New Year’s Eve doesn’t have to fill you with dread and lament. With just a couple hints you can guarantee that you actually crack a smile or two as you toast the New Year.

Hint Number One: Don’t Go Cheap on the Bubbly

It’s all about the champagne. I can’t emphasize this enough. Stay away from Cook’s and Andre’s or you may not make it to midnight. You imbibe in a few glasses of the pungent bubbly and next thing you know you are singing Hark the Herald Angels at the piano with shrill vibrato, followed by a nonsensical argument with a friend, leading into a throbbing headache that you swear is an aneurism. At 11:00 pm you are whimpering in the fetal position just waiting for the year to be over while tears roll down your face.

Luckily, this whole disaster can be averted by spending a few extra dollars on a non-hallucinogenic version of champagne! Just move your shopping experience a row up from the bottom shelf at the grocery store and your night will be much more merry and bright! Try for Domaine St. Michelle or Chandon, both good options under twenty bucks. Trader Joes is a great place to pick up a few bottles that are actually quite nice at a great price. This one simple hint could save your whole night. This is one night to splurge on the good stuff.

Hint Number Two: Check Your Mindset

Now that you are sipping an effervescent champagne that keeps you blissful and sane, you need to form a realistic mindset for the night. New Year’s Eve is a night during the grayest most misera
ble time of year for many people. We are feeling toxic after the Christmas blow-out and are filled with a compulsion that we must change for the better in the New Year. The cruel joke is that this time of year is usually when inspiration and motivation are at an all-time low! The pressure of this night to be life changing, full of soul fulfilling kisses with the love of your life as the ball drops is too much to handle for many a reveler.

The solution…have no expectations! There is no such thing as a perfect New Year’s Eve. Come in with the idea of living in the moment. Enjoy the night for what it is without any preconceived notions of what should or will happen. You are an observer of life…think of yourself like Jane Goodall taking notes on the social habits of chimpanzees. You are able to witness the social habits of the friends, family, or complete strangers you are sharing the night with. Have a curious and inquisitive mind and you will be pleasantly surprised at how your perception of the evening unfolds.

Hint Number Three: Dress For Your Mood

Forget the rules. On New Year’s Eve anything goes so dress to make yourself feel good. This does not mean you have to be in a glittery gown or a fancy suit. You could be in your favorite Star Wars t-shirt with Darth Vader riding a unicycle, or your most cozy hat with a giant fuzzy puff ball on top. This is a night to not worry about expectations of dress, (remember hint number two). Clothes can alter your feelings — go with the mood, those things that feel festive and fun! This simple choice to dress in what make you feel joy will help you usher in the New Year with a smile on your face!