We only get to celebrate this once, so why not pull out all the stops and have a grand party? The key for this theme is glitz. Everything must shine. Your whole party can be based on the elements of time, as many other New Year's Eve bashes tend to be. But, this special element features the calendar as well as the clock.

Your decorations are going to be of the silver and gold variety. Everything from streamers to balloon comes in these shiny colors. There are a larger number of party goods available for this event since we are entering the new millennium. Anything that is designed for the New Year, the new century or the new millennium will work for this once in your lifetime event.

The use of timepieces of every sort is still a wonderful decoration. Clocks, watches, sundials, and calendars, everything adds the feeling of urgency and excitement to the whole affair. The number 2000 will be prominent in your décor.

Follow through with shiny elegance on hats and favors sticking to gold and silver for the usual crowns and tiaras. Or you can welcome in the new millennium with lots of richness of color in those superb blues, rich fuchsias, and emerald greens of the new years eve caliber that usually grace those paper products. Follow through whichever way you go with the serving pieces, and paper goods for the table. Whatever choice you make be sure the look contains lots of shimmer, shine, glitter and glitz.

Activities and menus will be based on the type of party you are having along with age of guests. If it is a cocktail party, food might be limited to snacks and finger foods. If the party is going to go on for hours into the first New Year's Day, plan on serving breakfast foods and lots of coffee before drinking guests depart. If this party will have whole families for guests, vary activities for age groups, and provide lots of simply good party food. Whatever type party you decide upon, the focus should be on a TV to watch the ball fall at midnight. Make sure your noisemakers are given out just before the bewitching hour so they are not worn out by the big moment. Plan a balloon drop from the ceiling or let balloons go at the stroke of midnight. Balloons with tags to fill out and return as to where they have traveled to would be fun. Be prepared for lots of hugging and kissing as the ball drops and plan on spending part of your party time circulating to congratulate as many guests as possible.

This is a party that can start very late and go to the wee hours or end right after midnight. It is your choice. When planning the time, make sure to consider the next day's schedule of guests.

Games are fun to decide upon since so many things based on the history and time can be used. Choosing your best ten lists of the century or millennium for any category could be interesting. It has been done all over, so you need to give it a new twist. The Best Ten Movies, Songs, Quotes, etc can be used if you can't come up with others. How about the Ten Most Stupid Things I Said or Did This Past Year.

Games like Beat the Clock where you are supposed to complete a certain task before the timer goes off. Take a calendar with all the squares for various dates cut apart, divide into teams and the first team to put their months together in order wins. You could play Trivial Pursuit or Scrabble with a timer. For kids use simpler versions of the above games or create a relay game with the winner being the quickest. Little kids big enough to tie shoes are instructed to take their shoes off and leave them at one end of the room. At a signal they are to run to their shoes, run back to the starting line carrying their shoes, and then put them on correctly, tying them. Winner receives a prize.

Play a game using military time and see how many folks you can trick up with that one. Ask questions like what time is it if it is 1600? Or how about questions about different time zones; there are 24 worldwide. Be creative with guessing games.

A highlight of the party could be to bury a time capsule with something of meaning to each guest that sums up this year, century or millennium. Be sure to ask them to bring something in your invitations. Use a large container, box, or covered basket. You might want to have the hole completely dug before the big event so as not to get anyone dirty. (Be sure neighbors know what you're up to so they don't think anything evil.)

Prizes could be inexpensive watches such as those that are purchased at fast food places with cartoon characters, calendars, diaries, address books, anything to tell time or organize the New Year's schedule etc.

You are all ready, now all you need to do is have fun and start making those New Year's resolutions. This could be a party activity as well. Not too hard, since most resolutions only last till the 2nd or 3rd. Hey! It's the thought that counts. Relax and don't get too stressed about the Y2K bug, just celebrate this once in a lifetime event.

Credits: Jo Ann Wentzel