Advice on my New Years Eve...thing!

undercover_angel

I say thing as I wouldn't say it's going to be a party and don't really know what else it could be described as! lol

We've decided to invite 4 of DP's friends over on new years eve as they live about 60 miles away, we don't get to see them often so thought it would be nice to spend the evening togehter, as they are coming so far they will be arriving at about 4:00pm staying overnight and then going home New Years Day afternoon.

I just don't really know what to do...I sound a right fool but i've never really been the hostess before and it's all a bit daunting.

I thought I would do a buffet style dinner, rather than a meal for the easiest option, does that sound ok?

I was going get some lager/ wine and soft drinks as there is 1 t-totaller. Do I need to get some fizz for midnight?

We've got a good stereo, so we can have tunes on and also they are all muscicians so will no doubt provide the entertainment themselves.

We have a wii, we can play on and a fantastic chocolate pictionary game, some fantastic person bought me for christmas.

What else do I need to think of? Should I decorate the house up a bit, balloons etc? Do I need a punch/cocktail?

I really am a novice, any advice you could give to make the weekend fun and enjoyable would be great. Also breakfast??? and potentially lunch the following day? Oh god! I just keep thinking of more stuff!:eek: Help, please!

poppy_f1

everything sounds fine that you have planned

bravobeastie

I will also be interested to read any replies as we are also having 4 friends over for xmas (friend, her oh and 2 girls age 13 and 8)

We are definitely going for the buffet thing as i've been stockpiling Iceland party food and we have quite a few bottles of wine, lager etc.

We also have the wii but don't think i'd trust 4 kids on it (only just had it for xmas lol)

Xmassy party tunes and maybe play auld lang at midnight.

Bogof_Babe

I'm intrigued as to how you are going to accommodate four (presumably adult) guests overnight. Do you have enough spare rooms, bedding etc? I'd get the beds made up well in advance and the rooms tidied if necessary, with somewhere to put their stuff even just a chair or a couple of overdoor hangers. Don't forget you might need to provide towels if they don't bring their own.

For NY Day lunch I'd get a few cartons of good quality soup, or tins of Baxters, with crusty bread and cheese. If they are setting of for a long drive home they will appreciate something hot inside them.

You will probaby find they bring some contribution themselves, wine or something, so for NY Eve I'd maybe get a wine box just in case, and a few cans of beer. I am teetotal and quite happy with squash, but if you want something a bit more exotic maybe a carton of tropical fruit drink or similar.

Plenty of nibbles, as many different types as you have bowls for, and a buffet for the main evening meal sounds good. You could do a trifle for pud, and perhaps a slab of Christmas cake or mince pies. Buffets can work out a bit more fiddly than you expect, so perhaps a casserole, curry or lasagne might be a simpler idea, as you can make this in advance and reheat later.

I would put a few decorations around but no need to go overboard!

undercover_angel

Bogof_Babe: We have one spare room with a double bed for 1 of the couples and the other couple will have our room, we havea spare double matress that we will sleep on in the living room, we will bring that down earlier on in the day and put it in our 'passage' (a corrider type thing that houses the freezer and tumble dryer under the stairs). We have stacks of bedding and towels and have a hat hanger thing in the spare room and will clear my top drawer and door hook for the couple in our room so that bit is covered.

Thanks for the other ideas too everyone, will definately be using some of them. Keep them coming, I'm taking them all on board! xxx

Bogof_Babe

Thanks for the explanation re. the sleeping arrangments. I hope you don't think I was being too nosey - I prefer to call it interested lol .

Lil2002

Make sure you have something fairly heavy as finger food.

I like to boil small potatoes (bite size) with their skins on, scoop them out a bit, potato into a bowl, add some cheese, bacon bits if you've got them, stir it up, and then pack it back in.Into a tray, into the oven for about twenty minutes, and they are ready to roll.

If you do a gammon in the slowcooker (Old Style Thread is a great resource!), it will be filling, and cheap. We used to serve it already cut, with some nice bread, cheese, mustard, etc.

Although the frozen party food is tempting, you will be MUCH cheaper if you do a couple of things youself (and tastier!)

Hope that helps.

Bennifred

For New Year's Day you could do sausage or bacon baguettes - suitable for breakfast/brunch/lunch before they head off. You could get some of those part-baked baguettes or rolls, then if they don't get used they could be frozen for later use. Maybe cook some sliced onions in advance (in butter is nice:drool: ), keep in pot in the fridge, warm through before adding to the rolls? I quite often keep this kind of thing in when guests are expected - easy and usually popular!:D

sandy2_2

Champagne or cava for midnight and bacon butties for breakfast...yummie

EMminently

Not necessarily cheap or money-saving but fresh cut flowers or a pot plant is a pretty addition for the table and some new soap in the bathroom. Perhaps some party poppers for midnight. For a hen-night party i once laminated funny pictures of the guests and we used these as little coasters but that may not be the impression you wish to give! Grouped candles are always nice if you're able to keep these alight safely. The main thing is to prepare carefully so that you can relax and spend time with your guests. All your own ideas sound lovely. I hope you all have fun - let us know!

Toonie

We're having a few friends over for New Years, though we don't have exact numbers yet. It could be there is five of us or 15, so I am going to boil some new potatoes in skins, any leftovers will be breakfast the next day (scrambled eggs with fried potatoes), have lots of veggies to cut for dips, and breadsticks too. Then there are sausage rolls to cook, will get a nice fresh loaf of bread and possbily boil up some gammon.

Also, we have a lot of biscuits and cheese leftover, so that can go out at some point in the evening. And then will do a selection of sweet things. If its five of us, then it will be a nice hot crumble. If its a lot more then cakes and biscuits.