Best New Year's Eve Party Themes
Fun Entertaining Ideas to Ring In the New Year on December 31st
Party theme ideas for a New Year's Eve dance, party, or event. Formal or casual, have a happy New Year with tips for a special evening for kids, teens, adults or seniors.
Whether planning a New Year's Eve party for a mix of friends, adults, senior citizens, teens, kids, or family, an event as special as ringing in the New Year deserves attention to detail and a great party theme idea.
The theme of a party sets the tone for the whole event. Here are some themes arranged by possible guests. Many of these ideas can be used for any age group or type of event, such as a dance.
New Year's Eve Party Themes for Teens, Adults, and Active Senior Citizens (or a Mix of Friends)
Teens, adults and seniors may enjoy a fancy or more informal party or dance. Here are two themes that can go either way.
A "Black and White Party": This could be casual or a black-tie affair, and is centered around color.
- Most decor in the event room will match the theme, including lots of black and white balloons, streamers, and sparkle.
- Guests should be asked (on their black and white invitations) to dress in the party colors.
- It is easy to find party favors and goods in these colors this time of year.
- To give the party a little extra pizazz, pick one other color to highlight in small doses around the room. Consider red roses on tables or purple bows on the back of chairs.
A "Ring Out the Old Year's Party": The idea of this theme is nostalgia. Pick a decade or time in history and begin brainstorming from there.
- The 50's seem to have great popularity, as do the 60's, with their own special style and rock 'n roll music. The 20's is a fun theme with terrific music selections and clothing styles.
- A time in history theme might include knights and damsels, Victorian elegance, or vaudeville acts.
- Pick a theme that works for the particular group. Who would dress up in period costumes and who could entertain in the style of the time?
- Do research to add as much flavor of the time period as possible in activities, decor, costuming, invitations, food and music.
New Year's Eve Party Themes for Families
While the themes above work well for all ages, when planning parties for teens or kids , a lighter theme is fun.
A "Nostalgic Game Party": This theme is centered around classic board games.
- Thrift shops are a good source of odd games. Consider using game boards and boxes as banquet table "runners" or trivets. Decorate with scattered dice, game spinners, and game pieces.
- Some fun games to make available include: Trouble, Scrabble, Twister, and Candy Land. Also set out checkers, chess, and dominoes.
- Encourage guests to mingle and switch thing up by trading places with a game player at another table. Have a half-hour session where players rotate between games every 7 minutes. This is a good early-evening ice-breaker.
- For food choices, include candy crafted with Checkers Candy Molds (Confectionery House), store-bought Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies, and bowls of "Candy Land" style candies.
Perhaps the best theme for kids and families is no theme at all.
- Simply provide good food, good seating, and a few available activities (popcorn and a couple movies for the kids, notepads and pencils for writing New Year's resolutions, and maybe two or three group party games).
- If guests know each other, the party will flow naturally. If not, mingle and introduce people and soon things will be underway.
- Also see the article Teen New Years Eve Party Ideas.
For all New Year's Eve events, have noisemakers and confetti on-hand when the clock strikes twelve. Happy New Year!
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