It's 2010-the beginning of a new decade! Celebrate the last 10 years
with friends or family and make this New Year's Eve Party 10 times more
exciting than in years past. Just add some decade-related twists for a
great start to the New Year and next decade, while sharing fond memories
of the past.
Invitations
Make your invitations read like mini tabloid newspapers. Include some
of the most bizarre headlines of the decade - election upsets,
celebrity divorces, and so on. Search the Internet for inspiration.
Then, write out your party details, photocopy your mock-up and insert in
envelopes filled with glittery confetti.
Costumes
Ask guests to come dressed as someone famous from the last decade.
Offer suggestions, such as movie stars, athletes, TV reality show
celebrities, politicians, rock stars and other newsmakers. Or, have
them dress as if they're from their favorite decade - the 50s, 70s, 90s,
and so on.
Decorations
A black and silver color scheme makes a flashy and festive background
to your New Year's Eve party. Fill black and silver balloons with
helium using a Balloon Time Helium Balloon Kit, and then float them on
the ceiling and tie some of them to the chairs and furniture. For a
special touch, make an archway using balloons to frame the front door.
Download pictures of people and events that made news over the
decade, print and cut them out and glue them to black construction
paper. Tape them to the walls, and then use them later as a game.
Set out objects popular during the decade, such as iPods, cell
phones, low-rise jeans, linking charm bracelets and so on. Play songs
that were popular during the decade, by artists such as Gwen Stefani,
Green Day, Pussycat Dolls, and Blink 182.
Games & Activities
- Play a game of "Guess Who's Who" based on the guests' costumes.
- Inflate 10 balloons with helium using a Balloon Time Helium Balloon
Kit. On the outside of each balloon, write a major event, one from each
year of the past decade. Have each guest select a balloon, and then ask
them to arrange them in the correct chronological order.
- Play "Name That Tune" using songs from the past decade. Have
players not only name the artist and title, but the year the song was
popular.
Refreshments
Serve foods popular over the decade, from such diet books like
Atkins, South Beach, The Zone, as well as snacks like power drinks,
focaccia bread, sushi, wraps, couscous, and other trendy foods. Serve
them in lighted glasses for added fun.
Favors
Give the guests a magazine or book that chronicles the last decade.
Buy objects that were popular during the past 10 years, wrap them up and
have each guest choose one to unwrap and keep. Give them mini champagne
bottles filled with bubble solution to help blow in the New Year.
Penny Warner has more than 25 years of experience as an author
and party planner. She has published more than 50 books, including 16
specific to parties. Additionally, Warner writes a weekly newspaper
column on family life, penned a column for Sesame Street Parents
magazine and has appeared on several regional and national TV morning
programs. Her latest book, HOW TO HOST A KILLER PARTY, debuted in
February 2010 from NAL/Penguin.
Balloon Time is the leading brand of consumer helium balloon kits
in North America. Balloon Time kits feature a helium-filled tank, latex
or foil balloons and ribbon, and are available at national retail
chains, party goods and grocery stores nationwide.