Sports and hosting parties and events….these are a few of my favorite things. And so, as the first weekend in February rolls around, I get excited for the Super Sunday that awaits! Really, you can’t go wrong with planning a party for the Big Game, but here are a couple of tips to take your experience from a wide-eye young QB on the biggest stage to that of veteran status (see what I did there….).
Themed Food
With only two teams surviving the test of time, chances are a lot of people watching the game don’t have their favorite horse in the race, so help them get excited for the rivalry that awaits on Sunday! I like to make food items that correspond with the area the team is from. Perhaps some New England “Chowda” and Lobster rolls versus some mini tacos and California sushi rolls? You can also use the overall football theme for your food.Turn that 7-layer bean dip into a football field by adding the lettuce or guac last to make a “field”.
Drinks
Find out who your guests are cheering for from the get-go. Have out pitchers of sparkling water with fruit cut up and ready to add to a glass…. lemon for Rams and their gold, or berries for the Pats and their red n’ blue. And if your crowd is over 21, perhaps you feature Sam Adams for the New England crowd and margaritas for the Cali crew. You could again also make some signature cocktails yellow lemon drops or Moscow mules to represent the Rams and twist on Shirley Temples or some type of red rum punch for the Patriots fans.
Games
Aside from the “Big Game” you’re going to need some side games (as in side bets :). To keep the crowd invested in the hours of football that await. Again, there’s a good chance you’ll have non-football and non-Patriot fans present (and I guess non-Ram friends, too lol), so make the afternoon exciting for adults and kids alike with some games! Set-up a giant poster board with various questions/prop bets listed and have people write down their answers and keep “score” throughout the game. These do not have to be football related questions, and if they are, they don’t have to be for the diehard fan. Examples: who will win the coin toss, heads or tails, which team will score first, what will happen first – a field goal or touchdown, what will the first commercial be advertising, will Blake Shelton make an appearance at halftime with Maroon 5, who will the MVP thank first, etc….you get it – the sky is the limit with these! Next, make sure to get a “Squares” game going where you draw out 100 squares and have people sign their names in a square of their choosing (this is fun for kids, too). It can be as simple as $1/square. And after all the squares are assigned, put the numbers 0-9 on individual pieces of paper and let the kids pick them out of a hat. And write them across the paper. After each quarter, the name corresponding with the score and correct squares wins the “pot” (Example, Rams 17- Pats 0….you find the “7-Rams” and “0-Patriots” square). I like to do bigger payouts for halftime vs. 1st and 3rd quarters and then a big win for the final score.
And if the week gets the better of you and you’re not able to accomplish the above, no worries, just put out the food, and the people will come! Aside from Thanksgiving, this Sunday marks the top day for food consumption in America (it’s estimated that over 1.3 Billion chicken wings will be eaten this weekend with over 12.5 million pizzas ordered). I also find this Sunday to be the perfect time to buy – and eat! – all those foods you dream about but don’t get on a regular basis (hello queso cheese dip!). You’ve gotta do, what you’ve gotta do, for the love of the game!
When Kate is not planning a party or hanging out on the GCU sidelines, you can catch her on “Arizona Living – Your Life Your Style” Sundays @ 8:30pm and Mondays @ 6:00pm on YurView , Cox Cable Channel 4 in Phoenix, Channel 7 in Tucson.
