With 2022 on the horizon, the natural-born entertainers among us inevitably have that most glamorous and gilded of annual events — the New Year's Eve party — on our minds. Though with another wave of COVID in New York and other major cities, the turnover into 2022 is likely to be once again fairly lowkey. Perhaps you’ll be enjoying a small gathering with friends; or perhaps it will be an even more intimate affair with just you and your roommates or a partner.
Whatever the case, if you’re like me, doing a little ‘dream shopping’ never hurts. I’m a sucker for a theme when it comes to NYE parties. Procuring one or two statement pieces of vintage barware and glassware to complement your guiding party aesthetic can make the difference between a New Year's Eve party that feels halfheartedly assembled and one that feels fully realized. Besides, as we head into a new year, it’s a great time to let ourselves dream of eras gone by.
We compiled a guide to glassware and bar accessories that will level up your NYE party, no matter your style. Whether you’re going the classic route and serving champagne, or getting retro with a big bowl of New Year’s Eve punch, or perhaps making a signature Seedlip cocktail, we’ve collected several gorgeous vintage barware options to make your NYE shine.
Throw on your best flapper duds and serve up that NYE classic — champagne — in retro style.
Trade out your flutes for something unexpected like this multicolored, whimsical stemware.
Or green-stemmed goblets.
For an understated but delightful twist, look for smokey, frosted, or etched glasses, like these coupes.
Regardless of your choice of glasses, serving guests their drinks on a literal silver platter adds historical panache to your NYE party.
The popularity of cocktails exploded in the 1960s (as evidenced by Mad Men and The Queen’s Gambit). It was also the era of the bar cart, a furniture object that has become a popular mainstay once again in apartments and homes.
If you’re going to make cocktails, you need a good shaker. Mixing up a Gimlet or Sidecar in this Czech glass one from the ‘70s would undeniably be a delight.
Caitlin Miyako chose a sleek, metal bar cart to house her collection of vintage glassware and it is working.
An ice bucket is an essential party object and, as it’s going to inevitably be on display, why not opt for one with some style?
We love an off-kilter bit of stemware! Espresso Martini anyone?
Having an ashtray around the place is great even if you adhere to a strict no smoking indoors policy. They’re an elegant way to keep books of matches for lighting candles. This Murano Glass specimen would be a gorgeous conversation piece.
Punch bowls feel both very 1950s and 1990s to me. I either picture a John Bull drawing of a holiday scene with a cut-glass bowl on a perfectly-laid table or a Suburban house party set to the Sleepless in Seattle soundtrack. But actually, the humble punch bowl has been around a good deal longer — at least since the mid-17th century. There are myriad styles of vintage punch bowls available, from cut glass to metal to the occasional enamel or ceramic.
While many punch bowls and glasses come in sets, you could serve your punch in anything really — even coffee mugs!
Your punch set-up isn’t complete without a ladle. Any will do, but traditionally, punch ladles have a spout at one side for easy transfer from bowl to cup.
However you’re spending this NYE, these recommendations will make your NYE Party one to remember. And if this year isn’t the year for the fête that will live forever in your social circle’s memories, hey, it’s always a good time to start thinking about next year.
