A shopping list of party essentials, for a kick-up-your-heels New Year's Eve.

Successful hosting involves careful preparation, lovingkindness, and making your guests feel welcome but disinclined to return. Spencer L. Schneider helps you to thread that needle.

It’s super-easy to make surprise-filled, party-popping holiday noisemakers for your festive table — stuffed with paper crowns, a joke or riddle, and all sorts of trinkets. Here’s a how-to.

Bookmark this page! It’s our specially curated compendium of the most festive holiday happenings from now ’til New Year’s Eve.