It’s almost 2015!  We’d love to take this chance to wish everyone a happy new year.

New Year’s Eve for some people means heading in to the city to check out the fireworks.  For others, it means heading off to a music festival, or a night out at a bar, nightclub or restaurant.  For a great many Australians, though, New Year’s Eve means a gathering at someone’s house, often in the garden.  And why not?  With the searing summer sun setting, there’s still enough warmth in the air for it to just be nice, and tomorrow’s a public holiday.

Here are a few tips to enjoy a safe and happy time:

1. There’s a fair chance that you or some of your guests might enjoy the odd beverage on New Year’s Eve.  This is all good fun, but try not to overdo it.  Provide non-alcoholic drink choices so that your guests aren’t boozing the entire time.
2. Keep in mind that some people just might overdo it anyway.  Try to ensure that your garden area is well lit.  Having drunk guests stumble around in the pitch dark is a recipe for an accident.  Solar LED lamps or all-weather fire pots are convenient as they require no wiring.
3. If you have any furry four-legged and waggy-tailed family members, clear away any presents they might have left on the lawn before guests arrive.  Otherwise your guest might step on an unpleasant surprise!
4. Please be sure that nobody gets behind the wheel while intoxicated.  Encourage the use of public transport or taxis, and maybe have some crash space available just in case.
5. If gatecrashers arrive, refuse them entry.  If they refuse to leave, you can call police to have them leave.  Understand that you have a legal right to tell people to leave your premises and if they refuse to do so then they are guilty of trespassing.
6. If you are publishing your home address on a facebook event then be sure that the event is set to “invite only”: you want to avoid a situation where complete strangers can see where and when you are having a house party.
7. If you are inviting over more than a handful of people then consider registering your party with the police.  The following links may be of assistance:
   • Victoria Police Partysafe Program
   • Queensland Police Party Safe Registration
   • Western Australia Police “Hosting A Party” Information Page
   • NSW Police: “Remember Nights Out For The Right Reason”
   • Tasmania Police: Party Safe
   • South Australia Police: Party Safe
   • ACT Police: Safe Party Behaviour
   • Northern Territory Police: Party Smart
8. Close off and lock any rooms you don’t want people to access.  Stash away laptops and anything else valuable that you wouldn’t want knocked over and broken during the revelry.
9. Prepare snacks well ahead of the gathering.  This way you can spend time socialising, not preparing food.
10. If you’re partying through until the crack of dawn – or if you anticipate people are going to crash the night and wake up the next day with sore heads – try to have some breakfast planned.
11. If you have a deck, inspect it for any loose railings before you have all your guests walking over it.
12. If you have any paving or other hard surfaces, check it over for moss or mildew that might make the surface slippery.
13. Most importantly of all, have a great night.

From all the team at Outdoor Living Direct, we wish you all the best for 2015!  Enjoy your summer!