The Super Bowl itself is always a party, but just in case your team loses or doesn’t make it into the game, you’ll want to make up for it by planning a really fantastic Super Bowl gathering.
Strategically Arrange Furniture
Before your guests arrive, prepare your home to accommodate them. Arrange your furniture so that it’s conducive to a slightly rowdy party in front of the TV. Count how many guests you’ll have (don’t forget to count yourself!), and then count the number of seats already in the room. If you don’t have enough, scrounge up some more, and arrange them so that each seat has a good view of the TV.
Arrange other furniture so that it meets the needs of the party. For example, since your coffee table will most likely serve as a resting place for snacks and drinks, you might want to move it a little so that everyone can reach it or add another small table for guests sitting too far away. Taking a few minutes to ensure there’s proper seating and functional furniture may be what makes your party stand out over others.
Hint: This probably goes without saying, but Super Bowl parties are nothing like tea parties. Don't let your fine china, breakables, or nice tablecloths anywhere near this affair. You’ll want to protect your coffee table with a tablecloth, since your guests are not likely to think about using a coaster, and throw a sheet over your sofa. Otherwise, you can expect cheese puffs to fly through the air and into the cracks of your sofa when someone scores a touchdown. After the game is over, simply throw the sheet into the wash, and your living room is back in order.
Creative Buffet-Style Food
The food will be, perhaps, the most memorable aspect of the party, so you’ll want to get that right. Forget the three course meal and go instead for a buffet of football themed foods. Make football shaped cookies and finger sandwiches, and don’t forget chips and the 7 layer bean-dip, staples at any party. Beef up the rest of the table with the very best of tailgating food. You’ll want grilled hot dogs, BBQ marinated steaks, bacon wrapped everything, and hearty potato salad.
Just because your party exists so a bunch of people can watch football together doesn’t mean it can’t still be a nice affair. Spruce up your table with a tablecloth in your team’s colors and swap chip bags for plastic bowls sporting your team’s logo. Make it a table to remember!
Get a Mini Keg
Beer is a major crowd pleaser at a Super Bowl party. Make your party stand out with a mini keg filled with your favorite brand. Not only will it be nice to have some good beer on tap, but you’ll also escape people complaining that you don’t have their favorite brand.
The Bigger the Better
Although good things often come in small packages, that’s definitely not the case for your Super Bowl party. Nothing is a bigger letdown than arriving at a party and discovering that your host has a tiny TV.
Don’t be a big letdown for your guests! Assess your situation. Is your screen big enough to hold the glory of the Super Bowl? If the answer is no, you need to seriously consider getting a new TV or throwing the party elsewhere. Oh, and don’t forget about a good sound system. That’s a must.
Halftime Games
Though the Super Bowl is renowned for its commercials and halftime entertainment, let’s be honest: They’re not always that good. If this year turns out to be a dud with commercials and entertainment, have a backup so that people will still remember your party as being fun.
If the commercials are really lame, have some commercial bingo cards ready just in case you need something to lighten it up. It’ll be fun to mock the commercials as you go, and you can even have a little wager for the winner to spice things up.
Another great game to play at a party like this is cornhole, a type of bean bag toss favored at tailgate parties. You can get a really nice cornhole set here. You can even customize your bean bags so that they sport your favorite team’s logo. Talk about a great way to go all out on your Super Bowl entertainment!
The Right Decor
To finish off your party preparations, be conscious of your decor. Most people are very attached to their team, and the worst mistake you could possibly make is posting a rivals colors instead of your own. So, for example, if the 49ers are playing, deck the halls in red and gold and pull out Kaepernick’s jersey. A great party will have your guests pumped from the moment they see the decorations.
Thank you to Amber for the fun advice!
What is your favorite lawn/tailgating game?
Do you watch the game? I am a huge football fan, so I watch for the football, awesome half time shows and the fun commercials!!
The Broncos are out of the running for the SuperBowl, too, but I think we'll be making a day of it. With a newborn and a toddler around, I think we'll be hosting our own "mini" superbowl party with just the four of us, but I loved reading this and thinking back to pre-kid days when we would attend a party at somebody's house every year. Such a fun excuse for a party.
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