For your consideration, my friends, a party photo from a bygone New Year's Eve… They're not that different from you, are they? Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they're destined for great things, just like many of you. Their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make from their lives even one iota of what they were capable? Because, you see Shanghai, these people are now fertilizing daffodils. But if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. Listen, you hear it? -- Carpe -- hear it? -- Carpe, carpe diem. Seize the day Shanghai. Make your night extraordinary... Herein is what's on for New Year's in Shanghai this year. For the full NYE events list, click here. Keep it safe kids. ..Or don't keep it safe. What do I care. Do whatever.

Classy Classy

NYE @ Maison Pourcel

Fancy schmancy French restaurant Maison Pourcel is doing NYE in regal, let-them-eat cake style, as is the custom in which they tend to do things. It's a strictly-enforced, black-tie dress code party, replete with "sophisticated music" and "the most discerning party-goers in town by your side" in their Tapas bar. There you have it. Here is where to wear your tux. Most important: free-flow Champagne until 3am. A limited amount of tickets are available for pre-sale (480rmb) here. Door is like a million rmb more. Just get the tickets, I implore you. And moneybags, if you're looking to go all out, they're doing a set menu dinner before the party, which is 1,388rmb per person. Call the restaurant direct to book your tickets for that.

Be Sensational @ Vue Bar

Something a bit more intimate and romantic, yes? The sensational Vue Bar, host of one of Shanghai's more sensational Huangpu River views, is doing a countdown party with free-flow champagne for 688rmb per person from 8:30pm to 1am. A more laid-back and mature sounding event, it seems like a good option if you're trying to impress a significant other with your wealth, elegance and worldliness. They make a point of mentioning that the bar itself closes at 2am, so yeah… move on from there. Or perhaps retiring to one of their hotel rooms would provide opportunity to impress even more. Dress code? SenSATional!

93rd Above @ Park Hyatt

Do you like to get high and party? Like real high? And party? Trippin' balls high? So hiiiiiigh? And party? Hosting their New Year's Eve festivities 93 floors high above the rest is the Park Hyatt in the SWFC (the bottle opener building). Main event at that party is their DJ, which is Sassy Pandez, who's hotness has been accredited by Maxim magazine and Victoria Secret among others. Sample her hotness at her official site right here. Said website informs us that in addition to delivering expert hip hop/RnB sets which traverse the mainstream and underground, apparently she is also working with Nelly on his new fragrance, "Apple Bottoms". Hey, no shit, that's great. Shanghai-famous DJ Stanley on support for a ritzy, hip hop, RnB, high-end-club party up in the sky. Up, up to the sky. So high. Tickets are 250rmb pre-sales (vs. 380rmb at the door), available right here.

New Year's Eve at New Heights

In years previous, New Year's Eve at New Heights was something of a Shanghai staple, and although this year we're not hearing too much about the Bund restaurant on the run-up to the big night, maybe they're coasting on reputation. And what's this? The formidable DJing skills of one Thomas Paninaro. Very nice. They've also got on free-flow beer, wine, vodka, and soft drinks (what? why?) for 380rmb from 10pm to 2am. New Year's Eve on the Bund for a bit cheaper than most... and they're also doing a NYE dinner for 888rmb. Book that in advance.

Dancy Cluby

Mao Livehouse

Despite Shanghai's predilections to table seating over dance floors, there's a few parties out there if, gosh darnit, you want to just dance for New Year's Eve. One of these is the TECHNOW party at MAO Livehouse. The last few events Austro - German techno crew, Mushido, have thrown at the live music venue have been quite popular, staggeringly so, and thus expect a big, packed warehouse kind of thing. Dancing and stuff with the big, loud, crunchy system and wall of monitors. Here's the line-up: Boro Lo, Martino V, Milan J and guests. Music is techno -- permutations, derivations, deviations, divergences thereof. Entry: 100rmb (at door) includes two drinks. Presale: 80rmb includes one free special edition gift (limited edition) and two drinks. More info at www.mushido.info.

The People's Party

And despite its far-flung location up there, north of Jing'an district, this one looks alright if you're looking for something big and dancey. "The People's Party" is brought to you by the crew behind "Arka", which was a warehouse New Year's Eve party last year at the 1933 complex, and despite being broken up by the cops, that one drew 2,000 revelers (or say the promoters). They're hoping for no police intervention and 3,000 people this year. It's at something called the 1158 Fashion Hub, and features a slew of veteran local DJs: Ben Huang, Acid Pony Club, Patrick Mai, and more. Music looks to be heavily in house terrain, given those bookings. They're promising "No clubs, no rules, no limits", and at only 150rmb at the door.

Shelter

And as a great, straight-up alternative to the hyped-up, bullshit New Year's Eve madness, The Shelter is keeping it low-key with a line-up of local favorites and a reasonable entry fee. Just 40rmb cover for V-Nutz, Drunk Monk, Deville, HBD (2009 DMC China champ) and Sickstar playing hip hop, soul, dubstep, DnB, and whatever else. Great dancefloor, great drink prices and great music. It's like the club is adverse to making money. For New Year's, you're supposed to triple the entrance fee while offering the same shit you do normally on a weekend night… that's how you make money. Anyways, with the good folks at Shelter you don't have to over-think the night to still have a good time... and we're thinking that as the night gets on, they'll have a packed house anyways, with people cabbing in from busted parties…

Party Party

Black Out @ Bar Rouge

Capping off a big year of profit and partying, Bund lounge club Bar Rouge is blowing out the lights for their New Year's Eve Bash. Black ties, black dresses, black décor, black everything as they ring in the new year. As is their tendency, they've got dancers, DJs, the Bund view and more. Entry fee to get in is 300rmb and that includes a flute of Champagne, which is a glass of Champagne. Call ahead for table packages. "Reservations are recommended." But of course.

New York's Finest @ The Apartment

Driving home their New York-ish inspiration, The Apartment is spinning a New York, Times Square kind of theme on their first New Year's Eve Party. It's a two-pronged affair with dinner (a four-course menu) and afterparty -- guests can do both or ether -- with food, drinks and table packages. Dinner is from 6pm and it's 400rmb per person, including a glass of champagne. Entry to just the party is 200rmb. Dress code is "Sexy, Stylish, NYC ", so show up looking like Dashiel Snow or The Yeah, Yeah Yeahs or something. I would imagine they're going to have the ball dropping on their TVs, so if that's a tradition with you and yours, call the bar and get a hold of some advance tickets. And even if it's not, we'd recommend getting some advance tickets if you want to go to this one. The Apartment gets pretty packed these days, and it'll likely sell out.

Goldenrossa @ Barbarossa

Is Barbarossa more of a party place or more of a classy place? Whichever. For New Year's Eve, the Moroccan-styled lounge is one of the few venues in town to open up with absolutely no cover, so if you're looking to go to a nice place but still have money, get your gold on and head down to People's Park. Their theme for the evening is gold -- the metal, the jewelry, the color in general. Gold décor, gold dancers, gold costumes and all that. Kind of a gold, masquerade party, Moroccan, hookah lounge, kind of thing. And no entry fee.

Diamonds @ Chinatown

And finally, the classy veering into the crazy, Chinatown is hosting a New Year's Eve party called "Diamonds", which is your usual Chinatown performers with new, special holiday show pieces, a few Ibiza acrobats flown in from Spain, adding on dancing and aerial feats into the show, all in conjunction with local promoter Mattia Visconti, the guy who puts on the Pervert parties and French Decadence parties, among others. Considering the numbers he gets out to his own events, it should be quite the mad house at Chinatown for New Year's Eve. Pretty sure Mattia is like a revered Moses figure in Shanghai, hearing the word of the Lord, just leading his people home. "Home" being like a monthly themed party or something. So that's performances, DJs, dancing, drinking, shinny things and more. All night free flow for 350rmb. Order those tickets in advance Pre-sale tickets have sold out.

Bits and pieces:

There's a slew of options on the Bund, if you're looking to keep it classy for the big night -- Glamour Bar is doing a Japanese-themed affair with live performances, sushi snacks, a Japanese DJ, special cocktails and more. Sounds like a good one. Over at Hamilton House, they're doing an Andy Warhol-themed party, with specials on champagne and a Studio 54-suggested dress code, and over at Lost Heaven it's a "White Party", with special cocktails and Dave K on the decks. Mr & Mrs Bund is one of their popular La Boum parties… the list goes on. And for clubs… MAO, of course, will be kicking off late, with a drinks special and Razor joined by special guests. And Phebe 3D, which is one half club, one half all your hopes, dreams, and fantasies realized, is doing a 100rmb all-you-can-drink deal, along with some specially-booked insanity. Late night? We're thinking the Tara 57-to-Shiva Lounge circuit should be your option if you're looking to never ever stop drinking ever, ever. Both venues are promising late, late hours. Expect a house/techno kind of vibe at both. Happy New Year's Eve, all.... and we wish you a most prosperous 2011. Hey, only one more year till the Mayans kill us. Bogus.