New Year’s Eve is a time for celebration, and what better way to ring in the new year than with a house party? Whether you’re hosting a small gathering of close friends or a big bash with all your loved ones, there’s no shortage of fun party games to keep everyone entertained. With our New Year party games, guests will have a memorable party they’ll talk about for weeks to come. There are many that don’t require any special supplies or a lot of preparation.
11 Interesting Party Games For A Memorable New Year’s Celebration
1. Most Likely
This is one of the ice-breaking New Year party games which helps everyone to know each other.
Things you need:
- Alcohol (that’s all!)
How to play:
- Group members should sit in a circle and ask a ‘most likely’ question. For example, who is most likely to forget their best friend’s birthday?”
- At the count of three, everyone points at a person they believe is most likely to forget. The person who has the maximum number of fingers pointed at them, takes a sip of their drink.
2. Ribbon For Dancing
This is one of the fun party games that eventually turns into a dance party.
Things you need:
- Ribbon
- Fun dance music
How to play:
- To begin, cut a ribbon of one-metre length and then play music, making sure that both ends are handled by two people.
- While the music is playing, all the participants take turns in holding one end.
- When the music ends, the two people holding the ribbon corners will have to dance.
3. Jack Box
Another fun party game that’s perfect for a New Year’s Eve bash. The game is a great option for a house party because it’s easy to set up and can accommodate a large group of people.
Things you need:
- Laptop / tablet / TV with internet access
How to play:
- The host starts the game and shares a code with every participant.
- Players can then join by entering the code on their device.
- From there, a variety of mini-games are available to play, including trivia, drawing, and word games.
4. Pin The Tail On The Donkey
One classic party game that’s always a hit is “Pin The Tail On The Donkey”. This game is simple to set up and play, and it’s sure to keep themselves on tenterhooks.
Things you need:
- A donkey shape cut out
- A paper tail
- A blindfold
How to play:
- To play, one person at a time is blindfolded and spun around a few times before being guided towards the poster.
- They then have to try and pin the tail as close to the correct spot on the donkey as possible, with their eyes closed.
- The person who gets the tail closest to the correct spot wins.
5. Attached At The Hip
One of the best games for house party, you can use this as an icebreaker with your guests. This game will get them very close!
Things you need:
- Paper
- Markers
How to play:
- You scribble body parts on pieces of paper and put them together.
- Pair all the guests at the party and then each team picks up two chits.
- The players need to make sure that the body parts drawn on the chits touch each other or are ‘attached’ for as long as they can.
- Each time someone separates, they take a shot.
6. Drink If…
This is one of the party game ideas that require some pre-planning. More so if you can’t find the printables in a party shop.
Things you need:
- Plain paper
- Scissors
How to play:
- You need to create chits that specify scenarios such as – Drink if you are wearing blue, drink if you took a picture within the last hour, and the like.
- Put them all in a shuffle and let your guests choose one.
- Don’t forget to take pictures and keep the shots handy.
7. Two Truths & A Lie
If you’re looking for party game ideas that put your guessing skills to good use, “Two Truths and a Lie” is a great choice. This serves as a great icebreaker and is sure to spark some interesting conversations.
Things you need:
- Just yourselves
How to play:
- To play, each person in the group takes a turn saying three statements about themselves – two of which are true and one of which is a lie.
- The rest of the group has to guess which statement is the lie.
8. Human Knot
For a more lighthearted game, “Human Knot” is a fun option. No wonder, it is becoming one of the most popular games for house party.
Things you need:
- Just yourselves
How to play:
- To play, everyone stands in a circle, holds their hands in the vacant space at the centre and grabs any other participant’s hands.
- Once everyone has grabbed a hand, the group has to untangle themselves without letting go of each other’s hands.
- It’s a challenging and hilarious game that’s sure to get everyone laughing breathlessly.
9. Never Have I Ever…
Done and dusted and yet it holds its place as one of the most favoured indoor party games and party drinking games. If you’re looking to add a bit of excitement to your New Year’s Eve party, party-drinking games are a great option. “Never Have I Ever” is a classic party drinking game that’s easy to play and always a hit.
Things you need:
- Just yourselves
How to play:
- To play, one person says something they’ve never done, starting with the phrase “Never have I ever…” For example, “Never have I ever bungee jumped.”
- Anyone who has done the thing mentioned has to take a drink.
- The game continues until everyone has had a turn, and the person who takes the most drinks loses.
10. New Year’s Resolutions” Scavenger Hunt
This game is a fun and interactive way for guests to get to know each other better.
Things you need:
- Just yourselves
How to play:
- Start by writing out a list of New Year’s resolutions on small slips of paper (e.g. “exercise more,” “learn a new language,” etc.).
- Place the slips of paper in a bowl or basket and have each guest choose one at random.
- The goal of the game is to find someone at the party who has made the same resolution as you.
- When you find that person, you can exchange resolutions and get to know each other better.
11. The Great Gatsby
This party game is inspired by the classic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Things you need:
- Dress code for all for some 1920S glamour
- Encourage your guests to watch the movie The Great Gatsby before heading for your party
How to play:
- Have guests come dressed in their finest flapper dresses and fedoras.
- Set up a “speakeasy” area in your home (a basement or garage works well for this) and serve up some classic cocktails like martinis and gin fizzes.
- Have guests take turns acting out scenes from “The Great Gatsby” or play a round of 1920s trivia.
5 Essential Party Planning Tips To Eliminate Last Minute Stress
- First and foremost, make an elaborate list of to-dos and keep it handy. Tick off every pointer after you’ve made arrangements for it. This way, you’ll know at one glance how much progress you’ve made and how much is still left to be done.
- Plan well in advance, unless it’s a very last moment plan, so you have enough time to organise the party, without feeling overly flustered.
- Create separate spaces for everything your guests will indulge in – food, beverages, sitting space, dance floor, etc. This will ensure that these spaces don’t overlap and cause inconvenience to your guests.
- Make arrangements according to the available space to avoid clutter. Perhaps you want to have a well designated dance floor, a F&B area, a photo booth, a smoking area, and the like, but you’re short of space. In that case, plan for only those that are non-negotiable and give the others a miss.
- Keep yourself free during the party. Have a gala time with your guests rather than staying busy with serving them food and drinks and overseeing everything. Either hire people who can help you with these tasks or let your guests help themselves. After all the frenzy you’ve gone through while organising the party, you too deserve to let your hair down and party the night away, girl!
There are plenty of games to choose from for a New Year’s Eve house party. Whether you’re looking for classic games like “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” and “Charades”, or more modern options like “Jack Box” and “Two Truths and a Lie”, there’s something for everyone. Party drinking games like “Never Have I Ever” and “Kings” add an element of excitement and can be a great way to kick off the new year. So, gather your friends and family and get ready to ring in the new year with lots of laughter and fun.
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