Want to be sure that your New Year’s Eve cocktail party is truly unforgettable? Don’t let your guests remember it for the wrong reasons…boring drinks, not enough booze or poor food choices can turn a great party into a wreck. Here are a few practical tips that will keep your party from turning into a disaster this New Year’s Eve.

Keep the host out of the kitchen

Of course, you have to go in there before the party to prepare the food, but don’t make the mistake of spending the entire night running back and forth while preparing food. Cocktail parties, by their nature, don’t really require a lot of food. Mostly folk are just there for the drinks, but every good host knows that food is always a welcome sight at any party, especially one that lasts into the wee hours of the night.

Plan ahead and have all of the food prepared and stored, ready to simply bring out as needed or at the start of the party. Or, better yet, have the whole thing catered for an easy evening that you can enjoy, too.

Keep the food simple

If you want people to notice your great bartending skills, don’t overdo it on the food. Foods that can be eaten with one hand, such as kebabs and mini sandwiches or sliders, are perfect because they let your guests mingle while they eat and they never have to set their drinks down to do so.

It’s a good idea to try to spread the food out across a large space if you have a lot of guests. Keep the flow of traffic from the bar to the food open so they can grab a drink or a bite to eat whenever they feel like it without trying to fight their way through a crowd of people.

Cocktails should be exciting

Whether you set them on fire or shoot them from shot glasses made of ice, the best cocktails are the hardest ones to forget. Include something fun or memorable in your drinks selection to give your party guests a truly memorable experience.

Shots are fun and easy, but serve them in unusual ways for the best impact. If you aren’t a great bartender and can’t afford to hire one, consider asking one of your mates to help with the drinks. Or, just master a few basic cocktails beforehand to impress your guests and look like a champion bartender. Mixes for things like margaritas and daiquiris can also make it easy to produce gorgeous drinks for every party.

Never run out of drinks

This is the cardinal rule of any good party, so we know you’ll already be prepared for it, but what if you don’t know how much booze you need for your party? No worries; we’ve got you covered with a handy calculator that will show you exactly how many of each type of drink you need. Don’t forget to provide juice or non-alcohol drinks for those who don’t want to get tipsy during the party, and bottled water is a thoughtful way to help partiers ward off a hangover the next day.

Don’t forget the accessories

No, we’re not talking about your hair accessories…we mean those extra touches that make every party go a little smoother. Consider picking up an extra corkscrew, drinks mixer, and cocktail shaker, especially if you don’t already have one of each. Invest in these now, and they’ll be used again and again for your future parties, too.

One other really great tip is to skip glasses and pick up some sturdy plastic drinkware. It looks great, can be reused if you want, and you don’t have to worry about broken glass ruining someone’s evening. Serve drinks from a flashing pitcher, and your guests will definitely remember your party for years to come!

Grab everything you need for the perfect New Year’s Eve cocktail party right here at Party Supplies Now, and have a great party!

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