It’s a bright spot during a time when most of the country is still in the throes of winter. And whether or not your team made it all the way to the final showdown, chances are you’re still going to watch the Superbowl. Some take this opportunity to kick back with a couple of friends. But as with many great ideas, a simple, low-key plan can quickly mutate into something bigger and more complicated than you expected, and before you know it, more and more people are coming over to your place, as this no-big-deal get-together has suddenly become a thing.
But you’re not about to back out. Hey, the more the merrier, right? That, my friend, is a winning attitude. It’s actually pretty easy to plan a Superbowl Party. Here’s our playbook for organizing and executing your ideal celebration.
Plan to Win
It’s funny how some of us find ourselves trotting out the cool thing we got over the holidays for the first time on Superbowl Sunday. Whether you’re firing up that new grill for the first time or finally hooking up your digital projector, do yourself (and your guests) a favor and make sure everything is in good working order ahead of time. A few days beforehand, do a test run and make sure your new gadgets function properly. The last thing you want is technical difficulties on game day.
Delegate
One of the basic principles of leadership is delegation. Any decent coach knows which of his players to send in, and for what purpose. When you’re in the planning stage, play to your friends’ strengths. Make a shared spreadsheet in Google Sheets (it’s free and ridiculously easy) and share it with everyone. So many details are lost over group text, so why risk it? This way, you’ll know who is committed to bringing what, and keep better track of the guest count.
The ‘Wow’ Factor
Not a must-have, but a nice-to-have, is something that your guests weren’t expecting. Maybe it’s a hard-to-find beer that you’ve been saving, a piñata filled with grown-up treats (break it out if you don’t want to watch the halftime show) or, if your team wins, popping open that champagne cork in the most epic way possible.
Leave Room for Chaos
Put another way: relax. The likelihood of absolutely everything going according to plan is rare, so allow for a certain amount of the unexpected. Guests can sense when their host is tense or stressed out, and you don’t want that. Need some perspective? Imagine the stress of the players and coaching staff on the field on game day, compared to whatever crisis you think you’re having. So chill out and enjoy yourself.
Food, friends, and football. As far as we’re concerned, that’s already a recipe for a good time. And with just a little bit of planning, your Superbowl party will make it a day to remember.