Frugal New Year's Eve glam
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| New Year's Eve party on a budget |
Is it impossible to throw a glam New Year's Eve party at home without breaking the bank?
Repurpose those ornaments
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| Christmas ornaments |
All the Christmas decorations are taken down and stowed except for anything silver and gold. Those ornaments are piled into big glass bowls and augmented by bags of fresh cranberries for drama. More glass bowls are filled with silver and gold noisemakers.
Ice-cold style
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| How to make ice luminarias |
If you can freeze water, making ice luminarias should be a breeze.
A toast for the new year
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| How to make a New Year's toast |
A Champagne station also makes a big splash. The centerpiece? An ice display -- using the same premise for the luminarias -- but on a larger scale. Use oval tubs and cooking pots to make the walls, add decorations and distilled water. Then set the ice display inside the bottom of a large garbage can, covered with an old tablecloth, to catch drips.
Fruit decorating ideas
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| Fruit decorating ideas |
Ever thought about using grapes as décor? Try playing off "12 grapes on a skewer," a Spanish custom that calls for eating a dozen grapes at midnight, with each one signifying a month of the year. Don't want to eat your decorations? Do this instead. Thread 12 grapes onto each skewer, then arrange them into glass cylinder vases. At midnight, guests are invited to choose a skewer to drop into their Champagne glass and make a wish.
A buffet party with style
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| Buffet party ideas |
Turn your home into a hotel buffet.
To keep from being trapped in the kitchen, press fondue pots into service for warm dips. Heat bricks up in the oven, wrap them in towels and place them in the bottoms of bread and roll baskets. For extra fanciness, make your own food labels, so that your guests will know what they're eating.
A perfect holiday menu
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| New Year's food ideas |
Who says you can't indulge on a budget? Your guests can dine on roast pork loin, fingerling potatoes and more.
Bargain party tips
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| Bargain party tips |
Keep it casual --it's less fuss and expense for decorations and new clothes.
