Last Minute New Years... Your Friends will Never know!

With so many holidays back to back it is nearly impossible to avoid a melt-down from the stress of shopping, cooking and eating. Its impossible to plan another social evening to ring in the new year. Or is it???

We brainstormed some simply ideas to make your New Years Eve something special without the stress that months of prior planning brings.

Since resolutions are right around the corner why not create a "Guilty Pleasures" buffet. Friends will truly enjoy the spread of Chinese take out, White Trash Dip, Pizza, Chips of all shapes and flavors with the really fattening sour cream dips like french onion and garlic garlic. Pigs in a blanket, and cheese fondue also make great quick aps that guests can enjoy. For Dessert you can display hostess cupcakes and Twinkies on fancy cake plates, alongside ho hos, ding dogs and devil dogs, or create a speciality cake out of them - who could resist.

So as not to spend your entire budget for 2010, why not ask your guests to each bring a bottle of champagne since it is the drink of choice for revelers worldwide. You can also buy some inexpensive bubbly to mix up into champagne cocktails such as the popular mimosa which is 5 ounces of sparkling wine with 1 ounce of orange juice. For a little variation use a mandarin orange as the garnish. For another option try the Poinsetta, which starts with the same 5 ounces of sparkling wine, 1/2 ounce of cranberry juice, 1/4 ounce of Triple sec and a twist of lime.

With the drinks and food taken care of you have to have something that will keep New Years Eve from feeling like every other saturday night at home. Balloons and Streamers make quick easy and inexpensive decorations, combined with hats, blowers and noise makers - your guests will certainly feel the tradition that is the holiday. Make sure that you have plenty of music planned for the night - one idea for doing this to create play lists from each decade 60's, 70's 80's etc. Find out where the New year is turning from the start of your party until midnight here in the states, each time a new country rings in the new year switch the music to a new decade.

Make sure you have plenty of TV's and clocks around so Guests can follow New Years all over the world and won't miss the clock striking Midnight.

Lastly, if you want to give out party favors that your guests will use and are not likely to forget, consider morning after packages - cellophane bags filled with a teaspoon of confetti, ibuprofen packets, vitamin c powder, stomach soothing ginger tea bags and a bottle of water tied off with a brightly colored bow.

We'd Love to hear your thoughts about planning a last minute New Year's Eve - what have you done????