Hosting any festive gathering can be a big task to take on. New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest holiday celebrations of the entire year, and just the thought of hosting a party for New Year’s could be enough to add stress to someone’s life.

Here are some tips to hosting the perfect gathering:

Make a guest list– Start this as soon as possible. The sooner you get a list of friends and family together, the sooner you can get started on everything else.

Save the date cards– Get addresses and mail some cute save the date cards in the mail. This adds a fun personal touch rather than just texting or emailing friends and family. It makes your party even more official.

Create a theme– Don’t stress too much on this one. It can be something super simple like best dressed, or something more complex like a masquerade party.

Provide entertainment– You want to make sure you have plenty of entertainment for your party to ensure your guests have a special night. Whether that is hiring a dj for a couple hours or buying some big speakers for some fun tunes. Try setting up a dance floor area where guests can dance the night away. Lastly, make sure a few televisions are close to watch the ball drop at midnight!

Prepare food and drinks– Make sure you have plenty to munch on throughout the night for your guests. If you don’t plan on having a full entree available to them, let them know in advance so they can plan to eat ahead of time. Also make sure to have beverages available for guests of all ages.

Set up decorations– Decorations that revolve around the theme of the party are very important because it can tie the whole thing together. Be sure to have a decorated wall for photos to be taken and even fun props for fun pictures!