The holidays are looking a bit different for everyone this year, including New Year’s Eve. Our residents will be ringing in 2021 in their apartments to be safe instead of heading to the city or larger house parties to celebrate.
That’s why we asked party planner extraordinaire Renee Patrone Rhinehart to share some new ideas for New Year’s Eve, so our residents can have a fun NYE at home in their apartment with their roommates or members of their immediate household.
The founder and owner of Party Host Helpers recently joined us in one of our apartments at AVE Blue Bell, our brand new apartment community in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, to show us simple ways to safely say goodbye to 2020 with tasty treats, pretty drinks, and fun games.
An Insta-worthy App
Simple doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style. Glam up your NYE at home with this Tuxedo Cheese & Crackers appetizer.
Ingredients:
• Pitted black olives
• Cracker style of your choice
• Soft cheese triangles and/or hard cheese
• A drinking straw
• A cocktail stick
• A small sharp knife or scissors
Instructions:
1. Cut the hard cheese into triangles or peel the wrappers off the soft cheese triangles.
2. Use a drinking straw to cut out little olive buttons.
3. Use a sharp knife or some scissors to cut out little triangles to use for the bow ties. It’s easiest to cut each olive into quarters and flatten them first.
4. Place the bow ties and buttons on each piece of cheese and serve on crackers.
Pom, Fizz, Clink
In some cultures, the New Year is welcomed by opening a pomegranate for good luck. We figure a few extra good vibes to start 2021 is a good thing, so Renee mixed up a simple, pretty Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail to serve up at your 2020 NYE celebrations.
Ingredients:
• 1 bottle Champagne, chilled
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate liqueur
• Pomegranate seeds
• Champagne flutes
Instructions:
1. Pour champagne into your champagne flutes, leaving one-fourth of the flute empty
2. Add 2 tablespoons of pomegranate liqueur to your champagne
3. Drop in a few pomegranate seeds
4. Toast your loved ones
Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice
Create a new family tradition for New Year’s Eve this year with this easy, delicious mocktail for kids… or adults who love ice cream, we’re not judging. This Cinnamon Apple Cider Float is seasonally on point.
Ingredients:
• French vanilla ice cream
• Apple cider
• Cinnamon
• Straw
Instructions:
1. Add two large scoops of French vanilla ice cream to a 16 oz. drinking glass
2. Pour apple cider over ice cream, filling glass
3. Sprinkle cinnamon on top
4. Add straw
Short But Sweet
Create an impressive dessert platter in a matter of minutes! These Strawberry Kabobs may look fancy, but there is zero fuss.
Ingredients:
• Fresh strawberries
• Large marshmallows
• Pre-made mini brownie bites
• Wood skewers, 6’-10’
• Chocolate syrup
• Horizontal serving dish or platter
• Sprinkles (optional)
Instructions:
1. Wash and dry strawberries. Slice tops off.
2. Assemble by poking strawberry, marshmallow and brownie bites through the skewers. Alternate.
3. Assemble on a horizontal serving dish or platter.
4. Drizzle with chocolate syrup.
5. Add sprinkles. (optional)
Let the Games Begin!
How to make NYE fun at home this year? That’s easy. Buy some new games that are designed for smaller groups and spaces.
Jenga is a classic. It’s quick to set up, and you can play right on your coffee table while you wait for the ball to drop. Just don’t be the one to drop the tower.
Blank Slate is a party game where you predict what others are thinking and fill in the blanks. You’re sure to learn new something about even your immediate family members or roommates.
Throw Throw Burrito is sure to be a fan favorite. It’s a whacky card game, dodgeball mash-up where you challenge opponents to a duel with burritos. Luckily, the burritos are made of foam, so they won’t make a mess or break anything.