Fall is the time of year to show team spirit for your favorite football team. Even if you’re not a fan of the sport, you can still have fun by adding some festive touches to your next party.
Invitations
Send invitations to your guests, letting them know what they have to look forward to. You may find themed invitations at a party store, but even better, create your own. Base your design on the ages, genders and interests of the guests and have some fun.
Use cardstock and decorate with markers, stickers and pictures cut from magazines. On the backside of the invitation, include all the essential information, including place, date and time of the party. If you want guests to come dressed a certain way, add that. Don’t forget to request an R.S.V.P.
Invitation design ideas:
- Children – Football helmet or cheerleader megaphone
- Adults – Football shape
- Families – Football field with yard markers
Decorations
You’ll want your decorations to reflect the type of party you’re hosting. A children’s birthday party may include the colors of all the NFL teams, but for a game-viewing party, you’ll probably want to select colors from the teams playing that day. Choose just a few ideas to offer a hint of the football theme or go all out and immerse yourself in the spirit of the season.
Decorating ideas:
- Mailbox cover – Place football cutouts on both sides of your mailbox.
- Front yard banners – Create a banner from rolls of newsprint, solid fabric, or plastic and stretch it out between two trees or other solid structures.
- Streamers and balloons – Drape streamers in your team’s colors around the party area and add clusters of balloons where the streamers come together.
- Centerpiece – Prop a football on its side in the middle of a cut piece of Astroturf.
Activities
Plan games for your football-themed party based on age, gender and interests of your guests. Offer prizes, such as mugs, caps, pennants and T-shirts with the logo of your favorite football team.
Fun activities:
- Children – football toss, guess the number of team-colored jelly beans in a jar, and cupcake-decorating contest
- Adults – football-themed crossword puzzle or word search, football charades, and football joke competition
- Families – decorate a rectangle of Astroturf with football paraphernalia, team cheer competition, and dress as your favorite player
Refreshments
No football party will be complete without proper refreshment. Whether you choose to serve a full meal or offer a table filled with finger foods, don’t let your guests go home hungry.
Menu ideas:
- Finger foods and appetizers – chips and salsa, wings, celery stuffed with pimento cheese or peanut butter, seasoned potato wedges, barbecued riblets, pita with spinach dip
- Meals – chili, spaghetti and meatballs, pulled pork, beef or chicken sandwiches, hearty salad filled with large chunks of veggies, cheese and meat, beef stew and roast beef hash
- Desserts – chocolate-crisped rice treats cut or formed into football shapes, team-colored and decorated cupcakes, cookies and a variety of colorful candies
The goal of a football-themed party is to have fun and make memories with your friends. Encourage your guests to participate in all aspects of the party, including the decorations, games and food.
Debby Mayne - Debby Mayne is a published author of more than 30 novels and novellas and former fashion writer for the Home Shopping Network.
