How to host a Black-Excellent New Year’s Eve party
The year officially comes to an end on Tuesday. How are you planning to celebrate?
For some, December 31st might include a quiet night in making vision boards for 2025 while reflecting on all that went down in 2024. For others, welcoming the midpoint of the current decade might require a full-scale fête.
New Year’s Eve parties can be a great springboard into the new year, if done right. From the theme to the timing to the food or music, no detail is too small to think about when planning a New Year’s Eve bash.
You could go classic with a casual dress code, 2025 glasses, sparklers, and some bubbly for midnight. Or you could reach into your bag and host a bash that is every bit as Black and excellent as you and your crew are. (Hey, if the White House can host a “Black Excellence” bash so can you!)
Granted, “Black Excellence,” which commonly refers to the progress and accomplishments of Black people, isn’t epitomized by one thing. It’s important to note the term has been embraced and rejected in equal measure because it can also be used in an elitist way. Black excellence spans many things, including trailblazing historical icons like former President Barack Obama and the everyday wins we all experience.
While it’s never a bad time to celebrate some general Black Excellence, doing so at the end of the year could make for a touching end — especially after a year when, despite the results of the 2024 US presidential election, there were many wins for Black folks.
Below, we break down exactly how to throw a Black-Excellent New Year’s Eve bash.
1. Decide the vibe
First, you have to decide what your party’s vibe is going to be. It could be a “demure” dinner party or an all-out rager. Another way to create a vibe for a party is to set a theme. A fun and playful Black Excellent theme could be something like “Afrofuturism.”
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2. Set a dress code
Whether it’s a color theme, a luxury pajama party, or a classic code like semi-formal, Black folks love a good dress code! Setting a dress code also further pushes any vibe you’re trying to cultivate.
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3. Set a time that makes sense
If you want your party to be jumping by 9 PM, you have to invite people over at least two hours before. In other words, know your crowd and account for the people who show up on “CP” time. Now, you may think it goes without saying, but a New Year’s Eve party has to end after midnight. No one wants to be out on New Year’s Eve and miss ringing in the new year. Plan accordingly.
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4. Include a wide range of your friends and family
As stated before, Black Excellence isn’t just one thing. So be sure to include a wide range of folks from your circle to reflect just how wide-reaching Black Excellence can be.
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5. Highlight the Black Excellence that went down in 2024
From the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris to Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter” era to Kendrick Lamar’s summer takeover to Kamala Harris’ historic campaign for president and so much more, there is much to applaud this year for Black folks.
You could celebrate the Black Excellence that has taken place through special toasts or have your guests prepared to present an example from the year. You could even go a step further and have your guests each share an example of Black Excellence from their own lives.
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6. Play games or host activities that spotlight Black Excellence
From games created by Black gaming companies to playful awards you could devise and hand out, to entertaining highlight reels crafted by your guests, there are lots of ways you can spotlight Black Excellence.
You get bonus Black Excellence points if you actually teach those who don’t know how to play Spades or Dominoes how. Let’s be great together!
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7. Dine on food by Black-owned restaurants
You can’t have a Black Excellence bash without putting in some real consideration for the food. Support your favorite Black-owned establishments by having them cater your event or grabbing some of their best shareable dishes for appetizers.
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8. Sip on Black-owned brands
There are a plethora of Black-owned spirits. From the McBride Sisters to Issa Rae’s Viarae to B. Stuyvesant Champagne and more, there’s little reason these days not to say cheers to a new year without Black-owned bubbly in your flutes.
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9. Don’t forget the entertainment
Live entertainment at a party is becoming such a novelty these days that having any is almost an automatic guarantee that your party will be memorable. Luckily, from live bands to DJs to spoken-word poets to tarot readers to magicians and beyond, finding quality Black live entertainment isn’t challenging.
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10. Set intentions to support Black Excellence in the new year
You don’t have to let the celebration end on January 1st. Set intentions to celebrate and support Black Excellence throughout the year. This could mean making moves on some of your biggest goals or simply shopping Black-owned more. Either way, if you infuse your year with the vibe kicked off at your party, you’ll likely have the right energy to take on another year.
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