by Liz Moore

Created on: December 31, 2008

New Year's Eve is a time to say goodbye to the old year and welcome in the new, so I think the best decorations are those that combine old family favorites with something new and different. This can be a wonderful time to experiment with party themes and decorations that you might not have considered in the past. Use any color schemes you might find interesting, from cool whites and silvers to the darker black and gold and all the others in between. Your choices are only limited by your imagination.

My tradition has been to keep my Christmas decorations, including the tree, up through New Year's Day. This is a good way to enjoy all the work that went into preparing for that holiday for just a little longer. Anyone who would prefer not to have the two holidays run together might consider removing the reds and greens from the Christmas decorations and keep a up a tree decorated with just white light and silver tinsel; an elegant backdrop for any New Year's Eve party. The same holds true for other Christmas decorations you may already have up around the house - remove whatever seems too Christmas-y and keep only those parts that evoke more of a New Year's feeling. This will save you valuable time during a hectic season.

For a wintry party option, clip some bare branches from your yard and arrange them in sleek vases. The branches can then be decorated with icicle ornaments and white lights and be set upon tables throughout the room or can be used as a centerpiece for a New Year's Eve dinner table. The white and silver theme can be easily carried out with the addition of cloth napkins and silver dishes. Throw in a little glitter or confetti and you're ready to go.

Black and silver or gold are excellent options for a New Year's Eve party. Accessories in these colors can be found easily and make for an elegant New Year's Eve party. Use black dishes and napkins with silver or gold flatware, provide black "top hats" and silver or gold crowns (available at most party supply stores), and ask that your party guests dress up in black tie and evening attire to carry the theme even further.

For something different, throw a "beach" party to chase away the gloomy winter blahs. Decorate with seashells, fish nets, and coconuts and use "grass" table skirts. Set bottled or canned beverages in buckets of ice and serve finger foods on wooden platters. Use outdoor candles for illumination. Play a little Hawaiian music in the background and maybe even have a bamboo pole on hand for a limbo contest.

There's no right or wrong way to decorate for a New Year's Eve party and you're only limited by what you can imagine. The New Year is a time of possibilities and the possibilities are endless for your New Year's Eve party decorating ideas.

Have fun...and have a Happy New Year!

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