In the current climate, many of us are opting for scaled-back celebrations with a few special people. And although the group might be smaller, it doesn’t mean that you need to lack on fun! Small New Year’s Eve gatherings can be even more enjoyable as you get to enjoy each other’s company more and really spend quality time together.
Intimate dinners and cocktail parties are definitely the way forward this year, so here are some key ingredients to ensure you let 2022 in with style.
A great venue
Many of us like entertaining at home in our own comfort zone, however, if you love hosting but want a change of scenery, then why not hire a private venue to accommodate your group?
Private hire venues are great at NYE as you can enjoy dinner and fun during the evening, as well as sleeping over and having breakfast together on New Year’s Day (sore head or not!).
Here at Grassfield Hall, we can sleep up to 16 people for a private hire, with a dedicated dining area, bar area and lots of cosy places to relax and catch up with those you love.
Delicious food
Nothing makes a great party like amazing food and drink. The nice thing about hosting in a private venue is that you can either choose to cook yourself or hire local caterers to take the hassle away.
North Yorkshire is home to some fantastic caterers, so you really are spoilt for choice. You can also choose whether to have caterers prepare food at the venue and serve you and your guests at the table. Or, another option would be for your caterer to prepare you a big sharing dish, for example, a curry, casserole or paella, so you can just pop it in the oven before everyone arrives, and then dish out later.
As it’s going to be a long night – try to space out the food as much as possible. Start with canapes or nibbles when people arrive about 7.30 pm, serve the main course around 9 pm and consider saving desert until around 10.30 pm so people aren’t starving as the clock strikes midnight! You could always have some bacon sarnies or toasties to serve in the early hours if it’s going to be a late one!
Fun & entertainment
Eating and drinking will take up a lot of the night, but it’s nice to have some other things up your sleeve to entertain your friends and family.
Perhaps you fancy a games night with poker, roulette or a darts championship? Or maybe Cherades, Pictionary or Jenga are more your thing? Either way, a few games can help people relax and get into the swing of the evening.
A great playlist can also make your evening more enjoyable, especially if you have space to dance. Choose some uplifting but softer music for dinner, and then crank up the volume and the beat later on when everyone has kicked their shoes off!
Thoughtful details
Memorable events are all about the small details – the flowers, the name cards, the candles, the treats.
Think of a theme that you want to have for the night and make everything consistent. For example, if you are having a casino theme, then you could give everyone a wad of play money next to their dinner plate, as well as Bond-inspired music on the playlist.
Gold and silver are popular colours for New Year’s Eve – so you could use sparkling confetti on the dinner table, as well as golden party poppers and crackers in these colours.
However you choose to spend NYE this year, we hope you have a fantastic time! And, remember, if you are looking to plan a party or event in 2022, then Grassfield Hall could just be the perfect place to host it!!