Give plenty of thought to the beverages that you plan to serve. Freshly brewed, strong, caffeinated coffee is a must, or you may find your guests making a beeline for the nearest diner. You should also have Bloody Marys on hand for anyone who needs a little "hair of the dog" cure. Champagne is a must for toasting the day. Buy the best you can afford, and if your budget is small, plan on serving Mimosas instead. A holiday punch would also be a nice touch. Don't forget to serve a selection of fruit juices.

There are many superstitions about the kind of food you should eat on New Year's Day, but before we get to that, remember most people will be expecting some variety of breakfast foods since this will be a brunch. You can make or buy a selection of breakfast breads the week before that you can freeze, and then reheat on the morning of New Year's Day. If you have a local bagel store, purchase a selection of fresh bagels that morning and offer cream cheese, butters, jellies and other favorite toppings.

An egg casserole is also a very simple item to lay out on a breakfast buffet. I recently made the Baked Eggs with Cheese and Herbs recipe from Greystone Manor, and by grating my cheese the previous day, was able to put it together in about 5 minutes the morning I served it. If you are not planning to go out on New Year's Eve, there are many breakfast casseroles that can be prepared the night before, refrigerated, and baked in the morning. Some of these include overnight French toast recipes that can offer a sweet start to the day. A pre-cooked, baked ham on your buffet table will work as both a breakfast side dish, and a lunch entrée.

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