Stressed about NYE? Ace your party planning skills with these expert tips

There are different ways to spruce up your New Year’s Eve party

We might be speaking for a lot of people when we say that we are glad to see this tumultuous year come to an end. But either way, New Year's Eve generally calls for a celebration anyway. This time, it is advisable to throw a bash with a small group of double-vaccinated friends at home, and avoid crowded places considering that the pandemic is not over yet. When it had been raging, though, and restaurants and bars were still shut, some places like the Social chain of pubs started a service where they would curate parties for people at home, sending selected drinks, food and a bartender over. Here, we invite Mayank Bhatt, its business head, to share tips so that your shindig is one for the ages.

Decor

Add string lights to your living room to set the mood

Purchase string lights from a light/hardware store to add to the mood. Bhatt says that the evening can start with your living room lights being on (though not too bright). Later, as the bash progresses, change the lighting to the ones you bought. "Dim the brightness of the room to give it a more lounge-like and ambient feel closer to midnight," Bhatt suggests.

Drinks

A cocktail made from a mixer

Who wants to keep leaving a party in the middle and step into the kitchen to make refills of cocktails? Since the answer is likely to be no one, Bhatt suggests that you get cocktail mixers to keep in the bar area. Choose from classic ones like cosmopolitan or bloody Mary, or get hatke ones from sites like cocktailstory.co.

Food

Kebabs make for the ideal appetiser

Bhatt suggests that you segregate the menu into munchies, appetisers and main course. The munchies can consist of snacks like mixed nuts, lavash and chips with dips like hummus. "Have a good mix of four to five items for the appetisers, with kebabs, Chinese starters and shashliks or other Lebanese dishes," Bhatt says. But he adds that the mains should be kept simple since most people fill themselves up with munchies and appetisers only. "Keep maybe a Chinese box with noodles and a main dish, or a biryani, since you don't want food to be wasted," Bhatt says.

Music

Mayank Bhatt

This one is subjective, of course. But Bhatt tells us that as far as he's concerned, he starts proceedings off with a groovy deep house playlist since songs with heavy vocals tend to overpower actual human conversations. "Later, you can get into individual artistes," he says.

Try these party curators

>> Do It Up Today is a firm that transforms people's homes into party pads.
Log on to: https://doitup.today/

>> Mai Stories curates themed parties.
Log on to: https://www.maistories.in/

>> If you're looking for an organiser who uses eco-friendly products, try Aesthetic Lab India.
Log on to: @aestheticlabindia on Instagram