Last Minute Low-Cost New Year's Bash

Should you get that sudden urge to throw a swanky 11^th-hour New Year’s gathering, not to worry. You and your guests can rock the night away and glide right into 2008 with these easy breezy tips.

Tune Up the Takeout Forget about slaving in the kitchen. Simply order up an array of nibblies (pizzas, pastas and salads) from your favorite Italian restaurant. Italian is always a crowd-pleaser and tends to be easy on the wallet. If you have the time, put out a buffet of gourmet toppings (grated cheese, sliced olives, etc.), so guests can enhance and customize their selections.

Go Crazy with Cocktails Create a signature drink and give it a fun name like "New Year's Nirvana." Try mixing champagne, ginger ale, and mango juice; serving mixed juice and wine drinks is more cost effective than straight champagne or wine. Be sure to offer yummy non-alcoholic drinks such as mango spritzers for designated drivers and others.

Set the Scene with Silver Deck your home in silver accents. Drag out silver platters, pitchers, and trays to hold food, candles, and other goodies. Hit your local home or drugstore to load up on holiday items-- silver ball ornaments, tinsel, and so on--at heavily discounted after-Christmas sales.

Prepare Party Props Hop on over to the local party store for silver balloons, horn blowers, and confetti to ring in the new year with a smile. Stock up on paper plates, napkins, and utensils in silver, as well.

Make a Mood Light candles all around your home to create a magical midnight mood. Stick with white votives--more affordable than pricey pillar candles, and less messy than drippy tapers. Best to place them out of reach so your guests don't accidentally knock anything over as they get their grooves on!

Load Your Pods No need for a pricey DJ when you live in the age of the MP3 player. Create a fresh mix of tunes to carry you through the night. Get the party started with upbeat cocktail music from the likes of Madeleine Peyroux, Diana Krall, and Harry Connick Jr. Then crank it up with a fresh mix of danceable tracks from Fatboy Slim, Bloc Party, Gwen Stefani, and Ja Rule. Finally, add some mellow mood music for those late-night stragglers: Travis, Thievery Corporation, Aimee Mann, Chris Isaak and Mazzy Star.

Send Kisses and Wishes Send guests off with a bag of treats for an ultra-sweet new year. Fill small silver or white bags with Hershey's Kisses and enclose a tiny handwritten card containing your wish for them for the new year.