New Year's Eve merits the finest party hat. The ones here start out as sheets of heavy 12-inch-square paper.

Hat How-Tos
Let young celebrants choose the one best suited to their personality.

Joker Hat:
1. Fold square in half, top to bottom. Cut slits down from top, 1 inch apart, stopping 2 inches from bottom.

2. Curl strips around pencil. Curve hat into a circle; staple.

Avant-Garde Hat:
1. Place paper right side down. Fold it in half diagonally from top left corner, then again from top right. Fold top triangle in half, left to right; crease, then unfold.

2. Lift top layer of left corner and align on right corner as shown.

3. Raise center flap, and fold up left corner of large triangle so raw edge meets interior crease; fold down flap again.

4. Tuck bottom corners inside hat.

Crown:
1. Fold in half diagonally. Place triangle so fold faces you. Fold both layers down at 2 inches from bottom.

2. Fold back up at 1 inch from first fold.

3. Curve into a circle; staple. For all hats, punch a hole in and tie a ribbon to each side.