The Joy In Gathering

There’s nothing better than a fresh start! That’s what we all tell ourselves when approaching a new year. We can be whoever we want, and we set our eyes on all the ways we want to strive to live our best life. That said, our dreams and optimistic celebrations wouldn’t be half as sweet if we didn’t pay homage to the year past and all the ways we’ve grown and changed. Growth, balance, and appreciation. That’s what living a joyful life is all about. That’s exactly where our loved ones come in too. Who we celebrate the New Year with and how we feel together sets the tone for our relationships and priorities for the year to come.

Hosting well is a craft that grows with practice. It is not about picture perfection or doing every single thing yourself and trying to serve up a flawless event. It is about creating an atmosphere where people feel truly comfortable and can really be present together. When it comes to food we all know Ina Garten’s adage “store bought is fine too”, but don’t brush it off too quickly. Store bought IS fine, and you should enjoy setting up your gathering instead of sweating over the details or the stove if that’s not your thing. What comes naturally to you? What do YOU want to eat while enjoying the evening with your friends and family? We wanted french fries this NYE! We also wanted to be dressed up and feeling like a million bucks.

Why choose luxury or playfulness when you can have them both? Our New Years Eve setup mixed cream and black tones, metallic accents, a champagne tower, caviar and blinis, and fast food french fries served in silver bowls. We also included a vintage inspired cake to bring in a nostalgic touch. There is a special kind of magic when you balance approachability with designer style. We loved our luxe details softened by comfort food favorites. It felt fancy, but light and comfortable with the build-your-own appetizers. Just what we were hoping for. All that makes up our vision for the gathering; how we wanted to feel and what we wanted it to look like. Next up it’s the details and logistics to make sure everything flows just right. We styled the table around a limited palette of cream, black, and mixed metals. A few elements did most of the work.

Tabletop and Serveware Pictured

Coupe glasses for the champagne tower
Silver bowls and trays to elevate the offerings
Tiered stands for height and visual interest
Black linens to ground
Candlelight for warmth and glow

Decor We Would Add for a Full NYE Look

Disco balls to catch and reflect light
Metallic confetti
Black balloons for soft drama
Sparklers or subtle glitter accents

Next we nailed down our menu. What will our guests eat and how will they eat it? That dictates how we’ll arrange it on the table. Is this a full dinner or appetizers and deserts to balance out our countdown to midnight cocktails? We went with the latter! Guests can easily come and go, move about the space, and take what they’d like and leave the rest. Our menu kept things intentionally simple and delicious.

Featured in the Shoot

Caviar and blinis
Fast Food French fries served in silver tray
Champagne tower
Vintage inspired cake

What We Would Add for a Complete Spread

Champagne jello shots
Truffle popcorn
Assorted chocolates

You can create this exact feeling at your own table with a few intentional choices. Set your tone, make it functional and comfortable, plan those details, and enjoy your handiwork! Leave room for your loved ones to engage and to enjoy. Holidays are easy to make grand gestures for, but learning how to host guests and plan gatherings that are a pleasure to attend AND feel genuine to you is the most important gift you can give yourself. It’s never too late to start, and if you’re there enjoying the present moment with the ones that matter most then you’re already doing everything right. You’ve found the Joy in Gathering.