LifeParty!

he New Year is all about resolutions, but we’re flipping the script because whether you’re starting this year with a “New Year, New Me” vibe or a “Dear New Year, It’s Still Me” rhythm, your life deserves a celebration!

Shout out to those who are setting new goals in the New Year or rebranding themselves. But also shout out to those who are happy with their 2020 selves and coming into the New Year with the same energy. Whether you think you “did the damn thing” in 2020 or not, we’re here to say you did and that’s why you’ve made it this far!

Let’s link arms as we start this New Year together and get this party started. What would your Life Party look like in the context of health & wellness, interior design, travel, music, style and food? Would it be something you loved from 2020, or a whole new trend from 2021? Will it be a block party, a cookout, on a roof deck, in a lounge or at home? Regardless, every great celebration needs a plan starting from the guests to the music!

First off, who is invited to your Life Party? No party is quite as fun as the ones with our loved ones. Given this past year, we all could use a dose of family overload (including from the ones who drive us crazy). But don’t stop the list there! Get inventive and think beyond your literal invites. Perhaps you want to invite Yoda, Idris Elba, or Frederick Douglas. Maybe you want to invite someone you’ve only met in your dreams!

And then there’s the list of banned people who will be stopped like they showed up at the Queen’s gates. There will be no welcome for anyone bringing negative vibes, drama or the haters! There’s no room for them at your party because you’re there for a good time, and if they’re not bringing it- they gotta stay away. Again, get inventive with this and think beyond the literal sense. Can’t stand Molly from HBO’s Insecure? Ban her at the door and let’s keep it moving!

Next is the decor. How is everything going to look? Are you going for sophisticated metallic and gold colors? Moody earth tones? Or bright and fun colors? Some popular trends to consider for 2021 are plants, dark hues, knotted fixtures and multipurpose rooms. The nice thing about this is, you may already have some select items that fit the bill, but knowing how to pair them and tie them altogether is the trick and much of it has to do with your personal taste and signature.

If you don’t have a green thumb, some good plants to have are succulents and cacti. Choose depending on who you’re inviting to the Life Party! If you’re going to have small children and pets there, maybe reconsider leaving the prickly cactus behind and going with a safer option like “Hens and Chicks”. These would make great centerpieces for any occasion! 

Feel free to hang your plants in those knotted fixtures or make a Macrame plant hanger yourself for an added personal touch to your party. The fun thing about this is you can make them whatever color you want, making sure it fits whatever trend suits you. And once the party is over, you can put the new plants, knotted fixtures and colors into your multipurpose room, whether that be a living room/dining room or dining room/office. Metaphorically because we exist with multiple purposes, we often see our homes and space reflect how we feel inside. When we say think about what you want to leave behind in 2020 and bring with you in 2021, think of it in terms of limited storage and how you want to organize or keep those things organized.

Every Life Party needs food & beverage and some trends we’re seeing in 2021 are pickled or fermented foods, plant-based foods and foods that are culturally different than what you’ve had before. We’re already pretty familiar with plant-based foods as more people are opting to be vegan and vegetarian. But, some pickled and fermented foods to start off with are- pickles (duh!) and kombucha.

The nice thing about pickles is they’re versatile enough to go on a sandwich, in a salad or be eaten by themselves. They make for great appetizers and finger foods, and pickles have a decent shelf-life when stored properly. If you don’t like pickles, no worries. There are plenty of other vegetables that can be pickled like radish, onion, peppers and carrots.

Kombucha, the popular health fermented gut drink made from tea, is admittedly not the easiest to make and may require some trial and error to get the flavor profile right. But, there’s nothing wrong with a challenge and it feels so much better to enjoy your hard work and efforts or see others enjoying the fruits of your labor.

As far as culturally different foods go- the world is your oyster. One of the things we love to do when we travel is try new and different foods. Depending on the theme of your Life Party and whether food is being served to just nourish or be a conversation starter, choose things that speak to you or that you may not try otherwise. Don’t be afraid to splurge a little and try the James Beard Awarded or Michelin restaurants if you can! Or if you like to keep it simple and ball on a budget, consider what foods you can pick up and bake or even what fast foods you like! We won’t think any less of you because after all, it’s your party.

Lastly, how are people vibing at your party? What kind of music do you want to hear? Some trendy sounds of 2021 are Synthwave, Ambient/Lo-fi music, our beloved TikTok music collabs, or producing your own song.

Synthwave is a subgenre of EDM that typically pulls from the popular 80’s sci-fi sound of movies like Tron: Legacy and Blade Runner. If this sound doesn’t suit you, consider Lo-fi music which can range from hip hop, jazz and ambient sounds like rain. Or make the Life Party about music and collab with some of your favorite people to make a custom song.

Many people have done this on TikTok just by making the sound and rhythm with their voice in acapella apps, while some other beautiful voices come in singing the lyrics. We saw it here with Blackbirds and Charlie Puth’s “You Stress Me Out” challenge.

Your Life Party is just that and how you choose to celebrate is up to you whether you’re continuing the party you created for yourself in 2020 or putting together an entirely new one. It’s all about what trends and energy you have taken with you into 2021 and which ones you have left behind. Your Life Party will set the tone for this year, so let us know what kind of people you want around, what kind of décor you want, what food & beverage has your attention and what’s going to keep you moving!

Happy New Year! 🥳