How to throw the best Super Bowl party

By Catalogs Editorial Staff

Throw the best Super Bowl party with these easy steps

Everyone is heading to your house for the big game. Are you ready? To throw the best super bowl party ever, get ready to go the distance. This is no ordinary gathering, after all.

This spectacular spectacle only comes once a year. Both a social gathering and a sometimes rowdy sporting event, Super Bowl extravaganzas call for a few extra touches. Follow these steps so everyone is comfortable and in good spirits no matter who fumbles.

Know who?s coming

Your friends probably have a few invites for the big day. After sending out your personalized invitations, ask around to get a firm number on how many guests to expect. This is critical for both arranging furniture so there?s room for everyone and coordinating drinks and food so there?s enough to go around.

Spring cleaning comes early

Cleaning and rearranging furniture goes with the territory of hosting any kind of party. Take care of this early in the week so you can focus on the menu and fun details closer to Sunday. No matter how informal and casual the day is, cleaning and caring for your home shows respect for your guests and is key to throwing a good party.

Push back couches and play with the furniture to maximize comfortable seating. If you expect more people than you have seats for, set out some extra throw pillows for them to sit on. The goal is to make sure everyone will have a clear view of the football game.

Avoid two rounds of clean up by getting guests to pitch in after the game. For now, do the basic vacuuming, polishing and scrubbing. If you don?t have a large front closet, choose a place for placing guests? coats, scarves, wet boots and other outdoor clothes.

Your finest plastic

Super Bowl Sunday is not the time to bring out your finest dinnerware. Forget glasses and silver. Bring out the paper cups, plastic forks, spoons and plates. You?re already doing enough to make the day memorable, no need to risk breakage. Plus, it?ll greatly reduce the washing up after.

No thirsty fans

Drinks and sports-watching go together like caramelized peppers on hickory-smoked meat. This is another area to encourage guest contributions. If everyone brings a six pack, you won?t run low and your bar will have plenty of variety.

Beer tends to be the first choice with many fans, but it?s nice to have some options for people who either don?t like beer or don?t want alcohol. A bottle of wine, non-alcoholic cider, soda, water and some juices should cover it. Set it all out on a big table away from the viewing area with lots of cups and a bucket of ice so everyone can serve themselves.

Plan for a hungry crowd

One way to minimize expenses and still throw the best super bowl party is to have a potluck. Encourage guests to bring chips, dips, wings, pizza, subs or whatever their favorite game time snack is. Whether you?re putting out nachos, sandwiches or cheese and sausage, do all the prep before everyone arrives.

Try to plan some real food into the menu. Salsas and other snacks are great, but this is a long game and appetites will call for a meal of some sort. The half time show is a perfect time for serving up handheld foods like hotdogs and burgers with potato salad or other easy sides. If you plan to order pizza, best to do so before game time and warm it up in the oven – pizza and wing places get swamped!

Stock up on sports party supplies. Cover tables in team color throwaway table cloths and set out plenty of napkins and small plates to minimize spills and messes. Replenish as supplies run low!

Warm things up

Being able to throw the best Super Bowl Party is really just a matter of putting in a little extra effort to make people comfortable. Encourage guests to arrive at least a half hour before game time. This way you can welcome everyone properly, introduce them to one another and show them around so they know where everything is.

A simple way to stoke spirits is to write down everyone?s prediction of the outcome. Who knows what the score will be, but good times will certainly be had.