Make it memorable
Whatever shape your party takes, it’s always nice to give guests a memento of the occasion.

A small plant that will flourish in the new year conveys a warm sentiment your guests will be sure to appreciate.

With a little imagination, small, flat river rocks can make great favors. They can become keepsake place cards with the help of metallic pens. You can use markers to adorn stones with different kinds of hand-drawn suns, representing the turn of the year. Or you might give everyone the same supplies and let them draw their own picture or choose a word representing their hopes for the year ahead.

You might want to use our seasonally-themed nametags and place cards. They’re simple to download and print out, and are 99 percent effective against awkward moments.

Shake it up
Once midnight comes, it’s time to make some noise. Here’s something loud and fun you can make with things you probably have around the house:

You’ll need two paper plates, crayons, dried beans, a stapler, a craft stick, and tape. Decorate the paper plates any way you like. Put one on the table, right side up. Tape a craft stick to the rim, leaving out part to act as a handle. Put the other plate on top, right side down. Staple the edges together, leaving an opening for a handful of dried beans. Slide them in, staple the opening shut, and shake, shake, shake!