11 Easy Last Minute New Year’s Eve Party Decorations Ideas

Looking for some last minute New Year’s Eve party decorations ideas that are easy and inexpensive? You still have time to do the ideas on this list!

Last minute New Year's Eve party decorations ideas

I love throwing New Year’s Eve parties and I usually have a theme (like this Winter Wonderland party or this Black and White party) which I plan in advance.

However, sometimes New Year’s Eve sneaks up on me and I have to put my party together at the last minute.

Which means over the years I’ve had to come up with some ideas that make a big impact without requiring too much of an effort.

That’s where these last minute New Year’s Eve party decorations ideas come in handy!

1 | Decorate With Clocks

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A clock surrounded by candles for a last minute New Year's Eve party decoration

If you happen to have a large clock somewhere in your house, hang it in a central location in your room.

That way everyone can see when the midnight hour is approaching.

I used this French-style clock (borrowed from the stairway to my office) as a focal point surrounded by candles for a Winter Wonderland New Year’s Eve party

Faux clock decorations for New Year's Eve party decorations

Or if you don’t want to bother with the real thing, buy some inexpensive New Year’s Eve clock paper plates*, and use them as table decorations.

You should have enough left over to use for serving food (if that’s in your plans).

New Year's Eve decoration balloon clock

Hanging a balloon clock* on the wall is another way to add New Year’s Eve decor that definitely makes a statement.

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2 | Hang Metallic Foil Curtains

Silver sparkly curtains | Easy Last Minute New Year's Eve Party Decorations Ideas

Metallic foil curtains are party-ready back drops that are available in all kinds of colors. But I like the gold or silver ones for New Year’s Eve.  

They are inexpensive and make a big impact on the room.

You can either hang them from curtain rods (if you are putting them up in front of a window), or attach them to the wall.  

Scotch tape or velcro dots both work pretty well for this. But I would test a little spot first to make sure the paint doesn’t come off.

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3 | String White Lights

White lights and stars hung from the ceiling | Easy Last Minute New Year's Eve Party Decorations Ideas

I am a big believer in doing something with the ceiling for parties.  

I think it automatically makes the room feel special (even if it is a little more work).

If you have time and some white mini lights, stringing them in lines across the ceiling or as a backdrop on the wall will create a sparkly scene.

At my Black and White New Year’s Eve party, I also hung stars from the ceiling* which helped to reflect the light even more. Although this definitely is a little more work 🙂

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4 | Use Balloons

Balloons make an interesting table decoration
via celebrationsathomeblog.com

Next on our list of easy last minute New Year’s Eve party decorations ideas are balloons.

Balloons always make a room feel festive and they can be used in so many ways.

Tie helium-filled ones to napkins for a special kind of table decor like this table at celebrationsathomeblog.com.

You can either get the balloons filled with helium at party stores like Party City. Or if you have a lot of balloons to blow up, buy your own helium dispenser*.

Gold balloons hung from the ceiling are an easy last minute New Year's Eve party decor idea

You can also hang them at different heights from the ceiling…no helium required.

I used this idea as one of the inspirations for my Great Gatsby party.

Clear balloons filled with gold confetti

If you want a little more sparkle, try out these gold confetti balloons*.

Just rub the outside of the balloon after they are inflated and shake to get the confetti to stick to the sides of the balloon.

Then pop them at midnight to have confetti rain down on your party guests.

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Or you can go with a champagne bottle balloon kit* to hang above your bar.

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5 | Hang Paper Lanterns

Paper lanterns hung from the ceiling as a last minute New Year's Eve party decoration

If you want something a little different than balloons, hanging paper lanterns from the ceiling also makes a statement.

Adding Mardi Gras beads to the bottom of them creates a little more New Year’s Eve sparkle.

Paper lanterns cover the whole ceiling at a New Year's Eve party

I covered the whole ceiling with them for my Mardi Gras New Year’s Eve party, but you don’t need to have this many of them to have an impact…a few will work!

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6 | Use Lots Of Candles

White candles on mirror chargers as a last minute New Year's Eve Party decoration on a table

This is probably obvious, but nothing adds an enchanting feeling to a room like candles.

If you don’t have time to put out a lot of decorations, light a bunch of candles and turn off the overhead lights…instant atmosphere!

Putting them with reflective surfaces like these mirrored chargers, mercury glass candle holders and rhinestone ribbon will make everything sparkle even more.

DIY frosted glass mason jar candle on mirror chargers as a last minute New Year's Eve Party decoration on a table

If you prefer DIY projects, you can make your own frosted glass candle holders out of mason jars.

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7 | Create Clock Face Plates

New Year's Eve clock face plates
via ciaonewportbeach.blogspot.com

Make pretty New Year’s Eve place settings (like this one from ciaonewportbeach.blogspot.com) with a silver charger and clear plates.

Then print off a clock face to put between the two.

Add a Happy New Year sign from the top of a New Year’s tiara and you have a pretty New Year’s Eve place setting.

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8 | Make Wrapping Paper Tablecloths

Wrapping paper used as a tablecloth for a last minute New Year's party decoration

Wrapping paper is one of my favorite ways to dress up my tables for a party, like I did for this Kate Spade New Year’s Eve party.

It’s inexpensive so you won’t care if someone spills something on it.

And it comes in so many different colors, you’re sure to find something that will match your New Year’s Eve party decor.

9 | Bake A Clock Face Cake

Countdown to Midnight cake
via pizzazzerie.com

Since it’s easy to make (or buy) a round cake, you can transform it into a New Year’s Eve decoration by adding some numbers and clock hands like this one from pizzazzerie.com.

Add a sparkler for some extra New Year’s Eve dazzle.

10 | Make Champagne Jello Shots with printable New Year’s Eve Toothpicks

Pink champagne jello shots with pop, fizz, clink toothpicks for a New Year's Eve party

The last of our last minute New Year’s Eve party decorations ideas doubles as decor and drinks.

These Champagne jello shots are great because they serve two purposes. They look pretty and they taste delicious!

They are simple to make and won’t spill…perfect for any New Year’s Eve party.

Topping them with these easy printable Pop, Fizz, Clink toothpicks adds to the party vibe.

11 | Spray Paint Wine Glasses

DIY gold stemmed wine glasses are a great last minute New Year's Eve party decoration idea

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your table setting, try spray painting the stems of some inexpensive wine glasses with gold spray paint.

I used $1 IKEA wine glasses for this project, but you could also use plastic wine glasses* if you want to be able to throw them away at the end of the night.

Read the gold-stemmed wine glass tutorial.

Hopefully you have found some inspiration from our last minute New Year’s Eve party decorations ideas…now I need to get going on mine 🙂

Have comments or questions on our easy last minute New Year’s Eve party decorations ideas? Tell us in the section below.


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Easy last minute New Year's Eve party decorations ideas

This post was originally published on December 27, 2016 but was updated with new content on February 20, 2024.


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3 Comments

  1. I love what you did here. I will be using some of your ideas, since we always stay home, avoiding parties.

    1. Thanks, Ivory! I always stay home for New Year’s Eve, too…but like to have the party at my place, so easy decorations come in handy 🙂

  2. You are very creative! You must come up with more of your ideas to share with us.