Overcrowded. Overpriced. We know, we’re over it, too! New Year’s Eve is always hyped up as the hottest night of the year, but when it rolls around, we’re left thinking, “I wish we’d have partied at home!” Well, this year, we want to make what you do for New Year’s an easy call.

Partying at home means no queues, no extortionate cover charges, and a hand picked guest list! Keep reading to learn how to make your New Year’s party one you’ll never forget!

Pre-Party Prep

Before the first guests arrive, there are a few bits of housekeeping you’ll want to take care of—and we’re not just talking about polishing up your crystal wine glasses. The beauty of knowing who’ll be at the party is knowing how rowdy things are likely to get. As a general rule, if it’s worth crying over when it breaks then keep it out the way or protected. A broken plasma screen or red wine stained cream couch is a very tear worthy thing.

It’s also worth letting your neighbours know to expect a bit of a ruckus. Let them know what time you’re expecting to wind down and give them a contact number to get you on should they find your party playlist… not to their liking?

Oh, and keep local taxi numbers somewhere obvious so guests can get home easily. Uber rides can be extortionately expensive, and so booking a regular taxi in advance is always preferred.

Atmosphere

Candles can be a great addition to the lighting, just make sure they’re safe and secure. Try keeping your candles in a ziploc bag in the freezer for 24 hours before lighting them to help them last into the early hours.

Choosing a theme for your party can be another fantastic way to set the tone for the night. Spend a bit of time conjuring up ideas that you know will inspire your guests, making sure to get their creative juices flowing with some suggestions of your own. If you're looking to add a touch of classic to the night, throw a silver and gold colour themed extravaganza. To allow a bit more creative freedom, get them to dress up as characters from their favourite music videos. Basically, make the theme as simple or as outrageous as you dare, but you know your friends so make it easy enough for as many people as possible to commit to. After all, no one wants to draw attention as the only one going all-out!

Meeting and Greeting

When your guests arrive, it’s your job to get them straight into the party spirits. You’ll go down in house party history if you greet them with a glass of bubbles. For a genuine Champagne reception, try something like Mumm Cordon Rouge NV.

The Drinks Selection

Firstly, you’ll need a solid supply of beer for your NYE party. We reckon you can’t go wrong with XXXX Summer Bright Lager with Lime. It’s a super light and crisp lager with a twist of lime. It’s also low carb, to offset all that Christmas pavlova.

There’s always the danger that your guests get a bit ‘beered’ out. That’s why you should give them something to mix things up. Try Bundaberg Lazy Bear, a concoction of the Bundaberg Rum we know and love, with an ultra-refreshing addition of dry ginger and natural lime.

Vodka is a party staple at any time of the year. The easiest option is to provide the vodka and a wide range of mixers and let people get creative. Try Absolut Vodka as it’s a high quality vodka that won’t break the bank.

If you’re worried about constantly running out of glasses, or people making a total mess of your bar (or kitchen) then we’ve got a suggestion to make everyone’s life easier. Pick up as many cases of Jim Beam & Cola you think you’ll need. As long as they’re ice cold, most people will be happy to drink from the can—no mess, no washing up.

When it comes to wine, you can get inspired at the deals on our Christmas catalogue page. We also said we’d keep things simple, so we’ve made the choice for you (at least, the red wine choice). Try the Tintara Geology Shiraz, it’s homegrown and has a rich and balanced flavour. It’s a crowd pleaser that’ll be going down quickly so make sure you pick up enough to go around. If you’re thinking more along the lines of whites and rosés, try Jacob’s Creek Le Petit Rosé and their Chardonnay for two easy to drink but delicious wines that are hard not to like.

There’s always the option, of course, to make it completely BYO. If that’s the case, then we recommend at least delivering on all the non-alcoholic essentials: soda water, fruit juices, mixers, tonics, etc. It’s also worth making sure you’ve got plenty of non-alcoholic drink options for those who want to take it easy or are designated drivers.

Food

Having food for people to snack on through the evening is absolutely crucial. Not only will it keep people’s hunger at bay, but we never advocate drinking on an empty stomach. There are always a few who are in it for the long haul, so just make sure you’ve got food accessible at all times. To keep costs down, consider making it a BYOA (Bring Your Own Appetiser). If everyone brings one dish, you’ll have trouble keeping stomachs lined all night.

Entertainment

In this day and age, you should have an open group chat with most of your key guests. Don’t leave the music to chance. Request people’s favourite ‘MUST HAVE’ songs in advance, or better yet create a collaborative Spotify playlist to reduce the amount of song skipping on the night.

You can also ask your guests to bring a random accessories like a feather boas, crazy hats, or funny specs, and leave them the middle of the table so people can mix and match their outfits when taking selfies.

Got a friend who fancies themselves as a bit of a camera hotshot? See if they’ll act as the ‘professional’ photographer for the night. If you can, get your guests’ email addresses so you can send them a link to the photos one they’ve all been sorted through (read: had any incriminating evidence removed!)

Countdown to Midnight

When the countdown happens, expect people to go crazy! You can always ask people to bring to the party anything for making noise as the clock strikes midnight. Vuvuzelas, claxons, airhorns, maracas, you name it—if it makes a noise, bring it along!

As the countdown looms, people are going to be puckering up for a midnight kiss. With that in mind, make sure you leave complimentary mints in the bathroom to help people keep their breath fresh.

Hangover Care Packages



If you’ve got time, creating take-home hangover care packages will be highly appreciated. Include things like a bottle of mineral water, aspirin, Alka-Seltzer, vitamin C, and so on.

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We hope we’ve got you in the hosting mood with our guide. If you’re not sure where your local Cellarbrations is, check out our handy store locator.
If you’re still wondering about your drinks selection, then browse our Christmas catalogue online now for heaps of festive specials.

Cheers to a Happy New Year, from all of us at Cellarbrations!