New Years Eve Party Games!

The most successful hosts and hostesses know they cannot script excitement.
They create an atmosphere where their guests feel comfortable and appreciated,
thereby paving the way for exciting things to happen on their own. People in a
happy, playful mood are capable of doing all kinds of spontaneous, cool things
that will make your New Years Eve party extra special, rather than just another
get- together.
After youve selected a few game ideas from our list below, think about how to
sequence them together around your theme. Consider hiring an emcee from
Waterbird Entertainment, if youre not comfortable playing that role yourself. The
emcee introduces the games to the guests, gives directions, and keeps things
lively throughout the evening. Waterbird Entertainment can also provide a
catering staff, bartenders, party-rentals such as tables, chairs, linens, beverage
centers, back-lighting, lighting effects, sound systems, DJs and live entertainers.

Be creative! Let loose! Have fun!

Game Playing Checklist and Guidelines

1. Consider your party space and size of the group. All of these games can be
adapted for small to large parties and spaces. A few games are clearly Ice
Breakers to play shortly after the guests arrive.
2. Heres a special trick to create mingling! When making teams, have people
count off right where they are standing (1, 2, 3, 4, repeat) based on how many
teams you want to have. Since they are probably standing with their spouse,
date or people they already know when they do this, it will automatically place
them on different teams. For example, all the 1s are on a team, all the 2s are
on another team, etc.

310 Baker Road

Aptos, CA 95003

831-689-0500

3. Since New Years Eve can be in cold weather in many parts of the world, most
of these games are designed for indoors. Feel free to take them outdoors or
adapt them in any other way you want to, based on your party weather and
venue.
4. While the game instructions are written generically, the majority of them can
easily be adapted for your specific party theme. When youre planning the items
you will use, keep your theme in mind and select accessories accordingly.
5. Have all game props, accessories and prizes organized and handy before the
guests arrive. If easily constructed props will make your games more fun, by all
means create them. Even if the props are just paper and look homemade, your
guests will see the effort you put into them and will appreciate them. This is also
a great way to make all guests participate in the activities how can they
possibly resist doing so when they see the effort you have made to make the
party extra fun.
6. And if by any chance you get the sense that a party game is not going well
(although with the list below that is extremely unlikely), let it go and introduce the
next game. Or, make an adaptation to the game you are already playing.
Remember as an emcee, you have to think on your feet.
7. Prizes for game winners do not have to be expensive. Select unisex gifts that
relate to your theme if possible. Gift cards to local markets, bookstores and
restaurants are always appreciated, as are a funny book or bottle of champagne!

310 Baker Road

Aptos, CA 95003

831-689-0500

New Years Eve Party Games!

(This list is not in order of preference! Theyve all proven to be successful.)
Balloon Stuff It:
Make 2 or more teams. Use several pairs of 3XXL (or larger!) sweat pants.
Have one person from each team put the sweats on. Each team must also
designate a stuffer that will get the blown up balloons and stuff them into the
sweats.
Throw the deflated balloons (use about 100 or more depending on size of party)
out into the center of the groups. At the sound of a whistle, people pick the
balloons up from the floor and start to blow them up. Then they have to bat the
balloons forward and the stuffer collects them and stuffs them into the sweat
pants. After about two minutes, blow the whistle again, and the stuffee has to
pop all the balloons that are in his/her sweats. Throwing themselves on the
ground, sitting on them, or just popping them with their hands. Whoever pops
them all first, is the winning team.
Who Am I?
This game begins by putting adhesive-backed labels on the back of guests as
they arrive (or use paper with safety pins). The guests cannot see the labels you
place on them, but can see all of the other guests labels. The names you
choose for the labels can be tied into your theme. Or, other examples to use are
celebrities, TV or movie characters, musicians, historical figures, etc. Then as
they mingle, each person gets to ask the other guests questions to try to figure
out who they are. You can use the honor system and allow no more than 20
questions to figure out their character.

310 Baker Road

Aptos, CA 95003

831-689-0500

Frozen T-shirt Contest:

This game takes a little preparation before the party begins. Based on your
RSVPs, decide in advance how many teams you will have and place one XX
large white T-shirt per team folded nicely in a plastic storage bag and then pour
two cups of water into the bag, seal it, and freeze all of them overnight.
Hand out the bagged T-shirts to each team. On Go, the teams will have to get
their T-shirts thawed out enough so that one person from their team can put the
T-shirt on. Teams will have to get creative in order to defrost the shirts enough
run the shirts under water, pour drinks on them, sit on them, put them in the
microwave or even pound the ice out of them! (Dont give them any ideas
however. This is just what Ive seen guests do before!)
The first team to have one member wear the T-shirt is the winner. By the way,
this game can easily be taken to another party location. Just bring the frozen Tshirts in a cooler filled with ice to keep them frozen until game time.
Crazy Backpack Relay:
To set up the game you need two backpacks, two teddy bears, two maps and
two different camping items -- such as two compasses, two flashlights and two
bars of soap. Put one of each item into each backpack so they have identical
items inside each one. Divide up into two teams. On the word Go, the first
player from each team runs from the starting line to where the backpack lies,
empties the backpack, unfolds and refolds the map, turns the flashlight on and off
twice, kisses the teddy bear, and re-packs the backpack. He or she then runs
back to their team wearing the backpack, and puts it on the next player who runs
and repeats the same actions. The first team to have all of their members finish
is the winner.

310 Baker Road

Aptos, CA 95003

831-689-0500

Silly Sue:
Gather the guests together shortly after they all (or most of them) have arrived.
Use a whiteboard and dry erase markers and give each person a turn coming up
to the board and writing a nickname for themselves using an adjective that starts
with the same letter as their first name (for example, Silly Sue or Deceptive
Dan). Then they have to explain why this adjective fits them. Once an adjective
has been used, it cannot be repeated! Then if the group is large and nametags
are in order, the guests transfer their new nicknames onto their nametags, and
the interesting conversations never cease after that.
Marbles and Chopsticks Race:
This is not a team game. To play this game you need one bowl full of marbles,
and a pair of chopsticks and an empty bowl for each player in a round (I
recommend no more than four participants at a time.) Players have 30 seconds
to see how many marbles they can pick up with their chopsticks and transfer to
their empty bowl. To hold chopsticks, put one of the chopsticks in your hand and
hold it just like you hold a pen or pencil. Then put the other chopstick between
your thumb and index finger. Move your thumb and index finger back and forth
so the pointy ends of the chopsticks touch. Players race to see who can pick up
the most marbles in 30 seconds.
Drama In A Bag: Before guests arrive, put five or more random items in each of
two or more shopping bags. It does not matter what you put in the bags, just be
sure that each bag contains different items. (You can even put on your
invitations for your guests to bring a random item and quickly fill the shopping
bags once the party is under way.) Divide your guests into teams (one team per
bag). Instruct them that they have 10 minutes (or whatever time you decide on)
to create a skit using all of the items in the bag and all of the members on their
team must have a part in the skit. Another variation on this one is to have your
guests create a bogus commercial using the items in their shopping bags.

310 Baker Road

Aptos, CA 95003

831-689-0500

Ring A Bell Game:

Every 5, 10 or 15 minutes during your party, ring a bell and announce one of the
scenarios below. The winning guest gets a point and the one with the most
points wins. Ring a bell and then announce you are looking for . . .
. . . The oldest person present
. . . The person wearing the highest heels
. . . The person who has been to the most countries in the last five years
. . . The person wearing the most buttons
. . . The person with the youngest child
. . . The first person to show me a photo of someone wearing a hat
. . . The person with the longest hair
. . . The person with the most children
. . . The person who traveled the furthest distance to be here
. . . The person with the most credit cards in their purse or wallet
. . . The person with the most pennies in their pocket or purse
. . . The person wearing the longest earrings
. . . The person who drove the oldest car to the party
. . . The person with the longest fingernails
The above list is suited to a more conservative gathering, but use your
imagination and youll be able to come up with great scenarios for any gathering
you have, from tame to wild.
Double Dressing:
Collect the following articles of clothing. (You can purchase from either a thrift
store or garage sale to save money). Be sure the clothing is large enough to fit
any guest. Include mens pants, winter scarf, bra, hat or cap, panties or mens
boxers, shirt, work boots, and gloves. You will also need two dice. Have
everyone sit in a circle. Put the clothing in a pile in the center of the circle. One
person begins by throwing the two dice. Each person gets a throw and then the
dice are passed to the next guest and the play continues around the circle.
When someone rolls a double, they shout Doubles and begin to dress in the
clothes in the center of the circle. While theyre doing so, the dice continues from
guest to guest around the circle until another person rolls a double. They then
shout Doubles and start dressing in the clothing in the middle of the circle.
310 Baker Road

Aptos, CA 95003

831-689-0500

Double Dressing Continued:

The person already dressing has to quickly undress and give the clothing to the
person who just rolled doubles. The roll of the dice continues until another guest
rolls a double and so on.
This continues until someone is quick enough to completely dress in all the
clothing. This gets really comical as people scramble to undress the prior
doubles dresser and get dressed before someone else yells Doubles. By the
way, the articles of clothing do not replace the real clothes you or your guests are
wearing. They are put on over the top of ones clothes.

Magic Carpet Game:

Set up teams of eight to twelve players. Each team will be given one shower
curtain as a magic carpet and all team members must stand on it (shoes off).
You start the game by telling them the following: You are on a magic carpet, up
in the sky. Youve discovered that youre not going anywhere because your
magic carpet is upside down! The object is to flip the carpet back upright without
anyone stepping off into the abyss. You may use your hands. The team that
reverses its magic carpet first without anyone stepping off is the winner.
Blindfold Shoe Shuffle:
You need to have blindfolds (silky scarves will also work fine) for the number of
guests playing at once. Each person sits in a large circle on the floor, then puts
on a blindfold and takes off their shoes. They then gently toss their shoes into a
pile in the middle of the circle. The referee then jumbles the shoes all up and
shouts, Go! The first person to find their shoes by touch (and smell) alone and
put them both back on is the winner.

310 Baker Road

Aptos, CA 95003

831-689-0500

White Elephant Gift Exchange: This great game is a classic, having been
played for many, many years. That is because it always works so well for any
and all parties. Ask all of your guests to bring a tacky gift to the party, wrapped
but with no name tag on it. Something they have been given that they just never
used or hated, and has been sitting in the back of their closet for years. You
know we all have them! (The host or hostess should have a few extras on hand
just in case a guest forgets to bring one.)
Everyone puts their wrapped gifts on a table. Write numbers on separate pieces
of paper, starting with 1, for the number of gifts there (which should also be the
exact same number of guests present.) Put the numbers in a hat, mix them up
and have everyone draw a number. This is the order they go in to select their
gift. Now the fun begins.
The person with number 1 selects their gift from the pile and opens it in front of
the group. Person 2 goes to the table and has the choice of either opening a
new gift, or, if they prefer, stealing the gift that guest 1 just opened. If guest 1
has their gift stolen, then they open a new gift. You then go to Guest 3, who
either opens a new gift or can steal any already-opened gift. Whoever has their
gift taken, opens a new gift.
This goes on until the person with the last number goes to the table. They can
open the last gift left on the table, or they can choose to steal any of the gifts
that people have opened. If they steal a gift, the person who had the gift stolen
opens and keeps the last gift on the table. The lower your number means the
more people who can steal from you. The higher your number in the game, the
better off you are! And, no hiding by accident the gift you get so as to prevent
others from stealing it. (I know my family tries to do that!) Be ruthless. Be
harsh. And its much more fun if you have the attitude that youd steal a gift from
your own grandmother!

Disclaimer: Waterbird Entertainment disclaim all responsibility and accept no

liability for the consequences of any person acting on this information, including
injury or damage that you may cause to yourself, to others or property when
following any games presented in this document. Please note that children
under 16 should be supervised at all times.
310 Baker Road

Aptos, CA 95003

831-689-0500