New Year's Eve is the perfect time to throw a budget-friendly affair. Since the festivities start late, guests won't expect a full meal and you can keep your food budget in check. Prepare five or six types of hors d'oeuvres and plan on each guest eating one or two of each kind.

Blue Cheese with Rosemary Honey on Crackers

Ingredients

• 1 cup mild honey
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 (10-ounce) block blue cheese, frozen
• 40 crackers
• 3 scallions (white and light green parts), thinly sliced on diagonal

Directions

In heavy small saucepan over low heat, stir together honey, rosemary, and salt.

Continue heating, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh sieve into small bowl, discarding rosemary.

Cool slightly, about 3 minutes. (Honey can be infused ahead and stored in airtight container at room temperature up to 24 hours.)

Cut blue cheese into 40 slices and arrange on crackers. Drizzle with honey, sprinkle with scallions, and serve.

Tomato Soup Shooter with Mini Grilled Cheese Appetizer

Ingredients

• 1 (32 ounce) container of chicken broth
• 1 (28 ounce) can of crushed tomatoes--Italian style
• 1 cup cream or half and half
• kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• chopped fresh basil
• freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 2 slices of sourdough bread
• 2 tablespoons of softened butter
• 2 slices of sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

Combine the broth and crushed tomatoes in a large pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then stir in the cream and reduce heat to low. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the soup is simmering, prepare the croutons: Layer the cheese between the 2 slices of sourdough bread. Butter the top and bottom of the bread and grill each side until golden. Set aside.

Puree the soup with a blender. Pour the soup into a large pitcher to make it easier to fill the shot glasses. Fill each shot glass, garnish with chopped basil and Parmesan cheese.

Cut the grilled cheese sandwich into about 3/4 inch cubes. Pierce each cube with a decorative toothpick and lay across the top of the shot glass

American New Year’s Eve Customs

"Baby New Year" and "Father Time"

The tradition of a "Baby New Year" is said to have started in Greece around 600 BC. In celebration of Dionysus, god of wine, a baby in a basket represented the annual rebirth of the god as the spirit of fertility. An obvious correlation, today Baby New Year symbolizes the young year, and old Father Time reminds us how the year has aged. However, it was the 14th century Germans who are credited with having a New Year's banner with the image of a baby as a symbol of the New Year.

Times Square

Since 1904, Times Square in New York City has been a hot spot for New Year's Eve celebrations. Originally, the owners of the square held rooftop parties, and now the streets are flooded with people nose-to-nose in the freezing cold just to watch the big ball drop. The first time the ball took the plunge was on New Year's Eve 1907! Back then, the Times Square Ball was made of iron and wood and decorated with 100 25-watt light bulbs.

Today, half a million people gaze at the sphere made of Waterford crystal and lit by 600 bulbs as it drops from the top of a skyscraper at midnight. For years, adored TV veteran, Dick Clark, hosted the event, broadcasting live from Times Square. Currently, a group of hosts join him in the celebration.

New Year's Eve Customs Around the World

Our friends around the world have wonderful traditions for welcoming the New Year. In Rio de Janeiro, people go to the beaches to watch fireworks and take a midnight dip in the water, offering flowers and a wish to the goddess Lemanja.

The English look to the "first-footer," or the first person to step foot into their house, to tell them how next year's luck will be.

New Year's Day marks the Festival of Saint Basil in Greece, where children leave their shoes out to be filled with gifts. St. Basil's Bread is baked with small trinkets inside, bringing luck to those who find them.

Italians hang mistletoe over the front door to bring good luck.

Women in Mexico wear red underwear if they wish to marry in the New Year, and pink is worn by pregnant women to bring luck to the baby. Those hoping to travel, carry an empty suitcase around the block.

Many people in Spain and Latin countries eat 12 grapes at midnight, as a bell is rung 12 times. Each grape represents a month of the year. By eating them at midnight one hopes to have happiness and luck for the next 12 months.