Whew! I don't know about you, but the last several weeks of holiday preparation have left me feeling happy, yet a bit sluggish, overfed, and ready for a little downtime. But not so soon! We can't forget about welcoming in the new year, a notable holiday just a few days away.

Given the time and effort that are put into Thanksgiving and Christmas, I typically come to New Year's Eve feeling a little burned out. But in years past, despite my mild apathy for the holiday, I still can muster enough energy to put together a simple yet festive New Year's Eve celebration for a handful of close friends using a few simple tips (and using what I have on hand).

To me, nothing says New Year's Eve quite like a color palette of silver and white, reminiscent of the large Waterford ball that drops at midnight in Times Square. To begin I gather up items around the house that work well with this theme. The items that pop to mind include white taper candles, glass candlesticks, silver vases and serving vessels, pieces of our silver-banded china, mercury glass ornaments, and two tall white and silver beaded cone shaped "trees." 

To establish the fresh look of winter and a new year I drape the table in a crisp white linen tablecloth, offset by a silver runner (which is actually a pashmina, given to me as a bridesmaid gift by a close friend). Atop the runner I stagger the serving items, so that guests can approach the table as a buffet, grazing on the finger food throughout the course of the party.

The crowning touch is to hang a collection of sparkly mercury glass ornaments from decorative ribbon, dangling delicately from the chandelier. The mix of mercury glass, coupled with the crystals, lends an element of drama, and is a nod to the ball dropping from the skies at midnight.

With that, we're ready to have a few friends over on New Year's Eve to remember the highlights of the year and welcome what the coming year has to offer. To us, the key to an enjoyable New Year's Eve lies in the low key and low maintenance nature of the celebration. After a month of over the top decorations, preparations, and culinary temptations, a low key evening with a few libations is a perfect change of pace.

Do you entertain on New Year's Eve? Do you have any special touches that you incorporate into your party set up? Any colors or textures that you like to use? 

Tomorrow I'll be talking about creating a quick, no fuss New Year's Eve menu that can be ready in a snap. I hope you'll come back and join me.