BY CAILIN BURKE

T-minus one week until the Super Bowl and if you’re planning on hosting a Super Bowl party, there’s a lot you have to do before kickoff!

First, you have to decide who’s coming. For me, I generally stick with family because I know they’ll understand that I rather watch the game intently and not speak. In my Sports Media class the other day, we were talking about Super Bowl parties and how they generally involve friends trying to talk to you, ask you what’s happening, or who you think is going to win during the middle of something important.

In the Super Bowl, even commercials are important so there’s not much time to talk! If you own two TVs, a good solution is to have one area where the intense watchers can see every second of the game, and another area where the people that want to socialize can watch.

Now… how should you decorate?  Some people like it simple, but for those of you who want football decorations everywhere, you can get plenty of cool items to make your party stand out.

If you’re not a fan of either of the teams go for some decorations with the Super Bowl XLVIII logo on them. I love these balloons from Party City, but the balloon bouquet is definitely my favorite! Party City in general has a lot of great Super Bowl decorations so you can check them all out here.

You can get NFL tablecloths, football shaped confetti, banners, or basically anything shaped like a football. If you want to save money, dollar stores often have football party supplies and Dollar Tree in particular has a football shaped chip and dip tray. If you want to spend a few more dollars though, you can get one at Party City too that’s a little fancier.

I’m also a fan of themed dinnerware and there are a ton of football paper plates and cups at dollar stores, party stores, and even some sports merchandise stores. The coolest thing I saw were these football shaped napkins:

If one of your teams is in the Super Bowl, you can have even more fun with the decorations and supplies for your party! Again, balloons are great for any party, especially tied to the back of each chair, or placed in the corners of your house with balloon weights. Whether you’re a Broncos or Seahawks fan, these helmet shaped balloons from birthdaydirect.com are awesome!

Broncos and Seahawks fans would also both love these Party City “bottle jerseys” to spruce up any drink and represent your team. ‘Cause what’s better than you and your drink both wearing a jersey, right?

                                        

Next, we can’t forget the food. You can go the classic route of store/restaurant bought pizza and wings, nachos, or chips and dip, but you can also try something a little different. You could cook up something yourself or to make it easier on you, give your guests a “serve yourself” option. With frozen yogurt and ice cream toppings bars becoming more popular, why not make a Super Bowl toppings bar! Whether your guests top their nachos with whatever they want from beans to jalapeños, or choose their own pizza toppings, this will definitely make your party more fun! As for dessert, I love this idea from domesticfits.com… Football chocolate covered strawberries!

Another simple, but fun dessert you could have at your party, is a frosting decoration station for brownies and/or cookies. Your guests can design whatever they want on their desserts whether they choose to draw their team’s logo or Richard Sherman’s screaming face. There are so many options, everyone will have something cool to show, and you can even make a contest out of it.

Speaking of contests… if your Super Bowl party is going to be more social and interactive, why not add some party games?  You don’t need anything too fancy, but this inflatable ring toss game is a funny way to pass time if there’s a free moment during the game (you know… if a black out or anything else happened like that). If there are going to be any kids at your party, I’ve also seen football shaped pinatas which would keep them entertained for at least a part of the game.

Last, but not least, what are you going to wear to this party of yours? If you own any Broncos or Seahawks apparel, definitely throw that on, but if not, there are ways you can root for a team without buying a $30 shirt. When the NY Giants were in the Super Bowl in 2011, my whole family bought the NFC Championship shirts and wore those, but we also got Giants face tattoos. If you’re rooting for a particular team, buy a $4 pack of tattoos, throw a few on, and you’re all set!

You could also get team eyeblacks or draw a #18 on your face if you’re a Peyton Manning fan. If you’re not into either team, wear the apparel you own from your favorite team in spite of it. Not going to lie, I definitely wore a Giants shirt during last year’s Super Bowl and will probably wear my Peyton Manning Colts jersey this year. Whatever sporty clothes you have in your closet would probably do fine, but if you want to really represent, there’s nothing better to wear than an AFC or NFC Championship shirt or a team jersey.

As for those of you who want to just focus on the game and not deal with all of this party craziness? There’s no way you can go wrong with a room full of cheering family and friends, surrounded by a ton of delicious food.