In the U.S., the holidays officially begin on Thanksgiving and end on Super Bowl Sunday. Therefore, a Super Bowl party should be a step up from the typical football-viewing party. If you’re hosting the big game this year, here are six ideas that can help you throw a shindig to remember.
1. Create a Drinks Station
Your drink station can be as simple as a cooler of ice, or you can go all-out with a full bar. However, keep the drinks station well-separated from the food to keep guests circulating throughout the party space. Beer and canned sodas are an absolute must. If you’re also serving cocktails, consider premixing them in pitchers. For a bit of extra fun, add a few drops of food coloring in each pitcher to match the teams’ colors.
2. Offer Finger Foods
When you’re watching a game with a plate in one hand and a drink in the other, adding cutlery can complicate things. To make it easier on yourself and your guests, lean heavily into finger foods when planning your snack spread. Chips and dip, wings, crudités, and grilled burgers are a few examples of classic Super Bowl fare.
3. Arrange Seating Strategically
Whatever your setup looks like, your T.V. should be the focus of the party space. To make room for extra seating, move your sofa back from the T.V. by just a few feet. Then, fill in the surrounding space with extra seating, whether it’s chairs gathered from different rooms in your house or several rented folding chairs. Taller seating options, such as stools, should be placed in the back so everyone can have a clear view of the screen.
4. Decorate
Having the right decorations will set the scene for a party atmosphere, and Super Bowl parties are no exception. You can easily add details with balloons, paper straws, and paper plates featuring the team colors. Green, black, and white, which are reminiscent of turf grass and referee uniforms, are also exceptional Super Bowl colors. With some creativity, you can even incorporate your food into the decor by painting football patterns with frosting, shaping malleable food into footballs, or creating a football-themed charcuterie board.
5. Offer Cigars
For an extra touch of elegance, offer a cigar bar or station for your adult guests. You can accomplish this by setting up a small lounging area outside. Along with the cigars themselves, you should also offer accessories like ashtrays, lighters, and cigar cutters.
6. Play Commercial Bingo
For people who don’t watch football regularly, Super Bowl commercials are usually the most memorable aspect of game day. With that said, get your non-football fans engaged in the party by whipping up some bingo cards for commercial breaks. You can use a simple grid template and fill each square with common Super Bowl commercial tropes. Some examples from years past include celebrity appearances, talking animals, sponsor brands, and classic American folk songs. Don’t forget to include a small prize for the winner.
