This year, be the party captain of your soul, be the mingling master of your fate. Whether you’re a host or a guest, the next party you’re at can either be a bust or a blast – and it’s all up to you.

Party-goers owe it to their hosts to be at the top of their game — the “I’m terribly fun, fabulously witty, and oozing with Clooney-like charm … and so are you!” game. So what if it’s your third party in a week and you’re not feeling it? Then you’ve got to fake it, baby! Trust me, the fun will follow.

And don’t talk about work! If you’re talking about your job, you’re boring everyone within earshot, including yourself. Party patter should be all about what you’re doing for New Year’s, who’s sleeping with whom, what one thinks of Clinton as Secretary of State, who should have won Dancing with the Stars, and a heated debate over boxers or briefs.

Old enemies should glare at each other over crudités and good friends should gossip in each other’s ears.

Members of the opposite sex should be greeted with a kiss on the cheek and an exclamation of “You look fabulous!”

Everyone should flirt — innocently if they’re married and not-so-innocently if they’re not.

Raconteurs should tell outrageous stories, lawyers should tell jokes about themselves, writers should be dripping bon mots, and shy types should make an art out of the non sequitur.

Hosts, in addition to clearing the house of cobwebs and dog hair, need to understand – and embrace – their crucial roles as fun facilitators.

Too many hosts let their guests wander aimlessly or congregate for hours in groups of twos and threes, never stealing Single Joe from the all-married couples settled down in the living room to introduce him to the group of girls-without-rings clustered around the bartender.

They never bother to tell the Smiths that the Jones, too, have a mad passion for running with the bulls. They sit on the couch when they should be schmoozing that solo attendee.

Hosts should be a quiet whirl of making endless introductions and offering fresh drinks, instigating speed rounds of what-I-want-for-Christmas and corralling strangers into photo-ops … whatever it takes to keep energy moving and people engaged. Facilitating fun is Hostessing 101 and if you don’t do it, your party is a guaranteed bore.

Parties are hard work, to be sure – all that effort to be entertained and entertaining. But, tell me, what’s the alternative? Another deadly dull party, talking about the same old same old?

Whether your next party is huge fun or a huge flop – it’s up to you. Parties are five percent about other people, food, liquor, and location, and ninety-five percent about you and your individual choice to have fun, be fun, make fun.

Fun is the choice of hilarity, of jokes well-made, of sexy repartee, stolen kisses under mistletoe, drinks spilled from too much enthusiasm, loopy conversations, impromptu cries of “Everybody limbo!”

Fun is found in your personal commitment to make a party boring or make a party bold.

Bust or blast, it’s up to you.