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Ask Wirecutter, an advice column written by Annemarie Conte, explores the best approaches to buying, using, and maintaining stuff. Email your biggest product-related problems to askwirecutter@wirecutter.com.

My friends want to ring in 2022 with a big blowout, but I’m not ready for the crowds and expense that go along with it. Do you have any suggestions for a cheap New Year’s Eve that’s still fun?

There’s no wrong way to do New Year’s Eve. (Well, that’s not entirely true. Last year at 11:30 p.m., I let my kids watch a nature documentary that involved polar bears dying because of melting glaciers, and we welcomed in 2021 through heaving sobs. So don’t do that.)

It’s completely okay if you’re not feeling ready to return to the packed-bar-and-pricey-drinks version of NYE festivities, whether it's because of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 or any other reason. There are a lot of fun options if you’re sticking to hanging with just a few close friends and family. Since my idea of a good time is pretending it’s midnight at 10 p.m. so I can go to bed at a reasonable hour, I asked my colleagues for some suggestions. I hope you’re able to end 2021 in a way that makes you happy and hopeful for the year to come, and that doesn’t involve wearing uncomfortable shoes.

There are a ton of games, both online and in-person, to fill an evening. Wirecutter writer James Austin plays D&D with his family over Zoom, and if you’re cool with a small group indoors, we have plenty of great board game recommendations, for both longtime players and beginners (if you’re playing with little ones, we have board games for kids, too). “Table-top games are a great way to spend time with friends and loved ones, and these modern options, like Small World and Wingspan, are much more engaging than past staples. So you don’t have to pass Go and collect $200 for the 100th time while the ball drops,” James said.

Turn your living room into the most exclusive karaoke bar in town. Our top pick for the best karaoke machine is the TONOR K20 Wireless Karaoke Machine, an easy-to-use, dual-microphone system that sounds incredible and delivers a killer light show via its built-in disco ball. Our guide has several other options to choose from as well. But if you’re not too serious about the craft, there’s always the Kidwill Wireless Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone for a lo-fi experience with very little commitment. We even pulled together a Spotify playlist of Wirecutter’s favorite karaoke songs for some Masked Singer–worthy song selections.

Festive food doesn’t have to mean oysters on the half shell (but if you can get them for a buck a shuck, go for it!). I love the idea of mirroring the sights and sounds of a New Year’s Eve party with a few inexpensive snacks. Create some fireworks for your mouth with a giant batch of popcorn. Set out a toppings bar that includes things like grated Parmesan cheese, Mala Spice Mix, and cinnamon sugar, so your guests can customize theirs (just remember that it’s always better to top the popcorn while it’s still warm). Likewise, a jar filled with multiple flavors of Pocky just screams celebration. The long, thin snack sticks remind me of sparklers.

If you want the meal to be the main event, consider making hot pot at home. “We love having friends over for hot pot because it can be a truly communal affair,” said supervising editor Marilyn Ong. “Everyone can pitch in, whether it’s prepping, washing, and slicing ingredients, or cooking at the table. By the end of the night, you’ll have steamy windows, a table’s worth of empty dishes, full warm bellies, and memories of slow, lingering conversation to carry you into the new year.”

Our colleagues over at NYT Cooking also have a range of recipe suggestions, from apps to dessert.

You can get inexpensive mini piñatas in a variety of styles—from unicorns to kittens—that hold about a cup’s worth of candy, pocket shots, or trinkets. Before the party, have each guest fill a piñata for another guest with objects they’d like. Then take turns spinning and smacking. If you can think back to your youth, it’s better to do this sort of thing outside or in a room with a lot of space and few family heirlooms.

If you are taking the party outside and need to keep warm, we have lots of options, from outdoor heaters to a crackling fire pit (we like the Solo Stove Bonfire Fire Pit and the Tiki Brand Fire Pit for smokeless choices). Or you can go decidedly low-tech with a warm coat, a thick blanket, or a wearable sleeping bag (those silly looking things got me through last winter, I’ll tell you that much). And if you’re going to be sitting around the fire, s’mores feel right. My recent incredible discovery is using chewy chocolate chip cookies in place of the graham crackers and chocolate. Just roast the marshmallow, squish, and eat.

The clink of Champagne flutes might be tradition, but expensive bubbly doesn’t have to be. Associate staff writer Caira Blackwell wrote a love letter to the exceptionally tasty and affordable Kirkland Signature Brut. “Costco’s Champagne is actually made in the Champagne region of France—which makes it a genuine French Champagne,” Caira said. “Whereas most French Champagnes generally start in the $40 to $50 range, Costco’s white label bottle is only $20.”

For those who prefer something nonalcoholic, try a ginger-flavored seltzer. You can even use it to dilute the too-sweet Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider to a more-palatable drinkability.

A fun spin on the tried-and-true pairing of Champagne with caviar and potato chips: Serve Calbee Shrimp Chips. “You get that savory, super-salty-meets-briny thing to complement the Champagne. They’re incredibly light and crispy, look cute in a bowl, plus they come in a pretty pink bag,” staff writer Katie Okamoto said. You can find them in most Japanese and Asian grocery stores, and even at many big-box stores.

Whether you cap it off with a kiss, some confetti, or a vintage noisemaker, the party doesn’t have to end at 12:01. If you’re not stuffed full by now, pull out a tray of what our research lead Raquel Hamias calls “party potatoes”: potato wedges roasted with olive oil and salt. “I prep the potatoes on sheet trays ahead of the party and then give them a final hit in the oven just after midnight,” she said. “They are easy to pick up and eat with toothpicks (or your fingers) and are really effective at staving off late-night hunger and keeping the party going a little longer. Frankly, I’ve never met a drunk person who turned down a potato.”

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