New Year's ideas

A New Year's party gives us the opportunity to celebrate the holiday with those we care about. We often put a lot of thought into the decorations, foods served, and activities. Invitations are also an important part of any party, but we often just buy a cheap pack at the party supply store and fill in the blanks.

Why not make your own new years invitations instead? Sure, it will take a little more time, but you can also customize them to the theme of your party. And handmade invitations show your guests just how much you value their presence at your celebration.

1 If you're pressed for time, the computer can be a big help:

A good card-printing program should have plenty of invitations to choose from, and many general printing programs have invitation templates as well. You can customize these templates and add photos to make them more unique. Once they're printed, you can add some scrapbook embellishments for a special touch.

2 If you are using Scrapbooking paper:

If you're using Scrapbooking paper for your invitations, its size and weight might make it difficult to print on. You could type up the information and print it on regular printer paper, then cut it out and paste to the inside of the invitation to prevent having to write it over and over.

3 Calligraphy:

Calligraphy adds an elegant touch to any invitation. But it's important make sure that the important information about the party is legible. If you're new to calligraphy, do a sample and have several other people try to read it before going forward.

4 Don't feel obligated to make a traditional card-type invitation:

You could print invitations on a lighter weight paper, roll it up, and tie with ribbon to create a scroll. Origami invitations also make a unique impression. These types of invitations will have to be hand delivered, so they're not the best choices for invitees who live far away.

5 Try something fun:

Another fun idea for invitations that will be delivered by hand is to put them in a helium balloon. Adding a small amount of confetti will make these invitations especially festive.

6 Add the personal touch:

Even if you type and print the invitations themselves, signing them by hand will add a personal touch. You could also add a short handwritten note if you like.

Creating your own New Year's party invitations doesn't have to be difficult. You can make them as simple or elaborate as you like. And best of all, you're not limited by what you can find in the store. You can easily match your party's theme and color scheme and add lots of personality to your invitations. So what are you waiting for? Getting started early will give you plenty of time to create the perfect invitations. This year you can make sure that your new year's invitations are something really special.

Friends and family always love it when you add a personal touch to your invitations. Easy Invitations is the ultimate guidebook to creating invitations and personalized stationery using a home computer and printer. You will need software to make the invitation but, this guidebook will provide design ideas and instruction for creating professional quality, customized invitations and note cards using card stock, envelopes, and other readily available stationery.

Easy Invitations will give you original ideas for major life events such as birth announcements, traditional and modern wedding invitations, save-the-date cards, milestone birthdays, anniversary parties, and coming of age celebrations. It also includes guidelines for creating thank-you notes, personalized stationery, informal get-togethers like dinner and cocktail parties, and even a romantic picnic for two. With this book you will even find tips for making for making any party distinctive with creative and easy place cards, menus, gift tags, and favors.

With a guidebook like this you can even create invites that you can sell at craft fairs. If you have the eye for a project like invitation creation then you can try your hand at earning an extra income with a book like Easy Invitations.

Just imagine the possibilities of what you can do. No more going out to the stationery store searching for the invite that is different than the rest; and forget about the high price of getting them customize. You can do all that yourself. With Easy Invitations you can make invites that are not only different and customizable, but they have your own special touch.

New Year's Eve is a time of fun and celebration with our friends and families. In other words, it's time to party! And what's a party without party favors?

New Year's favors are easy to find at your local party or discount store. But why give out the same old favors everyone else is giving when you can create your own unique ones? Whether you make elaborate crafts or put together simple goodie bags, your guests will appreciate the effort you've put into them.

1 Handmade party hats

Those kooky little party hats are a New Year's Eve staple that it's easy to make yourself. All you need is some card stock, glue, a hole punch, and elastic. Simply roll the paper into a cone shape, glue the seam, and cut off the excess paper to make the bottom of the hat even. Then punch a hole on each side, run a piece of elastic through, and tie at each end. You can customize the hats with streamers, paint, stamps and other embellishments.

2 Party in a bag

Goodie bags are great for any occasion, but a New Year's Eve party bag includes everything your guests need to celebrate. Place a blowout or noisemaker (or both), a small baggie of confetti, and some treats into a small, brightly colored gift bag. Add some shiny filler and you have a fun favor that your guests will have a blast with.

3 Fortune cookies

At a time when everyone is excited about the coming year, fortune cookies make a perfect party favor. You don't have to buy ready-made ones, though. You can find recipes online and make your own. If you'd rather not try your hand at the real thing, you can easily make paper ones. Just cut some decorative paper into a circle, fold in half, pull the edges down to meet and secure with glue. Write fortunes on small strips of paper and place inside the real or fake cookies.

4 Beaded necklaces

Party beads make great New Year's party favors, and it's a cinch to make these beaded necklaces. Just get some elastic string or fishing line and lots of colorful beads, cut long pieces of the string or line, and string the beads on. Tie the ends together when you're done, trim the excess, and add a drop of glue to secure the knot.

New Year's Eve is always a night to remember and you can make it even more memorable for your party guests with unique handmade new year's favors. These simple projects will help them ring in the New Year with flair.

Different cultures celebrate the New Year by observing certain traditions. Some eat twelve grapes at midnight on New Year's Eve for good luck. Others eat hoppin' john and greens to bring luck and prosperity over the coming year. And many cultures have traditional New Year's cake that they eat each year.

Even if a specific type of New Year's cake isn't part of your New Year's tradition, a sweet treat is always welcome at a celebration. Making a festive New Year's cake for your guests doesn't have to be difficult.

1 Chinese New Year Cake

This cake, made with glutinous rice flour called Nian Gao, is traditionally consumed during Chinese New Year. But it makes a nice dish for the Gregorian calendar New Year as well. The traditional recipe is rather complicated and must be steamed, but there is a simpler baked version as well.

2 Vasilopita

This delicious and easy-to-make cake is served by the Greeks at New Year, during which they also celebrate the life of Saint Basil. A coin (which may be wrapped in foil) is baked into the cake, and the person who finds it in his piece is supposed to have good luck all year.

3 Confetti Cake

What could be more festive than a cake that looks like it has been sprinkled with confetti? You can add colored sprinkles to yellow or white cake mix just before pouring into the pan. Be careful to mix them in gently and quickly, and to bake immediately - otherwise the colors will bleed into the batter. Add liberal amounts of sprinkles to the frosting, top with decorative sprays, and you have a fun and yummy cake for your New Year celebration.

4 Fresh Apple Cake

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is celebrated with a number of traditional foods. One of these is apples dipped in honey, which represents the hope of a sweet upcoming year. Another way you could incorporate apples into your New Year celebration is with a fresh apple cake. You can find plenty of recipes to choose from online.

5 Fruit Cake

Fruit cake is a perennial holiday favorite, and it makes a delicious treat for your New Year's party. If you want some variety, add a couple of different kinds of nuts and some chocolate chips.

A delicious new years cake makes a wonderful accompaniment to the New Year's toast. It also makes a nice gift for those who won't be ringing in the New Year with you. Whether it's a culturally traditional dessert or just one of your favorite recipes, a cake can help make the holiday that much sweeter.