 |
||||
Are You Ready for Some 'Super' Football? Super Bowl parties often devolve into raucous disasters. Here's how to keep yours spirited, yet civilized 
It’s been nearly 30 years since John Belushi immortalized the rude party guest as “The Thing That Wouldn’t Leave” – the classic 1978 “Saturday Night Live” sketch where the comedian usurps his friends’ home with his appetite and cigars, in addition to making long-distance calls, inviting over friends and taking control of the remote. Would-be party hosts have always come to expect the worst ever since. With the biggest party day of the year right around the corner – the Super Bowl – all it takes is a little planning and a little precaution to prevent a modern-day Belushi from turning your home into animal house. The Slob They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure; well, it’s also worth a pound of clean. Super Bowl Sunday is the perfect storm for your floor and furniture: chili, drinks and every type of chip and dip imaginable. If you’re hosting, keep plenty of plates and napkins stocked at both ends of the buffet table, that way people making their way through the line the first time around, or those popping back up for refills, will be inclined to grab the proper materials. Also, strategically place piles of napkins or rolls of paper towels around the living room so that if someone needs a quick hand-wipe during third down, or to wipe up an accidental spill, there’s no need to get up. Don’t be so comfort-friendly when it comes to the food, though. Large bowls of chips and salsa in the center of the living room are a disaster waiting to happen. Keep the food contained to a buffet table. This way, the main mess is contained to one spot, and the main worry for everyone is not to spill guacamole on their jerseys. If you do have one guest who appears to be a lightning rod for crumbs and spills, feel free to chide them with some light yet pointed remarks, such as: “Dave, if you keep adding to that crumb pile over there, you’re spending halftime with the vacuum.” A little bit of spotlight should get guests under control. Note: The last thing a host wants is a nacho-cheese fingerprint all over the remote. Luckily, there’s no need to change the channel all game – who wants to miss commercials? The smart host will hide the remote and manually adjust the volume on the TV set to the guests’ liking. The Yeller Anyone hosting a football party has to be realistic about the noise – people are going to be cheering and clapping. Hosts need to be aware of their surroundings. In a house, the margin for screaming is a bit wider than an apartment, where there may be neighbors above, below, to left and to the right. Although the same cheers may be coming from adjacent apartments and households, a quick reminder to guests upon entering – and after a big play – about any special circumstances will help keep things under control. Note: Foot-stomping is one to keep in mind. Whether there’s a crank in the apartment below or some fragile items on the wall, too much foot-pounding may cause one of them to break. Remember, it’s a Super Bowl party, not a hoedown. The Drunk By the third quarter, the imbibers of the group could likely be three sheets to the wind. A smart host should keep an eye how much guests are consuming. If liquor is an option, like the food, keep it contained to one area. The host should take requests and mix the drinks; this allows the host to control the amount of alcohol each person is getting. Mandating a one-drink-one-water rule is smart, as is closing the bar at halftime. Most of all, the host should know the guests. If one friend is known to get loose a bit faster than everyone else, gently remind that person and tell him or her to have a good time. If some folks get a bit too unruly, don’t hesitate to cut them off. Get a likeminded friend to join the cause. Call it strength in numbers or peer pressure – it works. If someone starts to show signs of having too much fun, stay on water duty or show them a place to lie down. Again, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of clean. Note: If a guest is acting like a charter member of the Too Much Fun Club, showing them the door is perfectly all right. The host should get another partygoer to help tell the person it’s time to call it a night and bring them home. No need to worry about missing some of the game, that’s what TiVo is for. |
||||
|
||||
