Planning a New Year’s Eve party? Add these 5 ideas to your list

This story is part of Holiday Gift Guide 2021, our list of ideas, by topic, by recipient and by price, to help you discover the perfect gift.

As the holiday celebrations come to an end this weekend, New Year’s Eve is just around the corner. Planning a 2022 New Year’s Eve party might seem daunting after a month of decorating for the holidays and shopping for last-minute gifts. But don’t worry — we’ve got five fun, yet inexpensive ideas to quickly pull your end-of-the-year celebration together.

Whether you’re having a small get-together with friends and family, or inviting over a crew of people, these New Year’s Eve activities will keep everyone entertained throughout the night. Read on to learn how to make your New Year’s Eve party exciting this year.

DIY a photo booth

You don’t need to splurge on a rental photo booth to document your entire NYE night. Instead, create your own photo booth in a well-lit area of your house. All you need is a backdrop, like wrapping paper or some balloons, and some props. You can use a phone or tablet to snap the photos as long as it has a timer. You could also use an instant camera so everyone can take the photos home with them.

Stream live fireworks shows for free

Bringing in the new year with fireworks always adds a nice touch, but not when everyone is shivering outside and hoping the show ends soon. Instead of buying, setting up and lighting fireworks yourself, stream a live fireworks show from the warmth of your home.

For instance, Disney World typically streams its live fireworks show online. Times Square in New York also lets off fireworks as soon as the ball drops each year and can be streamed on any major network.

On the day of New Year’s Eve, you can visit the New Year’s Eve Live website to see all the streaming options available.

Grab some sparklers or confetti poppers for the celebration

Want to have a mini fireworks celebration? Grab some sparklers that everyone can light as soon as the ball drops. However, be cautious if you live in a dry area prone to wildfires and be sure to check the weather for drought conditions. 

If you’re unable to use sparklers, you can always opt for confetti poppers. Be prepared to clean up a huge confetti mess at the end of the night. If you let them off outside, we recommend choosing poppers made of biodegradable material.

Stream holiday movies on your TV for free

Most streaming services have holiday movies you can watch, from Disney Plus, Netflix and Hulu to Peacock and Paramount Plus. If you’re not subscribed to any of these services, most offer a free trial. Or if a friend or family member has an account, they can cast their iPhone or Android to your TV — but note that it can be laggy. 

Keep everyone occupied with group games

Whether you have a few or several guests, you can play online games using your phones. A favorite is Jackbox games, which you can download on your Fire TV, Apple TV, Playstation, Xbox and more. Up to 10 people can play at a time, and you can even invite people to play remotely using a livestreaming service like Zoom.

For more, here are 10 best Christmas movies to watch on Disney Plus. Also, here’s a white elephant gift idea.