How to Host a New Year's Day Open-House Party

If New Year's Day sets the tone for the year to come, why not host a party where everyone is welcome? The advantage of an open house is that it's a come-and-go event within a set timeframe. Choose a date and a time of day that works for your family—it could be early like a morning brunch or later in the day like a cocktail hour that transitions into dinner. If you expect to host families with younger guests in tow, the former may work best when energy is still upbeat and high (before afternoon nap time). And if you intend to mingle among your peers, the latter will be more apropos of spiked eggnog. Whatever you decide, be clear on your invitations about when the party begins and ends—for example, "Join us for a New Year's Day open house on Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m." The rules of etiquette are less strict, and guests can come and go at their own leisurely pace.

For the menu, think hearty and plentiful: Dishes like beef bourguignon soup, kale salad with roasted squash, or savory chili will all feel like a welcome respite from the winter cold. For your signature sip, consider a pot of mulled cider that simmers over the stove or a classic hot toddy, which is always a crowd pleaser. You may even want to outsource some of the cooking by making it a neighborly potluck. Set up the buffet table—preferably one accessible from all sides—with flatware, plates, serving dishes, and napkins. You can also prepare a bar station or a coffee-and-dessert station, if needed. Table decorations and holiday centerpieces are already done from your home entertaining in the month of December.

Once the date is set and your planning all done, relax and watch the guests ramble in.

Don't pack up the decorations from last night's countdown just yet—sparkly tinsel garlands make for flashy party décor that shines just as brilliantly in the new year's daylight. To make this banner, cut this year's numerals out of card stock; then, punch two small holes at the top of each numeral. String them onto a length of ribbon. Use a hot-glue gun to attach a length of tinsel garland to each number, snipping the ends. Hang it with thumbtacks above the mantel.

Aromatic herbs and a pinch of spicy red-pepper flakes enliven the subtle, creamy flavor of fresh mozzarella. Pair it with your favorite salami, olives, and crackers on a grazing board for the guests to pick at for themselves.

It's nice to send people home with something, whether it's a small tin of cookies, a box of candy or fudge, or paperwhite narcissus bulbs. To present a green gift—rosemary, orchid, paperwhite, mini boxwood—that guests can enjoy at home, simpy spray-paint a paper sack in a metallic shade.