New Year's Pajama Party

New Year's Eve is just a week away and for many of us, that means spending the night trying to entertain friends and family till the ball drops. So how do you throw a party that's fun for children and adults alike? Sissy Biggers of Better Homes and Gardens online has some tips.

First, have everyone wear pajamas. Why not be comfortable on the longest night of the year and eliminate that New Year's Eve clothing crisis? Further, with the kids in pajamas, they're ready to be cozy or crash if they can't make it up until the ball drops. A pajama party automatically sets the tone for a fun and relaxed party.

Crafts To Keep Your New Year's Guests Busy

Spend next to nothing to create wine charms and decorative toasting glasses that parents and kids can use at midnight. The following crafts start with an inexpensive box of champagne flutes, wire, ribbon and Christmas decorations you've already got around.

• Craft 1: Fancy Flutes - These goblets are wired with fun for the whole family. You'll need a clear glass goblet, a lead-free solder (available at hardware stores), plastic-coated colored wire (which you can find at your local craft store), jingle bells, charms, or beads (holes must be large enough to thread item onto solder).
  Method:
  
  1. Cut a piece of solder approximately 20 inches long. Wrap the solder piece with colored wire, letting the solder show through. If desired, wire on jingle bells or other embellishments while wrapping the solder.
  2. Wrap the wire-wrapped solder around the goblet. Twist the ends into spirals if you like or add the charm on the end. You can also use ornate shank buttons (perhaps stars or snowflakes) instead of jingle bells.


• Craft 2: Toasting Flutes - Another variation on champagne flutes involves hand-painting and cake-decorating techniques.

  Painting Tips: For solid coverage, apply two even, thin coats when base-coating; let paint dry between coats. Brushes can be rinsed between colors but must be dried before dipping into the next color; never dilute the paints with water.

• Craft 3: Wine Tags - Store-bought wine tags can be costly, but we've put together an inexpensive version that will help your guests keep track of their beverages.

  What you'll need: pre-punched, round silver-cased tags (found at office supply stores), art markers, fine-point permanent marker, thin wire, assorted beads and scissors.

  Method:
  

  1. Color the front of each tag using art markers, then use a fine-point permanent marker to write a name, wine variety, or festive message on each tag. On an 8-inch piece of wire, string a variety of color-coordinating beads. For the wineglass placeholders, string the tag at the end of the beaded wire.
  2. With tag at top, twist beaded wire around the stem of a glass, starting at the bottom and moving up.
  3. For the wine bottle tag, secure the tag in the middle of the beaded wire, place around the neck of a wine bottle, and secure at back of bottle by twisting ends of wire.


• Craft 4: Noise Makers - Inexpensive cardboard noisemakers can bring a touch of whimsy to the table when they are quick and easily crafted to suit each of your partygoers. All it takes is construction paper, invisible tape and another chance to use of Christmas leftovers, a custom fringe, using old left-over wrapping paper.

New Year's Eve is always more fun when you can plan for a game -- family history games, and other board games you can create yourself. To make your New Year's Eve game night a smashing success, incorporate some of these ideas:

Let the kids help plan the event. Little ones will have fun ideas you may not have thought about. Invite another family, and ask them to bring a favorite game. Choose at least one game that people of all ages can enjoy so the group doesn't have to be split up the entire night.

An idea is to play a family history game where kids can learn more about their parents, and mom and dad can relive some fun old memories.

Have the kids decorate an index card box, so they feel involved in the preparation of the game. Then, write down "family history" questions on index cards (i.e., "Dad was: a. Editor of his High School Yearbook, b. Voted Mr. Popularity, c. Principal Sousaphone player in the marching band, etc...), and you've got an instant game. Kids love it because they find out things about their families they never knew before. Adults love it because the game evokes memories of the past (and, from time to time, they can make fun of one another for their pasts...)

And remember to wrap small gifts, such as a deck of cards or a book of crossword puzzles, to give as prizes to the winners.

Candy

Homemade Candy Crunch White Bark is an easy and interactive way to keep the kids busy and reuse those leftover candy canes for a tasty result.

Melt white chocolate in a pot (this is the "bark" part). Once cooled, it can be spread over a cookie sheet and sprinkled with crushed candy canes (peppermint or colored).

Song Sheets

Last but not least, each year we are charged with singing the famous "Auld Lang Syne" song, but does anyone really know the words? Why not provide your guests with laminated song sheets so when it comes time to ring in the New Year, we won't get stuck at the chorus. Lyrics by Scottish poet Robert Burns.

"AULD LANG SYNE" LYRICS
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And days of auld lang syne?

Chorus:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

We twa ha'e run about the braes,
And pu'd the gowans fine;
But we've wandered mony a weary foot
Sin' auld lang syne.

(Chorus)

We twa ha'e paidled i' the burn
Frae mornin' sun till dine;
But seas between us braid ha'e roared
Sin' auld lang syne.

(Chorus)

And surely ye'll be your pint stoup
And surely I'll be mine
And we'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne.

(Chorus)

And here's a hand, my trusty frien'
And gie's a hand o' thine
We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne.