New Year’s Eve Cocktails

Who’s ready for 2021? Not going to lie, we are looking forward to all the new opportunities the new year will bring, but we also want to take the time to reminisce on this year and celebrate what we are grateful that this year has given us. How better to celebrate than enjoying time with ones we love and having some New Year’s Eve cocktails?

Collected Living Design Blog — Outfits: Styled by Liv Your Lifestyle, Clothes from Lady Bye

New Year’s Eve is a special occasion that you don’t want to forget, even if you are staying home with your family or celebrating with just a few close friends. You may not be out on the town dressed to the nines at your favorite bar or restaurant, but you can still make memorable moments while you ring in the new year.

For us, the details are what make it feel festive. Experience is key. Whether it’s your outfit, the dishes you use, the music you play, or the kinds of food you eat, choose to be intentional and celebrate in style. We are sharing our favorites, from food to drinks (including our signature cocktail recipe!) to where we are shopping for a great outfit.

The Party’s At My House

If you’re hosting, you’ll want to bring the party to your home, while also making your guests feel comfortable as the spend the next hours of their night mingling and taking part in any activities you may have planned.

We don’t believe in wearing yourself out by going over the top, but instead finding easy ways to make things special. A beautiful charcuterie board is simple and easily customized to a lot of different tastes. It doesn’t take much to make the setting feel complete and ready for special guests!

Ambiance is key when putting the finishing touches on your New Year’s Eve setup. What type of feel are you going for? Warm and cozy? Festive? Bright and cheerful? Here are a few details we pay attention to when completing our party atmosphere:

Scent: Whether it’s a candle, a reed diffuser, or plug in wax warmer find a scent that will set the mood for your party from the moment your guests walk in the door.
Music: Jazz, today’s top hits, or holiday music will set the mood for your evening. Maybe switch the genres as the hours go by to keep your guests awake and entertained for each activity of the night.
Dishes: This is the perfect opportunity to bring out that fine china that has been sitting in the cabinet, buy an ornate floral arrangement, or use the fancy cocktail glasses that look just fabulous on your bar cart or countertop. We love incorporating vintage pieces as well to give a little extra character to the event.

What Are You Wearing to the Living Room?

New Year’s Eve parties are a perfect excuse to pull that sequined dress out from the back of your closet and go all out for your night out look. This year, most of us will be lounging on our couches or over at the neighbor’s house for a get together. We still think that it’s an opportunity to go buy something new for yourself or pull out those extra sparkly earrings you’ve been waiting to wear!

It’s understandable that you will want to be comfortable and not fidgeting with panty hose and heels all night while moving around your home, so be extra with your accessories and pick pieces that make a statement while also adding an element of comfort and coziness to your night in.

Our go to for elevated comfortable outfits is Lady Bye in Brookside. We know we will find pieces that are beautiful and classic, with some fun trendy pieces to layer in as well. They also have options for dressing up, for work or for fun, as well as the perfect accessories to finish off your look.

We Hope You’re Hungry!

Just because you are staying home doesn’t mean you have to cook! Don’t be afraid to use some of your favorite local restaurants to help you put together a delicious spread! There are so many ways you can support local, even from home.

Take a look at a menu from a restaurant that you love and see if they are offering pre-made packages or meals

Order in from your favorite restaurant so you can have a meal you are sure to like on New Year’s Eve.

If you are making something of your own and still want to support KC based businesses, make an effort to look for local ingredients in stores or at markets

Whether you are eating charcuterie, making a gourmet dinner for you and your family, or want to pick up something while you are out and about, there are so many options in Kansas City to help you create a festive setup that is easy for you!

Here are a few local places we love to shop for all our foodie needs:

Green Dirt Farms: local meats, cheeses and eggs
Local Pig: local butcher for a larger scale meal
Fevere: Bread and pastries that elevate any meal, including breakfast
The French Market: get cheeses and meats for your charcuterie board
Some of our favorite restaurants that would be great for take out or ordering a meal: Parlor, Cafe Des Amis, Mission Taco, Affare, Extra Virgin, just to name a few!

Cheers!

To complete the event, you’ll need some top notch New Year’s Eve cocktails to pair with your food and use for your New Year’s toast. Personally, we love using local liquors to compliment our other Kansas City based elements.

We love using Tom’s Town bourbon and Rieger’s Gin in our drinks. For our husbands, that often means on the rocks. For us, we love this Old Fashioned recipe and this Gin & Tonic recipe that also include a component from our signature cocktail (recipe below!) If you want to make a margarita, Mean Mule has the best tequila that is distilled right here in KC. For your wine selection we have many local favorites, but for our cocktail we went with a bottle from Pyrtle Winery in Weston. They offer a wide variety of different styles of wines. If you want to add a little bubbly to your cocktails or are looking for something to mimic champagne, their effervescent wines add the perfect amount of fizz and color to a festive cocktail.

We love celebrating around here, whether it’s a win at work, a birthday or anniversary, or maybe just that it’s Thursday, our celebration isn’t complete without our signature cocktail. It’s very simple, which is part of why we love it so much, but it’s also delicious and we look forward to enjoying a glass (or two) together.