New Year’s Eve 2020: From champagne to games, this is everything you need for a night in

When it comes to New Year’s Eve, people tend to fall into two camps; those want to have a big celebration, go out and get dressed up to the nines and those who have no intention of leaving the house to face busy restaurants and overpriced bars.

This year however will be spent indoors at home, as we have done throughout most of 2020 due to the global pandemic. Since the first lockdown in March, we’ve been cooped up working from home with social plans and holidays put on hold and a whole new way of life implemented.

Coronavirus has wreaked havoc on our lives this year and let’s be honest, we’re glad to see the back of 2020. With the announcement of Tier 4 being implemented in London and the South East, many, we’ve never needed downtime more, as last minute changes to our Christmas plans have had a profound effect on everyone.

With the coronavirus vaccine being rolled out in the UK now and into 2021, there is light at the end of the tunnel. While we’ve had to give up on seeing friends and family for many months, it doesn’t mean you can’t still celebrate a new start, trying to have a more positive outlook on the year ahead.

The final day of the year is the perfect time to just that, and while it’s likely to be a much smaller affair, you can still put on your finest clothes, create your own bar in your kitchen and stay safe at home when 1 January strikes.

To help you plan a fun evening at home, we’ve compiled everything you need, from our favourite wine, most fabulous pyjamas, cheesboards, chocolates and games to enjoy.

You can trust our independent round-ups. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.

Get dressed up

Having spent most of the year in jumpers and joggers, take NYE as an opportunity to dress up and feel your best.

That doesn’t mean giving up your elasticated waistbands for restricted skinny jeans or heels that look good but are oh-so uncomfortable.

In our guide to the best loungewear pieces, this Sleeper party pyjama set with feathers (The Sleeper, £215) topped our review, and will add some much-needed glamour into your wardrobe.

“This ensemble is anything but dowdy, it feels decadent, chic and sparks so much joy,” our reviewer said, adding, “while a real investment, not only can this set be worn at home, it’s also the perfect outfit for a day-to-night switch-up, when that’s back on the cards.”

The feathers are detachable too, so if you’re cooking in the kitchen, you can simply remove them to avoid any accidently getting them in any food until you’re ready to party and then put them back on. It’s also available in red, pink check, white and light brown.

For men, ditch the baggy t-shirts and old sweatpants for this Piglet grey linen pyjama trouser set (Piglet, £100) which adds a sartorial edge without compromising on comfort.

It impressed our reviewer in our guide the best men’s pyjamas, who said: “The brand's linen pyjama trouser set is the perfect choice for minimalists and eco-warriors, having been made from 100 per cent natural stonewashed flax that regulates body temperature.”

The white pearl buttons and navy piping add a smart touch too.

Cook up a feast

No matter how small your household, making time for a nice dinner and cooking for others is one way to make your last night of 2020 special.

Ditch the usual takeaway in lieu of a homemade meal, and if Indian is your favourite cuisine, try recipes from Saffron Soul: Healthy vegetarian heritage recipes from India by Mira Manek (WHSmith, £16).

In our guide to the best vegetarian cookbooks we found it challenged stereotypical perceptions of Indian food as being rich and indulgent, with plenty of choice to please even the fussiest of eaters.

“The book is full of flavourful plant-based goodness such as mango and cardamom smoothies, masala grilled aubergine, avocado chutney and grilled maple pineapple with frozen coconut saffron yoghurt," said our reviewer.

Or try your hand at making pasta, a fun activity with tasty results, and even the kids can help.

This Pasta Evangelists carbonara pasta kit (Not on the High Street, £21) is perfect, containing all the essentials you need for a hearty, carby Italian feast.

In it you’ll find fresh pasta, sauces and garnishes that are letterbox friendly and will be ready in minutes to devour.

All you need to do is follow the instructions and recipes included et voila, silky deliciousness to enjoy.

Set the table

If you want to make it a lavish affair, read our guide on everything you need to know about tablescaping according to interiors experts.

In it, we shared how to dress up your table to transform your meals, with a few simple touches, such as using this velvet table runner (Not On The High Street, £25), made from velvet cotton and measures 1ft wide x 9ft long.

It’s an easy way to add a bit of luxury, especially if you’ve got a long, rectangular shaped table.

Fancy plateware is a luxurious way to serve up your creations, and we’d recommend paying a visit to Maison Margaux, a luxury tableware shop that allows you to rent pieces that would be very costly to buy outright.

For NYE, this hand-painted L’objet perlée gold set (Maison Margaux, £33.85) would be perfect. It’s a mix of white porcelain, with borders of gold pearls.

You can’t ring in a new year without a glass of bubbly in hand and these Agata Gold champagne saucers set of four (Oliver Bonas, £34) are a decadent way to enjoy your drink.

Toast to new beginnings with the art deco style saucers thanks to the gold detailing and keep them pride of place in your kitchen.

For the finishing touch, add a pair of these Fairholme Studio hand-dipped taper candles (Fairholme Studio, £9.50) in a bright orange hue.

They’ll tie in nicely with any clementines you may have decorating the tree or in your mulled wine and are a fun splash of colour to make your meal extra special.

Grab a glass

We could all do with a drink to mark the end of this year, so stock up your stash of bubbly and wine.

In our guide to the best champagnes, the Leon Launois brut NV (Slurp, £21.95) earned itself the best buy award for its classic taste.

“A blend of pinot noir (60 per cent), chardonnay (20 per cent) and pinot meunier, it benefits from the sprightliness and vibrancy provided by the chardonnay and the juicy overtones of the pinot noir,” said our reviewer.

For wine with dinner, if you have a penchant for red, the Viña del Cura rioja gran reserva 2013 (Tesco, £11.50) is a great choice, and featured in our review of the best Spanish wines.

While visiting Europe isn’t possible, a sip of this will transport you there. Our tester said: “Huge amounts of intense, dark fruit flavours are matched by notes of vanilla and spice. A big wine to go with a big meaty meal.”

If you needed more convincing, they also explained that gran reserva is the highest category for rioja, meaning it’s an exceptional vintage which has spent at least two years maturing in oak barrels and three years in the bottle.

However if white wine takes your fancy, try a bottle of Davenport horsmonden dry white wine (Abel & Cole, £17.50) from English wine producer Davenport.

Taking a spot in our best organic wines of 2020, it’s a blend of grapes including bacchus, ortega, faber, siegerrebe and huxelrebe.

“Although a small amount of the blend spent time in oak, there’s no taste of it – instead, it’s imparted a soft and creamy structure,” added our reviewer.

Indulgent sweet and savoury treats

The perfect post-dinner dish is of course a cheeseboard, full of rich flavour and great taste.

The Cheese Society’s Christmas cheeseboard (The Cheese Society, £40) topped our review of the best cheese boards for Christmas and it’s full of crowd-pleasers.

In it you’ll find Colston Bassett stilton, Baron Bigod, Le Delice Des Cremiers, Vintage Red Fox, Godminster cheddar, Hawkshead chutney and savoury biscuits. All you need is a knife to spread and a plate to eat from.

Made by a family-run business in Lincoln, it’ll last you days and is the decadence you deserve after a difficult year.

Add it to your NYE feast and tuck in. “Sweet and woody, the Vintage Red Fox is dangerously easy to devour, coming in as the love child of a Barber’s cheddar, red leicester and block of Cornish fudge, while the multi-award-winning organic Godminster cheddar, presented in its distinctive burgundy wax, is a pleasure to eat at any time of the year,” said our reviewer, who was also a huge fan of the other cheeses included.

To finish off the evening, tuck into some sweet treats with a luxury chocolate box and the rest of the champagne.

In our guide to the best we loved the Cartografie collection eight pack (Catrografie Collection, £24), a confectionary compay born out of the first lockdown, when founder Kae Shibata (ex-Pastry Chef, The Ritz) and Sven-Hanson Britt (Masterchef: The Professionals – The Rematch winner) found themselves out of work.

Each box is full of handmade, ethical and environmentally-responsible chocolate, from the sourcing of ingredients to packaging.

Our reviewer couldn’t get enough: “These are possibly the best chocolates we’ve ever put in our mouths: from the salted beurre noisette ganache from the Dominican Republic’s Yuna Valley, to the scorched hay infused caramel ganache with roasted banana using Trinitario beans grown in a Tanzanian national park, each of the eight flavours is a superlative triumph where the quality of ingredients and craftsmanship is unmistakable,” they said. While they would make a beautiful gift, keep it to yourself this time around.

Play games

If you’re sick of the TV, scrolled through every social media app and are overwhelmed with zoom fatigue, ditch the screens and have some good old-fashioned fun.

In our guide to the best Christmas games for all the family to enjoy, the Hasbro Gaming Monopoly voice banking (Amazon, £19.99) is one we always go back to and topped our review of the best family board games too.

It’s a twist on the classic board game, with an interactive, voice-activated Mr Monopoly banking unit who keeps tabs on players’ money and properties so there’s no cash or cards to think about.

“After a few goes this quickly became one of the most popular games among the pile we tried. We’re total converts,” said our reviewer.

Start fine-tuning your vocal chords now in time to play Talking Tables dipsticks music singing game (Amazon, £10) a fun, musical game that can be played solo or in teams.

All you need to do is draw a stick randomly, sing the first line and the first person to singe the next line wins the stick.

Our reviewer noted: “It’s a great one to have on the table to keep the conversation flowing.”

If 2020 scuppered your wedding plans and the new year is just days away, read our guide to everything you need for a low-key wedding in 2021

Read More

Everything you need for a low-key 2021 wedding

10 best champagnes to celebrate with this Christmas

Martin Lewis predicts the best Boxing Day deals

12 best loungewear pieces for keeping cosy yet chic at home

IndyBest’s best fashion and beauty buys of 2020

Boxing Day sales 2020: The best UK deals to expect