FOOTBALL PARTY 1. Send out invites as soon as you know you're hosting a party so that your invitees can save the date. Be sure to ask in your invitation if there are any special dietary needs to keep in mind. 2. If you live in an apartment or condo community (or if your home is close to the house next door), you may want to let your neighbors know you’ll be throwing a party —better yet, invite them over. 3. Make sure you have enough comfortable seating for everyone. If you need more, rent or ask guests to bring their own portable chairs or floor pillows. 4.Create a simple menu that reflects your love of the game. Snacks such as cupcakes, sliders, chips & salsa, meatballs, etc. can all be adapted to fit a football theme and plenty of ideas can be found online. Your local supermarket may also have football-themed snacks. Combine with your own creations and reduce your party prep time. Or better yet, make it a potluck and ask guests to bring enough to share.
TIPS 5. Create several food and beverage “filling stations,” positioned at strategic locations around the game- viewing area. This will make it quicker for guests to fill their plate and not miss any of the action. 6. Decorate using colors of the participating teams. Check online retailers for great deals on football themed table cloths, dishes, cups, serving utensils, flatware, etc. Then, get creative! Bright yellow napkins can also double as penalty flags when guests want to make a call that a referee missed. 7. If you have younger guests coming to your party, set aside a fun table or corner just for them. Stock it up with craft supplies, paper, washable markers, crayons, etc. for them to create football-themed artwork or party decorations. 8. Towards the end of the game, offer a last call and put on a pot of coffee. Prepare left-overs in plastic bags or paper food cartons and leave by the door for guests to pickup on their way out. Offer a bottle of water or coffee in a to-go cup for the road.