I am always grateful when the calendar flips to a new year. It means a less-cluttered schedule, a break from the heavy eating of the holidays, and a chance to initiate a new habit or two.

For most people, the goals they set this time of year have to do with diets, exercise and self-improvement. And while those are all admirable endeavors, my January hopes tend to revolve around activities designed to bring more fun into my life.

That’s why I’m declaring that 2015 will be the year of brunch party. To my mind, it’s a nearly perfect way to entertain. It’s a kid-friendly time of day (an increasingly important element). A homemade brunch is almost more affordable than going out (even when you spring for smoked salmon). And it’s easy enough to adapt to nearly every food allergy and aversion (a reality of our times).

Just think about all the options. You can set up a waffle station and some tasty toppings. If you want a make-ahead option, go for baked French toast or strata. If nothing else inspires, a pile of bagels and a few spreads is always popular.

And if you want something that’s going to really impress, consider making Giada De Laurentiis’ Breakfast PLTs. These tiny, open-face sandwiches are built on toasted mini bagels. You dress them with a smear of mustardy goat cheese and then stack on crisped pancetta, Roma tomatoes and baby arugula. The whole thing gets topped with a fried quail egg.

You can prep nearly everything in advance and leave just the toasting and egg frying to the end. Sure, they require a bit of work, but what else is  The Weekender for!