by Valerie Gawthrop

Created on: November 28, 2009

As if we need an excuse, New Year's Eve is the perfect time to get silly and nothing is sillier than a party hat. Just for a chuckle, try making them yourself. There are several popular styles of party hats all of which can be made rather than purchased.

The hat most of us are used to seeing is the one that looks like an upside down ice cream cone. These can be easily made by taking a large sheet of paper and folding it into a cone. Overlap the edges and staple. Finish the bottom of the hat by trimming into shape with scissors. Your standard eight and a half by eleven sheet will form a small hat, perfect for children or adults who don't want to look too ridiculous.

Another advantage to using this size is you can easily print the lyrics of Auld Lang Sang on the sheets before turning them into hats. Go online and print out the lyrics. Now enter them into a word processing file. Use a decorative font like bold Edwardian Script and print it in black on silver paper. Don't worry if you can't actually read the lyrics. You can also fill a sheet full of Happy New Year written in different fonts and type sizes and colors. Use your imagination and have fun with this.

Buy a bag of shredded mylar at the craft store. These are the thin metallic strips used as decorative filler in gift bags. They come in all different colors. Secure about a dozen of these strips together at one end with a staple to make something that looks like a tassel. Pull the secured end through the small opening in the point of your hat and fasten to the inside with tape or another staple. Now your hat has streamers. Add a chinstrap made of thread type elastic to keep the hat in place.

The ladies might prefer this next type of hat, the tiara. There are several simple ways to crown yourself princess. Buy plain visors. Turn them upside down and decorate with glitter and paint pens. Hot glue fake gemstones and feathers to the visor. You can also decorate the headbands that are so popular right now. Buy plain ones and embellish with New Year's Eve panache. Fancy feathers look spectacular on the headbands.

Top hats can be made out of heavy black construction paper. Run glue in a wide band where the brim meets the hat and sprinkle with glitter. Add Happy New Year in silver letters across the tall part of the hat. Turn the hat upside down and fill with Hershey Kisses. Make this the centerpiece of your snack table. Everyone should get a kiss on New Year's Eve.

You can make the hats in advance or have the supplies ready for your party guests to make their own. Have fun and remember, the lampshade you're saving may be your own. Happy New Year.

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