Up Your Super Bowl Party Skills This Year With These Lifehacks

Generally speaking, there are too few communal moments when we get to cheer with one another and the Super Bowl stands as an annual guarantee for that kind of thing. That’s why it deserves to be celebrated, even by non-fans who still surrender to the spectacle. But gameday would be almost forgettable and far less special if not for the people that decide to open their homes to host Super Bowl parties.

If you’re one of those people, you know the hassle that comes with it but also the joy and the drive to top yourself from year to year. And with that last one in mind, we wanted to talk about a handful of ways that you can simplify and improve your party planning for this season’s big game.

The goal of watching the Super Bowl should be to, you know, watch the Super Bowl. But if you have people over, you’re going to find that you’re in host mode at times, making small talk and fetching more food and beer when supplies get low. That means you’re going to miss out on some of the action, but if you add the CBS Sports app, use ESPN Gamecast, or any number of other apps and sites that keep track of the goings-on on the field, you’ll be able to look down at your phone or tablet and catch up with everything you missed. It’s not a perfect solution — you’re never going to get that burst of excitement that everyone else had when that massive lineman speedily took a fumble all the way to the house, but at least you’ll know why everyone was cheering without having to annoyingly ask around.

People have gathered to watch the Super Bowl and the ads and to see if anyone can top a dancing shark or surprise nudity at your house because of your sparkling wit and because you annoy them less than everyone else that they know who has a big TV. But while you should relish in that win and in their company, do remember that these things can drag on and sometimes people lose interest.

With that in mind, you may want to round up the dozen connected devices that are strewn about your house and put them to good use. A tablet with Netflix on it, a retro video game system connected to an old TV, some coloring books for those soulful children who recognize the value of low-fi fun. Give people choices, is what I’m saying. The point isn’t that everyone enjoys what you’re enjoying, but that they have a good time regardless of how they spend their time.

A case of a domestic mainstream beer is the bare minimum and there’s nothing wrong with that, but you could also wow your guests by getting really into beer and and the craft brew sphere of the internet by studying up on how to pair the right beer with the food you have planned for your party. You could also take the leap and become an intensely specific beer curator by sitting down in front of your computer and matching brews to your friend’s personalities. Who’s bold Who’s hoppy Who’s full bodied Frothy… these are beer words that double as labels you can use to describe your friends. The question is, are your guests going to be thrilled or weirded out by that kind of attention to detail

It’s inevitable, people are going to come into your house and put their drinks down on your coffee table with little regard for the mark they’ll leave on your furniture and soul. Coasters are a solution, but they’re a bit old-fashioned. Nobody is going to be impressed by a cork disc. Showing people a floating cup That’ll hook them. Especially if they’ve had a few.

If your guest list is a little more grand and you find yourself searching for ways to impress your boss or your partner’s parents, then you may want to reach out for a little bit of help. I’m not talking about hiring a party planner — that’s rich people nonsense. But there are online options that can serve as a one-stop shop.

Your local grocery store can be a resource here. Most have apps with menus and the ability to place an order from your phone or online — and I’m not talking about an anaconda-sized ham and cheese sub (though that’s fine if that’s how you get down). Hot options, like meatballs and appetizers, are usually in their wheelhouse and kickstarting the process is only a few keystrokes or finger swipes away. Food that would take you hours to make, fully cooked and presented to you in an aluminum pan that you can keep warm with a sterno. It’s not the easiest option (you still have to drive to the store to get it), but it’s pretty close.

As for the look of the party, if your interests are less football themed and more about looking classy AF, then you can point your browser toElliewood Collections, which offers parties-in-a-box and collections that will bring a little uniformity to your party supplies. If you’re all about utility and based in a warmer climate where grilling is an everyday option then Tailgate In A Box by Instagate may thrill you with its “just add meat and beer” simplicity.

Speaking of simplicity, hopefully these tips will help you in your effort to have a fun and easy time on Super Bowl Sunday.