New Year’s Eve

It is New Year’s Eve, and Anna and Clara are surrounded by loved ones. “Yet another year is drawing to a close, dear Anna,” Clara says, as she gets ready to leap into the new year. “It is time to look both back and forward,” Anna replies.

True to tradition, the sisters and their loved ones stand on their respective chairs, ready to jump into the new year when the clock strikes twelve. “Three, two, one,” the sisters say in unison and leap onto the floor.

For Anna and Clara, the last night of the year is filled with symbolism and traditions, and on this page, you can find inspiration to create your own memorable New Year’s celebration. Explore everything from New Year’s decorations and table settings to New Year’s food and entertainment. “There are many ways to celebrate the last night of the year,” Anna smiles.

The New Year’s Eve dinner is often the gathering point of the night, and Anna and Clara carefully select the menu each year. “Planning the menu for New Year's Eve well in advance is always a grand idea,” Clara believes. This year, she is in charge of making the sisters’ delicious focaccia bread with olives and tomatoes, which is going to be served as a lovely side dish. “Ideal along with both vegetables and meat,” she says.

The sisters also have a recipe for homemade garlic butter with baked garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, which can be served alongside the bread. “It will take the homemade bread to another level,” Anna smiles. “And you can easily make the butter a few days before New Year’s Eve, allowing you more time together with your guests,” Clara suggests.

When it comes to drinks, the sisters are fond of welcoming both young and adults with a tasty green mocktail with elderflower. “A festive start,” Anna smiles. “And it is fairly easy to make,” Clara adds. Alternatively, you can also make festive lemonades or refreshing drinks served in beautiful glasses. “Finally, decorate with an edible flower for a special festive touch,” Clara suggests.

True to tradition, Anna and Clara always end New Year’s Eve by serving their exquisite Danish marzipan wreath cake. Clara carefully measures the pieces to ensure the marzipan cake is steady, after which Anna decorates the cake. She enjoys adorning the cake beautifully with icing, edible glitter, and coloured powder, giving it a personal and festive look. “Almost too beautiful to eat,” Anna chuckles. “But only almost,” Clara smiles.

According to the sisters, a festive decoration is a wonderful way to say farewell to the passing year and welcome the new one. Anna, in particular, pays attention to every detail. “You can never have too much New Year’s décor,” she believes.

Each year, Anna carefully selects a theme to adorn the sisters’ home. Among their delightful traditions are New Year’s parties, where elegant, vibrant, and even cosmic themes come alive. If you seek inspiration for your own New Year’s party decorations, delve into the sisters’ universe. There, you’ll discover an array of party embellishments to create a festive and unforgettable evening.

When it comes to setting the table, Anna takes joy in crafting homemade decorations. She infuses the New Year’s table with a personal touch, creating something special—like the sisters’ homemade menu cards. After all, the menu for the year’s final celebration deserves that extra attention.

“If you wish to further impress your guests, consider adding an extra touch of elegance by creatively folding your napkins,” Anna suggests. For inspiration, you can explore the sisters’ world of delightful DIY projects, where you can discover a step-by-step guide for folding tuxedo-shaped napkins. Alternatively, if you prefer cloth napkins, you can indulge in creating your own festive napkin rings. The sisters have designed a free template for elegant napkin rings – simply print, cut, and place them around your cloth napkins.

As a final flourish, the sisters often grace the table with a large bouquet at its center. Anna recommends an artful blend of fresh and dried flowers for a truly opulent look. However, if crafting your own table decorations is not your preference, fear not – the sisters offer an extensive selection of party and table-setting articles to elevate your celebration.

"Do not forget to adorn yourself," Clare gently reminds. As New Year’s Eve approaches, the sisters gather the niece and nephews for a cosy moment, where they create New Year’s hats. The nieces delight in crafting New Year’s headbands made from ribbons and older headbands. If you want to follow in their creative footsteps, you can find everything you need to decorate your old headbands among the sisters’ hobby articles.

Anna and Clara are also happy to assist if you need ways to keep the little ones entertained at the New Year’s table. The sisters have designed a template for personal New Year’s hats, ready for colouring and decoration. “It often leads to hours of entertainment,” Anna smiles.

At Anna and Clara’s home, the New Year’s celebrations are rarely without new and fun party games. “Over the years, it’s become a cherished tradition – one we eagerly anticipate,” Clara smiles. They enjoy trying different games each year, and the sisters have explored a delightful array of games, from lively music quizzes to the whimsical draw-and-guess challenges.

“My personal favourites are quizzes,” Clara says. This year, the sisters have made a fun New Year’s quiz that reflects on the past year, where guests tackles questions spanning various categories, from movies to weather records.

“We also have to remember the little ones,” Anna says. She has created a music quiz with well-known children’s songs. “The little ones simply have to sing along to earn points,” she smiles.

If you need inspiration for a fun party game for New Year’s Eve, you can find a selection of the sisters’ past favourites:

• Music quiz, where guests must guess the title and artist of the songs played; a harmonious test of musical knowledge.
• Draw and guess game, where guests are divided into teams to let their creativity and guessing abilities flow by drawing and naming what their teammates draw.
• Name that tune, where one guest wears headphones and hums a song, and the remaining guests must guess which song the guest is humming.
• Guess 13 questions, where guests’ trivia knowledge is challenged as they have to guess the answers to 13 questions – perhaps with a theme?

“Luckily, playing has no age limit,” Clara concludes with a smile.

Another creative and inspirational year with Anna and Clara awaits. “In the upcoming year, I look forward to developing even more creative projects,” Anna says. “What a lovely New Year’s resolution, dear sister,” Clara answers. She will still value the small calm moments of everyday life. “Let tranquillity descend in the coming year,” she smiles.

If you, like Anna and Clara, want to embrace tranquillity with a creative project, you can visit Søstrene Grene for inspiration and various hobby articles. “Happy New Year,” Anna says. “May it bring joy and happiness,” Clara finishes.