FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM DECEMBER 31, 2020 • THE QUEENS COURIER 21
How to ring in the new year at home
BY QNS STAFF
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
2021 is almost here and we are looking
forward to welcoming the new year!
While you may not be throwing a big
bash or attending any parties, you can
still ring in 2021 with your family. Try
out these ideas on how to create a spectacular
New Year’s Eve party at your
house.
In terms of parties, there are three
main things you need: decorations, food
and entertainment. If you are unsure
where to start, the following list should
give you some ideas on how to throw an
amazing New Year’s Eve party that will
dazzle your family.
New Year’s banners
Add some festivity to your house
with the4ct Sparkling New Year’s
Bannersfrom Party City for $7.99. Th e
foil fringe banner will make an excellent
table decoration while the three
other banners will add some pizazz to
your party room. If you plan on making
a photo booth, the banners could also
be used as part of a backdrop.
Gold and black streamers
Grab somegold and black streamersfrom
Michael’s for only $3.99. Th ese will
brighten up the room and make it feel
a little festive for New Year’s Eve. Take
some scissors and curl the edges to add
some fl air to your streamers. Also, any
left over streamers can be used to create
a nice backdrop for a photo booth.
Noisemakers
What better way to ring in 2021
than with noisemakers. Whether you
chooseParty City’s Metallic Fringe
Squawkersor theirBlack and Gold New
Year’s Eve Noisemakers, both make
great accessories for a New Year’s selfie
or as a photo booth prop.
Black and gold plates
and cutlery
Add some pizazz to your table with
theseDisco New Year’s Eve platesfrom
Party City for $3.49. Th ese plates come
in a pack of eight and will match the
decorations you hung up earlier while
tying the room together. Be sure to
throw in somematching napkinsand silverware
for the occasion.
Champagne fl utes
You can’t properly celebrate the New
Year without making a New Year’s toast.
Grab a pack of theGold Champagne
Flutesfrom Target for only $4. Th eir
glittery design is perfect for your favorite
beverage and celebrating a year of
new beginnings.
If you already have some fl utes but
want to give them a festive look, get
someMod Podge Dishwasher Safe
Gloss, gold or silver glitter, and a paintbrush.
Take your paintbrush and coat
the outside of the fl utes with the Mod
Podge. (Make sure the coat is even to
ensure the glitter stays on). While the
Mod Podge is still wet, sprinkle the glitter
over the cup. Next, let your glasses
dry for at least two hours. Once the
glasses are dry, add another layer of the
Mod Podge to ensure the glitter stays
on. Allow them to dry again before
using them.
Headband or party hat
Accessorize your New Year’s Eve outfi
t with party hats or a headband. You
can pick up abox of fi ve New Year’s
Eve hats and tiarasfrom Target for only
$10. Be sure to use these for your photo
booth later!
Or, if you are feeling extra creative,
make some for your loved ones. To
make aNew Year’s Eve headband, what
you’ll need is some cardboard, silver or
gold spray paint, glue, silver/gold wire,
a glue gun, a spool of gold/silver rick
rack, a headband and a paintbrush.
First, cut your design out of the cardboard.
Th is could be a 2021 sign, a
“Happy New Year” sign, or simply some
stars. Take your paintbrush to spread
the glue over the top of your design
before applying the glitter. Next, cut
a 10-inch and a 12-inch piece of wire.
Th en, wrap the rick rack over the top
and bottom of the headband before gluing
in the two wires with your glue gun.
Continue wrapping the rick rack around
the headband to secure the wires before
attaching your design to them.
What types of food you could serve
What’s even more important than
decorations is food. But with so many
options for a New Year’s Eve feast,
where do you even begin? No worries!
We got you covered. If you’re looking
for ideas or a starting point on what
food to make for your New Year’s Eve
celebration, look no further than the
list below.
Punch
If you’re unable to fi nd some sparkling
grape juice, a good substitution
is punch. Th ere are great recipes out
there for non-alcoholic punches that
your family will enjoy. If you need a few
ideas, here are a few delicious punches
to start with:
Sparkling Non-Alcoholic Cranberry
PunchPink Sparkling PunchEasy Party
PunchGrinch Punch
Finger food
While you wait to ring in the New
Year, munch on some fi nger food. For
appetizers, why not make a fi ve-layered
bean dip served with chips, some
deviled eggs and boneless wings? For
the main course, make a pot of chili or
throw some chicken in a crockpot and
make barbecue chicken.
If you’re not feeling like cooking, why
not order takeout? Select restaurants
around New York City are off ering New
Year’s Eve specials. For example, Mifune
New Yorkis off ering a Special “Osechi”
(Traditional Japanese New Year’s Food)
Box Set. Th is box set serves two to four
people and includes 21 dishes, such
as Alaskan King Crab-Turnip Ceviche
with caviar, Foie Gras Hatcho Miso
Terrine, Roasted Rohan Duck Breast,
Miyazaki Wagyu A5 Rank with winter
truffl e and takikomi rice, Gratin of N.E.
Whole Lobster, and Chocolate Gâteau.
Th is box is $270 and can be preordered
by Dec. 26. Mifune also has
a delivery and pickup option on New
Year’s Eve. You can pick up your order
between 3 and 7 p.m. or have it delivered
to your home anywhere below
125th Street between 3 and 7 p.m.
Desserts
What’s a New Year’s feast without
some desserts? While you and your
family are waiting for the New Year to
come, make some tasty treats to snack
on. Bake some sugar cookies and decorate
them with sprinkles and candy,
melt a chocolate bar and dip some pretzels
into it before adding sprinkles. Or,
bake your favorite fl avor of cake.
What kind of activities you could do
Watching the ball drop
Count down to 2021 by watching the
iconic ball drop in Times Square. Due
to the COVID-19, the New Year ball
drop will be looking a little diff erent this
year. In years prior, thousands would
gather to watch live performances, the
iconic ball drop, and confetti spilling all
over Times Square. While the New Year
ball drop will still happen this year, it
will be a virtual event that will be broadcasted
all over the U.S.
Karaoke
Grab a microphone and let out your
inner Beyoncé or Ariana Grande as
you sing your heart out to your favorite
tunes. Or, if you want to add some extra
excitement for the night, make it a competition
to see who sang the best. Be
sure to give a prize to the winner!
Make a photo booth
Hang up a gold backdrop, put on
some oversized black sunglasses, those
New Year’s Eve themed headbands you
made earlier, and other props to create
a photo booth. Take pics with you
and your family to commemorate the
moment. Like karaoke, you can turn
this into a contest to see who can make
the silliest photo, the most glamorous
photo, and the most creative photo.
Movie Marathon
Pop some popcorn in the microwave
and have a movie marathon. While the
New Year’s Eve movie genre isn’t near as
popular as Halloween/Christmas movies,
there are still some great ones to
enjoy with the family. Th ere’s the iconic
“Rudolph’s Shiny New Year” and “Happy
New Year, Charlie Brown” while there’s
other surprising New Year’s movie hits,
like “Ghostbusters 2” and “Sleepless in
Seattle.”
Make a New Year’s resolution
What’s a New Year’s Eve party without
making some New Year’s resolutions?
Find some paper and a pen and write
down your New Year’s resolution. Th en,
go around in a circle and share it with
your loved ones.
If you want to try and accomplish
your New Year’s resolution this year,
check out the Artfully Abstracted planner
by Day Designer. Unlike most planners,
itcombines a to-do page format
with your daily schedule on to one page.
It also includes goal setting worksheets,
an annual overview, and monthly calendars
that will help you keep up with
your progress throughout the year.
buzz
Courtesy of Jan Antonin Kolar
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