5 New Year’s Eve at Home Theme Parties

After unwrapping your presents and celebrating the holidays, you may have forgotten to coordinate your New Year's Eve celebration plans with friends and/or family. Or, you may have called hotels, bars, clubs or other establishments to request information or tickets and then realized tickets are either sold out or too expensive. There is always another alternative - hosting New Year's Eve at home. While a house party is cheaper and convenient, it can also be fun when you incorporate unique themes. Here are five last minute New Year's Eve at home soiree ideas.

1.    2010 Trends and Fads

It's time to relive the trends of 2010! Think about incorporating jeggings and silly-shaped bracelets into your party outfit. You will get extra bonus points if you and your guests wear 2010 news and pop culture icon costumes such as Snookie, "double rainbow guy," Pac Man Google, BP oil spill, Angry Birds, Apple iPad, etc. Instead of banging pots and pans, you should blast vuvuzela horns.

2.    Pajama Party

At the bottom of your sleepwear drawer, you may find the craziest pajamas. If this is the case, you should consider hosting a New Year's Eve slumber party. A slumber party theme is ideal for people of all ages. You can commemorate your childhood sleepovers by watching movies, playing truth or dare, fighting with pillows and roasting s'mores.

3.    Masquerade

Believe it or not, you can have a masquerade shindig at the last minute. Local party stores sell a variety of masks during the holiday season. However, if you want to be crafty, you should consider making your own masks out of paper, glitter, feathers and glue. Don't forget to notify and remind your guests that their masks should only be removed after midnight.

4.    New Year's Resolution Costumes

In addition to Halloween, New Year's Eve is a great day to wear costumes. Celebrate 2011 by dressing as your personal New Year's resolution. Do you want to lose weight after gorging on delicious holiday food? Then, wear work out gear with dumbbells as props. Or perhaps, you would prefer to quit smoking. Consider donning a no smoking T-shirt.

5.    Nostalgic Game Party

Waiting for midnight can seem eternal especially if you have small children. You can entertain your family by playing board games before the ball drops. Watch their competitive spirits in action by landing on Park Place, spelling words with an "X," sinking battleships or trailing through the molasses swamp.

None of these catch your fancy? Stay tuned for part two of this article, with even more tips for a great New Year's Eve party at home.