Our local YMCA always hosts a huge family-friendly New Year’s Eve party on the afternoon of December 31st. This year they’re going with a Hawaiian luau theme and are encouraging guests to don flower-print shirts, hula skirts and other island-inspired getups. Activities include make paper leis, swimming in the pool, participating in coconut relays and dining on mango/pineapple skewers, as well as other tropical treats.
You may not have an indoor pool to entertain your guests, but hosting a Hawaiian-themed party on New Year’s Eve is not a bad idea. Luaus are a change from the standard winter-themed bashes that are predictable and somewhat boring this time of year.
Of course, if you are a traditionalist, there are ways to heat up your end-of-the-year shindig with a few simple items. For example, instead of keeping kids cooped up in the house for the entire party, take the fun outdoors. Host a massive snowball fight, have a snowman-making contest, snack on snow cones, or have sled races.
Another fun New Year’s Eve party theme centers on penguins. Have your guests show up to the shindig wearing black and white. Set-up a penguin movie marathon in the basement with Mr. Popper’s Penguins, March of the Penguins or Happy Feet playing for guests who want to chill out downstairs. Upstairs, guests can decorate penguin-shaped cookies or play Penguin Toss, where players have to throw small stuffed penguins into the opening of a plastic igloo.
If you don’t want to embrace the cold weather that usually accompanies New Year’s Eve, then heat things up by throwing a hot cocoa-themed party. Have guests sample unique flavors of hot chocolate on a buffet filled with different toppings, such as crushed candy canes, whipped cream, marshmallows, cinnamon, butterscotch, caramel, and other sweet treats. You can even have a bunch of chocolate-covered mixing spoons at the end of the table for guests to take home.
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