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Andy Cohen's New Year's Eve party essentials — sequins, Fresca and more
The Bravo host extraordinaire keeps things cheap and cheerful during the holidays. Here are his tips for entertaining a crowd.
Anyone who's seen Andy Cohen's Bravo show, Watch What Happens Live, knows that he loves a good get-together. And the holiday season is when his hosting skills really shine. In addition to starring in his and pal Anderson Cooper's wild New Year's Eve countdown on CNN, Andy hosts a holiday party in his New York City home, where the guest list is a bit of a surprise — even to him. "There's always a few people I don't expect," he says.
With the potential for a big crowd, Andy skips fussy hors d'oeuvres and coursed-out meals for fun snacks. "I usually throw parties that take place after 8:30 or 9 p.m., so I don't have to deal with dinner. And so I can have sweet things and nosh-y things for everyone," he says. The same goes for drinks: A fan of Fresca, he teamed up with the brand on its Mixed canned cocktails, which are "easy and flavorful and tasty," he says.
As for party decor, well let's just say there are no fancy china plates or elaborate floral centerpieces. Read on for Andy's New Year's Eve party must-haves, and if you're curious how other celebs handle holiday hosting and decorating, check out our interviews with Ayesha Curry and Queer Eye star Jeremiah Brent. Cheers!
Sequined tablecloth
It's not New Year's Eve without some glitz, right? Andy uses the same sequined tablecloth every year — he nabbed his from a VH1 Divas party years ago. Assuming you don't have the hookup he does, this one from Amazon should do the trick. It gets more than 3,000 five-star ratings and comes in 16 happy hues.
Unscented candles
"When I'm hosting at home, the lighting needs to be dim, and I don't do much decoration," says Andy. "I just have a lot of candles burning, but not the scented ones because they can be overwhelming."
This set comes with three pillars in different sizes. Alternate them with little votives on your table and your centerpiece = done.
If you're expecting a wild night, you may want to go with flameless candles ... safety first! This set comes with a remote and gets an impressive 16,000+ five-star ratings, including this glowing review: "Wow, these are wayyyy better in real life. They’re REAL WAX candles. They have multiple modes on the remote. You can dim some of the lights and not the others. You can change them from a flickered candle light to solid. They’re perfect. I’ll be ordering a second set immediately."
Paper plates and plastic cups
"I'm a paper plates and napkins person," Andy says. But why go for plain solid colors when you can really embrace the holiday with these groovy plates? They'll certainly make cheese and crackers look more exciting — and the kit comes with enough dinner and dessert plates, plus napkins, cups and forks to serve 24 of your most glam pals.
For a slightly more sophisticated look, black and gold is a no-fail combo — though Andy says you shouldn't be afraid to mix and match tableware. "There's no color scheme I stick to. It could be gold, it could be silver, it could be red and green. If it's a big group, no one's checking that everything matches." (FYI this kit can serve 25 guests.)
New Year's Eve isn't the time to be subtle, but if you like a more classic design, these dinner plates are a smart bet. The gold foil rim and scalloped shape make them look special, but they're still white so they'll go with anything.
Though he'll put out real glassware if he's having a small gathering, big bashes call for Solo cups, says Andy. After all, who wants to worry about broken glass when the ball's about to drop?
Candy canes
Andy usually covers the festive decor and sweet treats in one go by stocking up on candy canes. "I'll throw them everywhere — on the table, in bowls on the mantel," he says. "They're fun for people to hang onto and snack on with their drink."
With 260 peppermint sticks, this tub should take you through Christmas and New Year's Eve.
Who wants to make custom cocktails for a crowd? To keep things simple, Andy stocks the bar with these canned spitzes. "A couple of years Fresca came out with Fresca Mixed, which I was already drinking organically — I've always liked Fresca and tequila — except I was doing the mixing," he says.
He adds that the only requirement with these is that you never want to run out!
