Take New Year’s party to next level

A New Year's bash is one of the easier parties to throw. Everyone's already in the merry-making mood, so it's a simple matter of setting the stage.

You can do that with decor, food, beverages and music, but it's also nice to offer a party favor that guests can take home as a token of a special evening.

Small yet thoughtful favors can be found at the online wedding and party supplier, www.beau-coup.com.

Chic silver snowflake wine stoppers ($2.30 and up) and jeweled snowflake votive holders ($2.42 and up) would make pretty takeaways.

A homemade take-home favor is always appreciated. HGTV.com (www.hgtv.com/entertaining) has instructions for putting together interesting ones like custom-mixed loose tea and colorful candies packed in cork-topped vials.

Music lovers could create USB thumb-drive mixes, perhaps with the evening's party playlist.

Monica Pedersen, a designer, HGTV host and author of "Make it Beautiful: Designs and Ideas for Entertaining at Home," has a favorite fragranced candle she likes to give.

"Pretty, scented votives wrapped like a firecracker are always easy favors," she says.

Kai's Twilight candles are a heady blend of exotic white florals (box of four, $48, www.lifetherapy.com).

Finally, as revelers head out the door, Pedersen suggests setting out an attractive cooler filled with iced bottles of coconut water.

Offering some post-festivity hydration may be the best favor of all.

Kim Cook, Associated Press