Ah, the Super Bowl. The one game of the year where all the bandwagon fans (*raises hand*) suddenly get on board and pretend they’re into football. Whether you're a ride-or-die sports girlie or not, I believe everyone is entitled to sit on the couch and eat and drink to their heart's content during the Big Game. And if that's your plan this year, may I suggest having some people over to share your couch and nachos? There's nothing better than a Super Bowl party, and lucky for you, I've got a bunch of fun ideas to help you make it happen...and make it really, really Insta-worthy.
Let's be clear: You can do better than just inviting your friends over, flipping on the TV, and passing sad party snacks around. I did a total internet deep-dive (trust) to find the best Super Bowl party inspo on the World World Web, and even scoured this ol' noggin of mine for some one-of-a-kind party tricks. The result: 25 creative ideas for your Super Bowl party, below. Trust me, they might even get Bill Belichick to smile.
1. Send some invites.
Rather than simply texting your crew, send out cute Super Bowl party invitations in advance, either via email or snail mail, if you have enough time. You can find tons of downloads on Etsy that you can print or simply send as a digital file, and Paperless Post is a great place to go for online invites.
2. Set up an eye black station.
Glam station < eye black station...on Super Bowl Sunday, ofc. Get your mirrored vanity and bring it out into your entryway or living room to create a festive space to really get in the football spirit.
3. Embrace the theme.
Whether you're actually a fan of the teams playing or just love an excuse to follow a theme, suggest your guests dress in their sporty best (say that ten times fast). Maybe even hold a best-dressed competition to amp up the energy???
4. Make your own concession stand.
Gather all your snacks in one place and call in a concession stand, baby. Let your creative side shine by DIYing some banners, stands (for the food to sit in, obv), and a black-and-white striped backdrop, like you see above.
5. Prepare the bubbly.
I mean, you're going to need a couple of bottles to sip on during the game, and then a few more to pop when the best team wins, right? Lucky for you, we have a list of the best cheap champagnes that taste like the good stuff.
6. Create a DIY photo booth.
You know the drill: pics or it didn't happen. Make a lil photo booth with a football-themed backdrop and some fun props. Sorry not sorry if you have more fun snappin' photos than watching the game...
7. Organize a betting pool.
There's nothing wrong with a little friendly competition, amirite? Super Bowl Squares is suuuper easy to play: just print out a grid (see above for my fave on Etsy) and invite your guests to place their bets. Here's a how-to if you've never played before or need a refresher.
8. Throw back some Jell-O shots.
It's simple, really. You're going to make two batches of Jell-O shots, using the colors of the opposing teams, and your friends are going to pick the flavor of the squad they're cheering for. These can be used as prizes or punishments, depending on your friend group.
9. Invest in football-shaped serving platters.
Yeah, you could serve your Tostitos and salsa in regular bowls, but what fun would that be? These serving sets and trays are way cuter...and they're basically begging to be ’grammed.
10. Play Super Bowl bingo.
Play a game of football-inspired bingo or commercial bingo (you're watching them all anyway, might as well make a game out of it!) with these printables. You can even add booze if ya want—every time a person gets a bingo, they have to finish their drink or take a (Jell-O?!) shot.
11. Light a game day candle.
If you really wanna set the mood for your party, grab this game-day candle that smells like a real leather football. Doesn't get much more on the nose than that.
12. Add some festive decor.
Channel your inner Mindy Weiss (you know, the Kardashians' party planner) with some festive balloons, centerpieces, and a banner or two to spice things up a bit (some inspo above, because ily). Pro tip: Keep the decor free of team names so you can use it again next year. We love recycling in this house!
13. Sing halftime karaoke.
Wanna get your guests more involved during the halftime show? Whip out a karaoke mic and let your friends give Usher a run for his money.
14. Go all out with your tablescape.
Okay, I know this isn't technically a dinner party (unless you want it to be), but you can still have a little fun with your tablescape. This football-field table runner is perf to get you started, or you can get some literal astroturf to show your friends you're really committed to the bit.
15. Party tailgate-style.
Bring the tailgate vibes to your backyard/front yard/patio/balcony with a good ol' cookout. Pull out the grill, some weenies and patties, a bucket filled with beers, and a beer pong table, and bam! The next best thing to being in the parking lot outside the stadium.
16. Batch up some yummy co*cktails.
Every good party needs a signature co*cktail (says me). Especially if you're being forced to watch hours upon hours of football. I always recommend batching up a few easy recipes (we've got a ton here) right before the game and serving 'em in beverage dispensers, so you don't have to play bartender all night.
17. Serve your food up stadium style.
These cardboard food trays, which look just like the ones you'd be served at a sports stadium (for like, $100), will have your friends howling. And eatin' good.
18. Load up on football-shaped treats.
What's a party without dessert? Put together a sweets bar—or board!— and load it up with a variety of themed pastries, chocolates, and candies. Some great options above if you'd rather swipe your credit card than a spatula.
19. Make some predictions.
Keep things interesting with this Super Bowl predictions game, which you can print and have your guests fill out before kickoff. Should you give out a prize to the person who gets the most correct guesses? Yes. Should that prize be you serenading them with an Usher song? Also yes.
20. Give out prizes.
Need a prize idea that isn't an Usher song for your big contest winners (sad, but okay)? Grab a few bottles of wine and dress 'em up with these cute football-themed labels.
21. Set up cornhole.
Clear out some space outside and set up everyone's favorite tailgate game. If you wanna be really extra, you can get bean bags that match the colors of the opposing teams.
22. Get creative with paper goods.
Sure, you can set out boring ol' white cups and plates—or you can jazz things up with some on-theme paper goods. Amazon and Etsy have oodles of options, and shipping quicker than Christian McCaffrey (yes, I Googled "fast football players," is that a problem?).
23. Challenge your guests with trivia.
Before kickoff or during some downtime, test everyone's knowledge with some Super Bowl-related trivia questions. You can either pose the question aloud to the group, or have your guests write down their answers on these fun printable sheets.
24. Dole out some dips.
We put together a list of "holy sh*t this is delicious" dip recipes perfect for any party. I recommend you make one (or six) and make a whole damn spread.
25. Hand out goodie bags.
Don't let your friends leave empty-handed! Put together some inexpensive goodie bags—perhaps filled with the on-theme koozies, shot glasses, and scrunchies, above?—for everyone to take home.
Corinne Sullivan
Editor
Corinne Sullivan is an Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers a variety of beats, including lifestyle, entertainment, relationships, shopping, and more. She can tell you everything you need to know about the love lives of A-listers, the coziest bedsheets, and the sex toys actually worth your $$$. She is also the author of the 2018 novel Indecent. Follow her on Instagram for cute pics of her pup and bébé.
Hannah Chubb
Lifestyle Editor
Hannah Chubb is the lifestyle editor at Cosmopolitan, covering all things home, travel, food, health, career, and more. She spends pretty much every hour of every day curating the internet for the best new products, trends, and travel destinations. You can typically find her looking for houses she can’t afford on Zillow or Airbnb, planning her next meal before she gets to the restaurant, or taking all of the Justin Bieber classes over and over and over again on Peloton. Follow her on Instagram.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an expert and enthusiast, I have access to a wide range of information and can provide insights on various topics. While I have personal experiences or opinions, I can provide factual information based on reliable sources. Now, let's dive into the concepts mentioned in this article.
Super Bowl Party Ideas
The article provides 25 creative ideas for hosting a Super Bowl party. Here's a breakdown of the concepts mentioned:
-
Sending Invitations: The article suggests sending out cute Super Bowl party invitations in advance, either via email or snail mail. It mentions that you can find downloadable invitations on Etsy or use online platforms like Paperless Post for digital invites.
-
Setting up an Eye Black Station: The article suggests creating an eye black station to get in the football spirit. It recommends using a mirrored vanity and placing it in the entryway or living room.
-
Embracing the Theme: The article suggests embracing the Super Bowl theme by encouraging guests to dress in their sporty best. It also mentions the idea of holding a best-dressed competition to amp up the energy.
-
Creating a Concession Stand: The article suggests gathering all the snacks in one place and creating a concession stand. It recommends DIYing banners, stands, and a black-and-white striped backdrop for a festive touch.
-
Preparing Bubbly: The article suggests having a couple of bottles of champagne or prosecco to sip on during the game and for celebrating when the best team wins. It mentions that there are affordable options available.
-
Creating a DIY Photo Booth: The article suggests setting up a DIY photo booth with a football-themed backdrop and fun props. It mentions using an instant camera like the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 and provides links to football-themed photo booth props.
-
Organizing a Betting Pool: The article suggests organizing a Super Bowl Squares betting pool. It explains that participants can fill out a grid and place their bets. It also provides a link to a printable game sheet for Super Bowl Squares.
-
Throwing Back Jell-O Shots: The article suggests making Jell-O shots using the colors of the opposing teams and having guests pick the flavor of the team they're cheering for. It mentions that the shots can be used as prizes or punishments.
-
Using Football-Shaped Serving Platters: The article suggests using football-shaped serving platters and provides links to various options available for purchase.
-
Playing Super Bowl Bingo: The article suggests playing a game of football-inspired bingo or commercial bingo during the Super Bowl. It provides a link to printable football bingo cards and suggests adding a drinking element to the game.
-
Lighting a Game Day Candle: The article suggests setting the mood for the party by lighting a game-day candle that smells like a real leather football.
-
Adding Festive Decor: The article suggests using festive balloons, centerpieces, and banners to spice up the party. It recommends keeping the decor free of team names for reuse in future years.
-
Singing Halftime Karaoke: The article suggests having a karaoke mic available during the halftime show to get guests more involved. It provides a link to a wireless karaoke microphone.
-
Creating an Eye-Catching Tablescape: The article suggests having fun with the tablescape by using a football-field table runner or even astroturf.
-
Throwing a Party Tailgate-Style: The article suggests bringing the tailgate vibes to the party by setting up a cookout with a grill, food, beers, and a beer pong table.
-
Batching Up co*cktails: The article suggests batching up a few easy co*cktail recipes before the game and serving them in beverage dispensers to avoid playing bartender all night.
-
Serving Food Stadium-Style: The article suggests using cardboard food trays that resemble the ones served at sports stadiums to serve food to guests.
-
Offering Football-Shaped Treats: The article suggests putting together a sweets bar or board with a variety of themed pastries, chocolates, and candies. It provides links to football-shaped treats available for purchase.
-
Making Predictions: The article suggests printing Super Bowl predictions sheets for guests to fill out before kickoff. It mentions the possibility of giving out a prize to the person with the most correct guesses.
-
Giving Out Prizes: The article suggests dressing up bottles of wine with football-themed labels as prizes for contest winners.
-
Setting Up Cornhole: The article suggests setting up a cornhole game outside for guests to enjoy. It mentions the possibility of getting bean bags that match the colors of the opposing teams.
-
Getting Creative with Paper Goods: The article suggests using on-theme paper goods like football paper plates, napkins, and snack bowls to jazz up the party. It mentions that Amazon and Etsy offer various options.
-
Challenging Guests with Trivia: The article suggests testing guests' knowledge with Super Bowl-related trivia questions. It provides a link to printable Super Bowl trivia sheets.
-
Serving Dips: The article suggests making delicious dip recipes for the party and creating a spread with multiple options.
-
Handing Out Goodie Bags: The article suggests putting together inexpensive goodie bags for guests to take home. It mentions the idea of including football-themed koozies, shot glasses, and scrunchies in the bags.
Please note that the information provided above is based on the concepts mentioned in this article.