Quick and quirky ideas for last-minute New Year’s Eve hosting

“As a host, I absolutely love a New Year’s Eve house party! It gives me so much freedom to conceptualise. It can be a simple dinner and cocktails or a themed extravaganza, it’s all in our control. A good bar can elevate your night, so ensure that everyone has something to drink, teetotallers included!”, says Jovita Mascarenhas, Co-founder of Bartisans. While Jordan Mascarenhas Co-founder of Bartisans believes that “If you have a constant group like me, keep drinks and mixers they haven’t tried, it makes the usual gang hang out fresh and gives us something new to do!”

Finger Food is the Key

Unless you’re hosting a formal dinner party, it's better to keep refreshments light. Serve a collection of tasty appetisers for your guests to enjoy alongside a selection of dips, crackers, cheese, and fruit.  Amongst innumerable food startups, Graiz India and Dipsology are two of them that provide gourmet platters, curated as per your food preferences. Their casual yet chic setups along with their delectable nibbles are sure to keep the party going without having to sit down for a full-course meal. Their platters include breads, exotic fruits, crackers, cheese, dried fruits, crudites, gourmet bakery treats, wholesome dips and spreads, and much more. 

Along with music, a lot of people like to play games. Mumbai-based brand, Games Knight, founded by Mridula Gupta offers a wide range of personalised card games, board games, puzzles, drinking games, life-size games and more! “Since it is New Year’s Eve, most people have an agenda of heavy drinking, and we have some perfect options available! Our bestselling game ‘Drunk Knight’ is guaranteed to bring your party to life. We also have a ‘Drunk Tower Game’ which is a fun custom Jenga, guaranteed to get you tipsy! For non-drinking options, we offer a conversation game called ‘Let’s Talk’. It aims to promote deeper and meaningful conversations and it can be played between friends and family to talk about their feelings and reminisce about the year that’s gone by,” discusses Mridula.

There are a few things that make all the difference in house party setups. I truly believe in attacking all the senses - sight, smell, sound, and taste. Flowers never fail to uplift spirits. If you’ve picked flowers with a strong fragrance, great! If not, I would recommend lighting a candle, diffuser or oil in the space. Starting the party with a little bit of jazz and blues is my personal favourite. Begin slow and let the music pick up as the mood changes through the evening. Food is an important element. Dedicate a table just for the appetizers and snacks to last the whole evening and you can then lead it to a massive pot of biryani or pizzas as per your preference.”