New Year’s

If You Can't Beat 'Em
Join the crowds and let loose at these countdown parties.
The whole of Clarke Quay will be filled with merrymakers from all walks of life, partying the night away as host Daniel Ong takes charge at Poplicious—Clarke Quay's New Year’s Eve Countdown Party (10pm. Central, Clarke Quay, 3 River Valley Rd., 6337-3292. Free). Featuring an array of top international and local talents, celebrate the New Year with music from local hard rock band Energy, the quirky Flash Mob dancers, B-Boyz and Fly Girls breaking to the tunes of beat-boxers, cheerleaders, DJs and YouTube sensation, impersonator Derrick Barry, who will be channeling his inner Lady Gaga and Britney Spears.
With television personalities Michelle Chia and Gurmit Singh taking on mic duties,

Celebrate 2011 (8pm. The Float @ Marina Bay, Marina Bay Floating Platform, 20 Raffles Ave. $38) features not only a star-studded line up but will also be beamed live onto our TV screens. Performances by Taiwanese songwriter David Tao and Singapore Idol winner Sezairi Sezali and runner-up Sylvia Ratonel will have you partying the night away.

Siloso Beach Party (6pm. Siloso Beach, Sentosa, 1800-736-8672. $29-29 includes one drink) is also back. Take off your shoes, hit the beach and bar hop to five different beach parties at Sentosa this New Year’s Eve with thousands of revelers. Catch local and international DJs and video DJs performing mash up pop, R&B, trance and electro-house at the main arena for a night of mayhem!

Spinning Around
Music lovers are spoilt for choice with an array of top local and international acts in town for the biggest night of the year.
Start your New Year off right with a dose of trance at Zouk’s New Year’s Eve party with Marco V (10pm. Zouk, 17 Jiak Kim St., 6738-2988. $$40 includes two drinks) The Dutchman, whose sets never failed to please, will be spinning a special four-hour set for the first time ever in Singapore.

Party on to the wee hours of the morning as Daniel Wang takes you on a winding trip through music at The Crystal Ball—The New Year’s Eve Special (10pm. The Rabbit Hole, White Rabbit, 39C Harding Rd., 6473-9965. Free).

Or head on down to the beach and dance the night away with some quality dance tunes at DOOMPH! & Beyond 2010 (9pm. Tanjong Beach Club, 120 Tanjong Beach Walk, 6270-1355. Free). Led by ex-Zouk resident Brendon P and Matty Wainwright from the UK, together with a fire twirler performance by Starlight Alchemy; this party is an ideal alternative for anyone who wants something a little different.

Fire in the Sky
What’s a New Year party without fireworks?
Head up to Ku Dé Ta and come face to face with the dazzling display of light and colors and welcome 2011 at the Spectacular Fireworks Countdown New Year’s Eve Party (6pm. Ku Dé Ta, 10 Bayfront Ave., 6688-7688. $188 includes two glasses of champagne).
Celebrate your New Year with the best view in town at New Year’s Eve White Party (9pm. 1-Altitude, 61-63/F OUB Centre, 1 Raffles Place, 6438-0410. $68 includes three drinks) and pop champagne as the fireworks spectacle sets up the year ahead.
Dine under the stars and the impending firework display at Star Light & Star Bright New Year's Eve Dinner (IndoChine Waterfront, 1 Empress Place, Asian Civilizations Museum, 6339-1720. $198 includes six-course meal and free flow of wine and beer). Then be wowed by the performance of local rock band Cats in the Cradle as they close 2010 with a bang.

Christmas

Live It Up 
"Champagne wishes and caviar dreams,” was the signature phrase spoken by host Robin Leach after every episode of Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous. He'd be right at home here. 
Come Christmas Eve, make a beeline for the Diamond White Christmas at Ku Dé Ta (Dec 24-25, 7pm. Marina Bay Sands 10 Bayfront Ave., 6688-7688) with its dinner package (from $288) boasting an expansive menu which includes crispy-sticky long island oysters, four-month aged baeri caviar on wagyu beef tartare and various cheeses, cakes and sweets of the season from pastry chef Bastien Jarry. Subsequently, get in your party mode with a glass of Louis Roederer Champagne as the night gets under way at the club lounge ($98 includes a glass of Chamapagne).
Looking to rub shoulders with the city's who’s who this Christmas? Then head 71 floors up to New Asia Bar (Dec 24-25, 9pm. 71/F, Swissotel The Stamford, 2 Stamford Rd., 6837-3322) for a swanky good time at their City Space Extravagance event ($200-250 per table for two, including a bottle of Moet & Chandon Rose champagne). Sip that Champagne and make a toast to the festivities amid a lavish setting and stunning views of the city skyline.

Join the Club
Christmas is a time for giving—and look out what our big clubs are giving you! 
On Christmas Eve, superstar Dutch DJ and producer Sander Kleinenberg will be dishing some hot fire festive tunes at Zouk (Dec 24, 10pm. 17 Jiak Kim St., 6738-2988. $30-35 includes two drinks). And on Christmas Day, French deck maestro Dimitri from Paris will lead the charge at Velvet Underground (Dec 25, 10pm. 17 Jiak Kim St., 6738-2988. $30-35 includes two drinks) with a myriad of funky and disco-influenced house music while trance legend Ferry Corsten looks set to jingle your bells to a euphoric high in the main room ($30-35 includes two drinks).
An insane Christmas party awaits at Zirca (Dec 24-25, 10pm. #01-02/05 Blk. C The Cannery, Clarke Quay, River Valley Rd., 6333-4168) with two days of dance music mayhem. Rocking the decks on the eve of Christmas are local stalwart Inquisitive and Taiwanese DJ Mykal for their “X’mas Vendetta” night ($25-28 includes two drinks), ensuring they’ll bring the roof down with their brand of dirty electro and pulsating techno. On Christmas day, check out “Music Sounds Better With You: X'mas Party” ($25-28 includes two drinks) featuring the Round Table Knights hailing all the way from Switzerland. The idea of riotous merrymaking is hard to argue with.
Thought about heading up to Korea for Christmas but didn't get around to booking? Then let Stereolab (Dec 24,10pm. G/F 7 Raffles Blvd. 6337-0800. $28 includes two drinks) sort it out for you with not one but two DJs. Aptly titled “A Seoulful Christmas,” DJs Jung and Min-Gi will be dropping some seminal dance tunes while counting down towards Christmas.

Pig Out and Party
If you're going to drink, you'd better eat first. 
What’s Christmas without a feast? And what better place to have that feast than somewhere you can party immediately afterward? Head over to St James Wine Bar & Bistro for A Yuletide Special (Dec 24-25, 6pm. St. James Power Station, 3 Sentosa Gateway, 6270-7676), featuring a 3-course dinner for $58 per person. If you want to be closer to the river, a similar deal is on offer at Shanghai Dolly. Their Christmas Dinner 2010 (Dec 24-25, 6pm. #01-01 The Foundry, Clarke Quay, 3B River Valley Rd., 6336-7676) also goes for $58 a head.