Anna Polon

Hundreds of millions are expected to watch the Seattle Seahawks take on the New England Patriots this Sunday; here are tips and tricks for holding a get-together.

With the National Football League’s (NFL) Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8 fast approaching, football fans are getting their jerseys ready and making predictions, while others are just excited for the notoriously funny commercials, the halftime show or the food. An American tradition since 1967, the Super Bowl has something for everyone. Here are some ideas for hosting a Super Bowl get-together that football fans and haters alike will love:

Games

Having a Super Bowl squares contest between party attendees is a great way to incorporate some friendly competition and get everyone invested in the game. This contest works by participants buying squares on a ten-by-ten grid. 

Numbers zero through nine are randomly assigned to rows and columns. At each quarter’s end, the square matching the last digit of each team’s score wins. Website like Super Bowl Pool Site allow you to create your own challenge for free. While these are traditionally bet on for money, they can also be for prizes like NFL swag or even just bragging rights. 

Betting does not have to be solely about the football game. Viewers can also bet on things like the number of times an announcer will say a word. People can also play commercial bingo, which is a bingo board of different actors to cross out when they appear in a commercial. And while this is sure to be a hit with the older crew, some guests may be too young to have heard of Jake from State Farm. A kid’s corner featuring coloring pages and a bean bag toss is a way to ensure that all ages are having fun. 

Decor

Often featuring football legends like Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, Super Bowls can be heavily focused on one or two players. Shown in the photo are snack holders I made for Super Bowl LVIII in 2024, when the Kansas City Chiefs faced the San Francisco 49ers. Made out of cardboard, these feature Chiefs’ tight-end Travis Kelce’s number with toothpicks of his fiance, Taylor Swift, on top. Making these snack holders is a four step process: writing each number on recycled cardboard boxes and cutting them out, hot-gluing one-inch strips of cardboard vertically to the numbers for the outline, covering them with napkins and filling them with different snacks.

Toppers featuring almost anything can be found on Amazon or Redbubble. If you can’t find your favorite player, you can make them yourself by printing out a picture, covering it in clear tape and sticking it to a toothpick.

Food

Guests will get a kick out of Super Bowl-themed snacks. Some Kosher foods that can easily be turned football-themed with frosting lines are circular brownies, soft pretzel bites, and chocolate-covered strawberries. The food options are endless; the Super Bowl is America’s second-largest food consumption day. While one in seven Americans order takeout on Super Bowl Sunday, one of the most popular Super Bowl foods, chicken wings, are nearly impossible to find Kosher in the Greater Washington area.