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Nina Dobrev & Julianne Hough Share Their Tips for Hosting a Small New Year’s Eve Soiree

E! New Year's Guest Editors Nina Dobrev and Julianne Hough share their favorite games, snacks, drinks, and more for a festive gathering.

By Marenah Dobin Dec 20, 2021 1:00 PMTags
EComm New Year's Guest Editor Hosting Guide

We interviewed Nina Dobrev and Julianne Hough because we think you'll like their picks. Fresh Vine Wine is Nina and Julianne's company. E! has affiliate relationships, so we may get a commission if you purchase something through our links. Items are sold by the retailer, not E!. Prices are accurate as of publish time.

New Year's Eve will be here before you know it, but there's no need to worry if you haven't figured out your plans yet. You're far from the only one, especially these days as we all have additional safety precautions in mind. You may not be at a huge New Year's Eve party this time around, but that doesn't mean you won't have a lot of fun. Whether you're throwing a small gathering with close friends or if you're just staying at home with your family or roommates, you can still come through as the host with the most.

The E! New Year's Guest Editors Nina Dobrev and Julianne Hough have dished on their tentative plans, shared their fashion suggestions, and now they are coming through with their hosting must-haves. The Fresh Vine Wine founders shared their favorite games, snacks, wine (obviously), and other essentials for hosting a small New Year's Eve soiree. 

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Nina Dobrev & Julianne Hough Share New Year’s Eve Looks to Help You Ring in 2022

E!: If you're going to someone's home for New Year's, what's a good item to bring as a guest?
ND: I think you know the answer to that one. 

JH: Fresh Vine Wine.

E!: If you're not sure which wine a host would prefer, what's a good route to take?
ND: I would say that it just depends on what time of year it is. Right now, cabernet is a good one. It's rich, bold, and it feels more festive to me. In summer, of course, I would bring rosé because everybody just wants something refreshing. It really depends more on the occasion and season when you make that decision. 

JH: I always find that the transition to early Fall is for pino. You've got your cab over winter. Springtime is the chardonnay and then summertime rosé.

Fresh Vine Wine Cabernet Sauvignon

The Cabernet Sauvignon should be your go-to holiday sip. It's ruby in color with an expressive flavor with hints of blackberry pie, dark cherry, spice box, and a bit of mint. This medium-bodied wine is concentrated with flavors of boysenberry, blackberry, and baker's chocolate.

All of the Fresh Vine blends are low in calories and sugar. A five-ounce glass has .4g sugar, 3.9g carbs, 103 calories, and 13.5% ABV.

Fresh Vine Wine Chardonnay

We love this Chardonnay for its big noseful of ripe pear, green apple, lychee, hazelnut, and toasty oak. It has background hints of tropical fruit and citrus and each sip finishes with lingering notes of pear and bright acidity.

And, of course, this is another wine you can feel great about because it's low in sugar and calories and high in flavor. A five-ounce glass has .1g sugar, 2.8g carbs, 98 calories, and 13.5% ABV.

Shintop Jute Wine Bags- 10 Pieces

"I just bought these cute canvas bags that have cute little sayings on them that are like wine holders. So, that's been my go-to. You don't just show up with the wine, but you've also got this cute little bag to go with it that can be used again. I think you can't go wrong with bringing wine, definitely some Fresh Vine Wine," Julianne shared.

These have 1,000+ five-star reviews and there are multiple color options to choose from.

E!: What are some must-have items items that are essential for hosting?
JH: I like having games.

ND: I was just gonna say that.

JH: I love the Minute to Win It games. I think that's really fun. It's also a good way to break the ice with people. We play running charades at my house all the time. Playing games is a good way to get to know people. When you're moving your body and you're laughing it just breaks the ice. So, I love games. 

Beat That!- Family Party Game for Kids & Adults

This is a great game to have on hand as a host. There are 240 hilarious challenges that are suitable for ages 9+. The $25 game has 160 challenge cards, 80 betting tokens, 10 cups, 5 balls, 4 dice, chopsticks, memo pad, tape measure, and a sand timer. Or you could spend $38 to get the game with the expansion pack, which has 80 additional challenge cards and 2 rule cards.

This game has 11,300+ five-star Amazon reviews.

Speed Charades Board Game

This game is a fun twist on an iconic family favorite. Teams will compete head-to-head in a race to act out words for their team members to guess. The adrenaline rush from racing and the exhilaration from winning a round will keep everyone involved and having fun. This game has 280 cards/1400 words and a scorepad. It has 1,100+ five-star Amazon reviews.

Plastic Bottles & Corks for Message in a Bottle Invitations, Announcements & Favors- Set of 20

Julianne shared, "One of the other things that I do when I host is get those little glass message bottles and write questions to put in them. They can be funny questions or even really deep ones. That's always a fun thing to do, just sparking conversation through something."

 

 

E!: If we already have the wine and games figured out, what other essentials are needed to be a great host?
ND: Having a good playlist on hand is always really helpful for a party.

JH: Oh yeah. Nina crushes the playlist. I like the games and the pretty things.

Sonos Roam Portable Speaker

E!: Music can set the vibe for a party. Is there a Bluetooth speaker that you recommend?
ND: I love Sonos. You can get different ones for different room sizes, and they all can connect together. And then you can choose whether you want to play music in one room or all the rooms at the same time. Or you can play different playlists in different rooms, depending on how big your house is, but there isn't a day that doesn't go by where I'm not blasting my music at home. Having music can really change the ambience of house hang or a party or or dinner party. Sonos makes really good speakers.

Courtesy of Fresh Vine Wine

E!: What are some great snacks that pair well with your wines?
JH: You can't go wrong with a cheese board or charcuterie board. I remember when I'd be writing music, my favorite thing was just a glass of wine and chocolate covered almonds. And that's just my go-to pairing.

Smirly Bamboo Cheese Board and Knife Set

This cheeseboard has 5 serving sections so you can separate your favorite meats, cheeses, and spreads. There are two pull-out drawers that offer extra space for your display in addition to storing the included cheese cutlery. The set comes with a matching round tray, 4 stainless steel knives, 2 ceramic sauce bowls, 2 white markers, 2 black slate labels, 4 small forks, 1 wine opener, and a cheeseboard guide.

This set has 8,500+ five-star Amazon reviews from satisfied shoppers.

Funtasty Sugar Free Milk Chocolate Covered Almonds

These are whole, dry roasted almonds covered in sugar-free milk chocolate. They're low carb, keto-friendly, and there are no added sugars.

If you're looking for more content from this best friend duo, their company Fresh Vine Wine just went public.

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