The best New Year’s Eve parties let you cast away the troubles of the previous year and start the new year with laughter, friends and food.

This passing year, in particular, leaves plenty to be desired. It’s a perfect opportunity to throw one of these New Year’s Eve soirees. From family-friendly to grown-up naughty, one of these parties is sure to ring in an auspicious start to the new year.

PRE-RESOLUTION BASH: GROWN-UPS GONE WILD

Everyone resolves to give up their vices and change their ways in the new year, so present your guests one last chance to misbehave, overindulge and flaunt their bad habits.

Decor — The Web site party411.com offers several decorating tips to reinforce this theme:

• In front of your most comfortable couch, have the TV playing exercise DVDs, but hang a big sign in front that says, “No Exercising Allowed!”

• Set up a display with books, cooking equipment, knitting supplies, etc. Then cover it with caution tape and add a sign, “Learn something new tomorrow!

• Set up a smoking area for people to enjoy their last cigarettes. Keep this area away from the people who don’t smoke and don’t want to be near it.

• If you decide to serve dinner, serve decadent, rich foods (No dieting tonight!) or get takeout and serve in the takeout boxes with a sign that says, “I resolve to learn how to cook next year!”

• Stock your bar with high-calorie sodas and lots of alcohol.

• Go all-out with dessert. Consider a chocolate fountain with a ton of goodies to dip — pretzels, marshmallows, cookies, fruit. Add a sign that says “Help Yourself! (You can help other people tomorrow.)”

Activity — Have everyone write down his resolution and drop it in box. Read each one aloud and try to guess whose resolution it is. The one who guesses the most correctly, wins.

Party favors — An apple, bottle of water and a mini-packet of aspirin for the inevitable hangover.

Budget-wise tip — Mix and match discounted paper goods for the party. (Resolve to get organized tomorrow.) Use Christmas decorations, such as filling an extra large tall vase with ornaments.

FORTUNE TELLING PARTY

Send your guests an invitation decorated with astrological symbols, stars and tarot cards. It should read: We Predict Good Fortune For You in the New Year.

Party site partypop.com describes these tips for a mystical evening:

• Hang a sign on the front door that says “Psychic Readings Inside.”

• Replace the porch light bulb with a red light.

• Adorn the home with lots of large and small pillows and oriental rugs and plenty of candlelight. Cover furniture and tables with bright purple, orange, red and green top sheets and scatter fake coins and necklaces on them. Spread tarot cards around the coffee tables and decorate the walls with zodiac posters. Put up ’60’s-style beaded door hangings. The television can play repeats of psychic reading commercials.

• Ask guests to dress like Gypsies.

Activity: Divide the rooms into various sections. Hire a fortune teller, tarot card reader or palm reader. Have guests try to predict fortunes based on numerology, Tarot cards or Magic 8 balls.

Party favor: Fortune cookies with personalized fortunes in a colorful bag or box.

Budget-wise tip: Have a friend dress up as a Gypsy and act like the fortune teller. (She may be just as accurate as someone you hire!)

PAJAMA PARTY: FAMILY-FRIENDLY FUN

Unless parents are willing to pay big bucks, finding a sitter on New Year’s Eve can be near impossible. Consider celebrating with your tots with a double sleep-over. Limit the group to a few close couples with whom you would enjoy spending so much time. Let the kids do a craft project, watch a movie and send them to bed!

Web site ivillage.com suggests these party tips for the grown-ups:

• Create a theme for the evening, such as classic movies or poker night.

• Determine how many people you can invite by assessing your accommodations. If additional bedding is needed, break out blow-up mattresses.

• Advise guests to bring PJs. Also, if your guest list is sports-inclined, make it clear that football will be on the morning breakfast menu.

• Make the start time around 9 p.m., so friends can have an early dinner elsewhere and still show up with enough energy for some fun.

• Serve a buffet of mini-desserts such as truffles, tiny fruit tarts, small cookies and one-bite lemon bars. Include a sweeter, sparkling wine as well as regular and decaf coffee.

Activity ideas: Movies, card games, board games, charades

Party favor: Travel toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, mini-mouthwash, slippers. Pass the bags out early, so guests can use the items before bed or when they awaken.

Budget-wise tip: Stock up on items for an easy and light breakfast: scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, pastries and coffee.

CHAMPAGNE TASTING AND COCKTAIL CONTEST: YOUNG SOPHISTICATES

Set the mood with numerous votive candles and dim lighting. Be sure to keep all the bottles chilled by placing them in a large tub or container, spread plenty of ice cubes around the bottles and partially fill with cold water. Always be careful to wipe each bottle dry when serving.

As guests arrive, assign each a wine glass with a different colored ribbon or identifier, so glasses do not get mixed up. The host can provide the most expensive bottles of Champagne, and guests can bring bottles costing less than $30.

Give everyone time to mingle and sample the various drinks. Serve with strawberries, chocolates, breads and cheeses. Then, begin the cocktail contest, in which guests can choose from an assortment of mixers, to create a festive drink. Provide mixers such as Amaretto, berry or mango sorbets and juices.

For more tips on serving Champagne, check out Korbel.com.

Activity: Have people vote on the best, the worst and most unique cocktails.

Party favor: A Champagne glass, either real stemware or plastic, filled with chocolates.

Budget-wise tip: Try mixing in some bottles of Cava, Spanish sparkling wine, in lieu of pricey Champagnes.