With New Year’s around the corner and plenty more good times ahead, having friends over comes with the territory this time of year.

Whether it’s a small shindig or a blowout dance party, it pays to be prepared.

• Where to celebrate New Year’s Eve around the country

As well as providing the requisite food, drink and location, the perfect host has all other bases covered.

Follow these rules to ensure your party is one for the history books – for all the right reasons.

Prepare food in advance

You don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen for the majority of your own party. Instead, prepare food ahead of time.

Even if you’re just providing frozen sausage rolls or packets of chips, put them on trays or bowls to really minimise the time you spend fiddling around.

To avoid any awkward hospital visits, ask your guests if they have any allergies ahead of time.

Know your numbers

Even if it’s a small, casual event it’s helpful to know how many people will be attending in terms of catering and expected noise levels.

Encourage people to RSVP over text and if there are any uncertainties, give them a friendly call the day before to double check.

Let the police know

It may seem counter-intuitive, but registering your party with the police will save you a potential headache down the line. This can be done online through the website of your state police.

Invite your neighbours

That way, they can’t hate you when you keep them up all night. If you really don’t like your neighbours, a courteous door-knocking session to give them a heads-up is always encouraged.

Idiot-proof your home

Got a pool? Make sure it has a fence. Got a balcony? Close it off. Hide your valuables, hide your fragile glass collection, hide your kids. You may think you can trust your friends, but you can never predict how people will transform under the influence of alcohol.

Have “security”

You don’t need a professional bouncer but it does help to have a concrete list of attendees and a burly doorman to enforce that list. Pay two of your taller, more intimidating friends to keep an eye on things throughout the night.

Make punch

The best – and sometimes worst – part about punch? No one can really tell what’s in it. This is a way of providing drinks while also controlling your guests’ alcohol intake.

Create a hashtag

People will want to take photos at your fabulous party. Create a social media hashtag, like #MelsNYEParty, so they can share and collate them across all platforms … and delete them the next day.

Provide your Wifi password

These days, even coffee shops have free internet access. Treat your guests to a little luxury by providing them with your Wifi password so they can tweet, Instagram and iMessage to their heart’s content.

Create a recharge station

You don’t want your guests to lose phone battery because that means they can’t book a cab or call a friend and you’re stuck with them for the night. Provide a couple of mobile phone chargers to avoid this problem.

Make a joint playlist

The pressure of choosing music for the dance floor can often be too much to handle. Alleviate the stress by inviting friends to add to a collaborative playlist on Spotify. Simply create a new public playlist, right click and choose the “Collaborative Playlist” option then “Share” it with your friends on Facebook. Everyone will be happy.

Focus on mood lighting

No one can truly let loose under fluorescent lighting. Make your space comfortable, romantic and flattering in photos by dimming the lights. Similarly, ensure it’s not too dark as you don’t want any nasty stumbles.

Have a focal point

This should be something to make your party stand out. It can be as simple as a costume stand with fake moustaches and silly hats or as elaborate as an ice sculpture. Chocolate fountains, photo booths or screening cheesy movies on your television are also great options.