New Year's Eve gatherings are often last-minute bashes, thrown together for friends to count down the last seconds of the year.
So we've put together a countdown of our own - a by-the-numbers look of what you should have on hand before the clock hands strike 12.
10. Minimum number of hors d'oeuvres per person if your party starts before 8 p.m., says William Fradet, catering and conference manager for Palatable Catering by Concordia College. He suggests preparing 10 to 14 pieces per guest.
9. Things not to forget: soda, juice, napkins, plastic cups, noisemakers, ice, corkscrew, straws and drink garnishes (such as lemons, limes and olives).
8. Different types of hors d'oeuvres you should serve for an early party, Fradet says, including meat, vegetable and dessert items.
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7. Glasses in a bottle of champagne, according to Dustin Mitzel, general manager of Happy Harry's Bottle Shop. Decide if the bubbly will pour all evening or just for the toast and calculate accordingly.
6. Glasses of wine you'll pour out of a bottle. Serve a dry red and dry white for wine lovers, as well as a palate-friendly blush, like a white zinfandel, Mitzel says.
5. Dollars for a bottle of Asti, a sweet, sparkling wine popular for New Year's Eve soirees, says Mitzel. Sparkling wines range in cost from $5 to $10.
4. Types of hors d'oeuvres to serve if your party starts around 9 p.m., Fradet says. Count on five to six pieces per guest during a later gathering.
3. Varieties of spirits in the bar. Jim Swanick, owner of Empire Liquors in Fargo, suggests stocking bottles of vodka, rum and whiskey, and appropriate mixers.
2. Types of beer to have on hand. "I would always recommend a regular and a light beer for the two different crowds," Swanick says.
1. Designated driver per carload of guests.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Sherri Richards at (701) 241-5525
