in until 12 midnight and then once the ball drops we all head to the village for further merriment
• Plan a breakfast..for those who do come back, it's nice to have hot cakes and sausages
• plan to have people overnight, cots, sleeping bags, etc. just in case they over do it a bit
• Make sure you have enough food and liquor. When that runs out, the party goes flat
• Have a nice large punch. This makes it easier for people to drink, without getting drunk
• have a "break glass" strategy for the guests who get drunk and disorderly.
• Don't get drunk yourself, you need to be in control "as the ship."
• Lock coats up. Who knows who your friends will bring in, and nobody likes to find they've lost their mink!
• Don't be afraid to hire "help" or a neighborhood kid, if you need "servants" for the party which definately makes it easier!