What to take to posh NYE do?

[Alifemoreordinary123]

We’ve been invited to some friends for New Year’s Eve. They’re lovely people and very down to earth but live very different lives to us. They’re wealthy, have an opulent house and expensive food and drink. It’s a family NYE evening they have planned. What do we take? Do we go plain champagne or something more fancy? I feel a little inadequate with my fridge full of supermarket cheese and slab of Christmas cake and I’m not sure what to do and don’t want to feel inadequate on the evening.

I'd take flowers, a decent bottle of wine, if you drink anything other than wine, that, and if you're taking kids maybe some kind of soft drink.

We went to a similar thing last year.
I went to the proper wine shop and bought a bottle of red and a bottle of Rose which I know the hosts drink and also two large bunches of tulips tied nicely in brown paper and ribbon.

We stayed over too so it was more of a house guest present.

I’d buy better wine than I’d buy for myself. I’d deffo bring a nice Happy New Years card and maybe a token gift - something thoughtful (I don’t know what though but I’d bring more than wine- flowers or candle)

I think all the usual things would be fine: champagne (although tends to get a bit lost on NYE), wine, flowers (my favourite - and you can buy two simple and cheap bunches from a supermarket, combine or even combine plus some garden greenery, re-tie with sting and add brown paper for a fancier look, doesn’t need to cost very much), a nice candle, some chocs, something that relates to an in-joke between you or a shared experience a ‘I saw this and thought of you’.

They won’t mind what you bring, they’ll just be glad that you’re there.

Thank you so much - I’m thinking a posh wine and flowers would be goood. Maybe a candle - all of the quality I wouldn’t buy for me! Xx

I would go with flowers I think. I sometimes buy a couple of cheaper bunches as described above and either tie them up in paper or cellophane. It usually looks smarter than an inexpensive supermarket bunch. Waitrose is good for flowers as well, and you can get a very nice bunch for £10-12.

I think if they are wealthy it would either be that or a more unusual drink. You can again get a very decent sherry from Waitrose for £10-15, they have some award winners.

It drives me mad when I’m hosting and people bring flowers. I’ve got enough to do without looking for a vase and cutting and arranging flowers. Bring a candle or some chocolates (and wine)

I agree much prefer something from Hotel Chocolat and whatever you like to drink ☺️

Two or three bottles of the best champagne you can afford, and/or a small hamper of condiments like specialty mustard, chutney, piccalili, olives, pickles, etc.

Or assemble a kit or small hamper for martinis with good dry gin, dry vermouth, pearl onions, olives, olive brine, savoury biscuits, maybe even a couple of small vintage martini glasses, etc. That would be upscale and who doesn't like a good gin martini? They can set it aside for their own later enjoyment.

This seems overkill (and I go to a lot of fancy parties!). One bottle of drink and a token is plenty unless this is intended to be a proper ‘present’

I'd forget the wine and champagne and go for a fancy gin with some posh mixers.

A couple of bottles of wine and some nice florentines from m&s or waitrose. Don't embarrass them with a hamper and all of that! Totally ott!

Wine and some posh soap.

A table decoration with a candle from a local florist that doesn’t need arranging, expensive wine and / or chocolates.

Less is more. Just take a couple of bottles of decent wine

I thought it was by way of being a host/hostess gift rather than a contribution to the night's food and drink.

Could properly send gift or flowers afterward; that's actually more etiquettely correct.

The people suggesting 2-3 bottles of champagne plus flowers - you really spend £80+? I’d be horrified if all my guests turned up with that much.

I love the idea of a gin and some mixers, or two bottles of nice red. Flowers really aren’t great at this time of year and chocolates are a bit over by that time of year.

A decent candle is usually at least £20 as well so depends what you want to spend. We had a party recently and my favourite hosting gift was some lime pickle homemade by a friend.

Good bottle of champagne (bolly, pol Roger, Perrier jouet etc and a token eg some small posh chocs or florentines). Flowers are nice but I always find them a bit of a pain to deal with and anything else is overkill.

I was listening to a radio segment before Christmas which suggested that you bring fancy olive oil and fancy salt as gifts when visiting over Christmas/New Year. The logic behind it was that with wine and chocolate the host may feel they need to serve them on the evening despite having the menu/wine planned out and that flowers are just a faff and that many people do not need another scented candle.

Flowers are a complete pain in the arse when you’re hosting as you have to stop what you’re doing, find a vase, trim them, display them. Pol Roger champagne is a bit special, or a good bottle of vodka.

Go to a decent wine shop and take 2 bottles of English sparkling wine from a good producer like Camel Valley. Not cheap and a bit more interesting than champagne.

Do you have any local spirits? Like Whitby Gin etc a bottle of something local and small business always makes a nice gift imo

Or you can’t go wrong with a bottle of Bollinger. Just avoid anything that looks like you could have bought it in Asda.

For me, from a wealthy family, this sounds too much. First of all, they won't be noticing or counting, they'll be busy and focused on hosting. Secondly, one nice thing, not too big, will be fine. I think chocolates etc that they could put aside and look at later is good. But I would also say that it is all in your head and not in theirs!

If it's a "posh party" for NYE and my hosts are going to significant lengths to provide a lovely evening/celebration, in a grand house, of course.

This isn't takeaway in front of the television. A glamorous NYE celebration is special. The OP would be perfectly correct to send a note of thanks afterward, too, with a modest gift, instead of showing up with gift in hand.

We don't all live to the lowest possible common denominator.