11 New Year's Eve Tabletop Decoration Ideas (Slideshow)
Your tablecloth is the foundation of your tabletop. There is no shortage of colorful and elaborate tablecloths. You can even be extra crafty and dye and decorate your own. Wrapping paper table runners add flavor and contrast. You can even use white butcher paper as your runner or tablecloth and then supply markers so guests can decorate and scribble their New Year's resolutions on the table.
Plates
Plates are another important building block of your NYE tabletop, not only because they hold the food (the most important part of your table), but because they add to your theme. Some plates can display your own personality and character. Personalize plates with Sharpies or take it up a notch with do-it-yourself chevron plates using your theme colors. Your plates can even help count down the hours until the new year.
Flatware/Utensils
No need to have flat flatware at your New Year's Eve celebration. Fun alternatives to the run-of-the-mill flatware are metallic plastic knives and forks for an upgrade on white plastic. But for a funky look, use black and white polka dot flatware. You can make festive flatware celebratory by decorating them with colored yarn or even paint.
Glasses
Glasses are another unexpected place for creativity and personalization. Spray-paint numbers on champagne glasses so guests can count down to the new year (and also keep track of their glass, even if they had a few too many by the time the ball has dropped). Stems of wine glasses are not just for holding, so add shiny flair with gold-dipped glasses. Etched glasses can serve as personalized party mementos. Guests can even get involved by drawing designs with paint pens on their own glasses.
Drink Stirrers
Even though most of us spend more time sipping our drinks, stirrers can bring some pizzazz to your tabletop. There is always room for tinsel on New Year's Eve, especially if it is peaking from the top of your cocktail glass in the form of do-it-yourself tinsel drink stirrers (or pick up a pack of 24 tinsel drink stirrers). Sequins have their place at the New Year's Eve table, too, with sequined star stirrers.
Napkins
Some of us are not schooled in napkin etiquette, but napkins are yet another canvas on the tabletop. Why not be bold and continue the shimmer with pretty metallic bronze dinner napkins? You would definitely amaze guests by using napkin origami (yep, it's a thing), the obscure art of ornately folded napkins, to create things like wintry snowflakes.
Napkin Holders
Napkin holders can take your tabletop to another dimension. Napkin holders can make your napkins look like prettily wrapped gifts with satin bow napkin holders. With the addition of sweetgum fruits they can even bring a hint of nature to the dinner table with star napkin holders. Whatever you choose, napkin holders add instant class.
Centerpiece
A centerpiece is often the anchor of the tabletop. Centerpieces can be edible, like that giant hunk of meat you slaved over, or they can show off your discerning eye. Give in to New Year's Eve loud glam with a glittery centerpiece. Or assert your elegance with silver and gold vases for live flowers, candles, or cheerful drink stirrers.
Place Cards
Seating charts and place cards are not only for weddings, because keeping that tipsy aunt from yelling at artsy friends is also imperative at your dinner party. Fun party hats of different colors or personalized confetti-filled matchboxes can serve as great celebratory place cards. Festive homemade crackers or noisy party horns make for rowdy place markers, preparing your guests for the new year.
Candles
Candles can be an elegant addition to the tabletop to help set a romantic mood, but in the case of New Year's Eve, glitter candles are absolutely necessary. Take it a step further by adding letters or "2014" with more decorated glitter candles.
Tabletop Decorations
When all else fails, gold and silver star-shaped confetti can bring your tabletop to a New Year's Eve-worthy level of festiveness. And folded paper dodecahedrons or mini origami stars are fun to float on your New Year's Eve table!