Want to ring in the new year with a bookish flair? I have all the guidance you need to throw a Great Gatsby New Year's party your friends won't soon forget. Whether you throw a large, intimate party, or a small gathering without any privacy, your guests will love counting down to midnight with all the gin-soaked decadence The Great Gatsby has to offer.
You may have heard that there ain't no party like a Gatsby party, because a Gatsby party don't stop until at least two people are dead and everyone is disillusioned with the Jazz Age as a whole... OK, that took a dark turn. The point is, Gatsby parties are great for anyone who isn't Gatsby or Daisy — A.K.A. everyone on your guest list.
Obviously, you are free to take as much or as little of my advice as you want. If you have some decorations or food-inspiration that you think better fit the theme, then go with them, by all means! There's no point in doing a Great Gatsby New Year's party unless you go pull out all the stops and use every trick up your sleeve to create a fantastic experience for your friends and family.
Check out my guide to throwing a Great Gatsby New Year's party below, and share your favorite Gatsby-party tips with me on Twitter!
Use 'Gatsby Cocktails: Classic Cocktails from the Jazz Age' by Ben Reed to Pick Out a Signature Potable
F. Scott Fitzgerald's New York Times obituary says that, in the 1920s, "gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession." Although you can certainly throw a New Year's party — or any party, for that matter — without alcohol, I can't think of a better time or place to drink a cocktail than at a Great Gatsby New Year's party. If you need some Jazz Age inspiration to stock your bar cart, check out Ben Reed's Gatsby Cocktails before you break out the bubbly.
Gatsby Cocktails: Classic cocktails from the jazz age, $10, Amazon
Consult 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking' by Julia Child to Plan Your Menu
French cooking was all the rage in the Roaring Twenties, so you should definitely consider a French or French-inspired menu for your Great Gatsby New Year's party. Julia Child's classic cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, has all the information you need to prepare virtually any protein or vegetable like a true French chef.
Order Some Fancy-Schmancy Invitations
Consider the party invitation your guests' first preview of what's to come. If you want your friends and family members to be as enthused about your New Year's party as you are, then investing in some high-quality, Art Deco invitations should be the first real step in your journey as a party host.
Great Gatsby Invitation, $12, Etsy
Wear Something With A Little Swish And Sparkle
It can be hard to find a good flapper dress these days, but don't fret. You can find something short, sparkly, and stylish that won't feel like a punch to the wallet. The four items below will let you go to your Great Gatsby New Year's party in style, and pick up a little shiny something for 49 of your closest friends, all for less than $80. Pretty snazzy, right?
Embellished V-Neck Knit Dress, $49, Dressbarn
Sequin Happy New Year Flapper Headband, $6, Party City
Gold Feather Boa, $10, Party City
Make Sure The Music Of The Night Is Just Right
It's called the Jazz Age for a reason, honey. Pick up some cheap big band CDs, or queue up a swingin' playlist on Spotify, and make sure you know how to Charleston so you can teach your friends to dance, Great Gatsby style.
The Big Broadcast, Volume 1: Jazz and Popular Music of the 1920s and 1930s, $9, Amazon
Blow Up Some Festive Balloons And Sprinkle Lots Of Confetti
Your dress shouldn't be the only thing that sparkles at your Great Gatsby New Year's party. Be sure your living room looks festive by setting up some cheap decorations — in black, gold, and silver, natch — to pretty up the place. And for that 2013 Gatsby touch, be sure to invest in a few confetti cannons for your friends to fire at midnight.
Black Gold Silver Decorations Kit, $35, Party City
Black, Gold & Silver Champagne Bar Decorating Kit 23pc, $10, Party City
Have Yourself A Blast
No matter how many of your friends enjoy the party, throwing a Great Gatsby New Year's gala is pointless if you don't have fun as well. Leave your cares behind in the old year, and get ready to ring in the new, in true Roaring Twenties style.
