How to Avoid Super Bowl Party Clichés (Slideshow)

You don’t have to order chain pizza, serve up cheap beer, and fill out the same, tired betting games year after year. For Super Bowl LI, resolve to throw a better party, free of clichés. From mixing up signature cocktails to considering a sit-down dinner to changing up your guacamole with some unique ingredients, you can easily have a Super Bowl party that is unlike any other out there.

It seems like every single Super Bowl party has the same old way of waging on who is going to win what quarter, and ultimately, who will win the game. We’ve seen football squares hundreds of times. To make your party original, consider taking some inspiration from Las Vegas by betting on Super Bowl oddities, including who will win the coin toss, how many outfit changes Lady Gaga will have during the halftime show, and who will win MVP.

For “How to Set Up Your Super Bowl Betting Pool Las-Vegas-Style,” click here.

Forget tacky football motifs and banners. Instead, decorate your Super Bowl party with classy colors inspired by the battling teams. If your household will be cheering on the Atlanta Falcons, consider silver tablecloths, accented by dark red and black table settings and flatware. If you’re rooting for the New England Patriots, channel the spirit of Boston with patriotic red, white, and blue streamers, tablecloths, and floral arrangements.

For the “Top 8 Flowers for Winter 2017,” click here.

Oftentimes, Super Bowl parties are filled with the same ol’ buddies that you see every weekend. To shake up your party, consider inviting over friends you see less frequently, your co-workers, or even your family. Mixing friend groups will help expand your various social circles and give your Super Bowl party a genuine celebratory vibe instead of making it seem like just another Sunday of watching football.

One of the signatures of a Super Bowl party are classic American junk foods. You know the menu by heart: pizza, chicken wings, barbecue, burgers, and a variety of dips. Instead of phoning it in (literally) and getting fast food to cater your Super Bowl party, make these favorite party foods yourself. This way, you can put unique, personalized spins on these staple dishes.

For “15 Dishes You Have to Make for Your Super Bowl Party,” click here.

Everyone knows how to make a basic guacamole or a classic seven-layer dip, but this Super Bowl, customize these party staples to be all your own. Embrace bold flavors and serve up a blue cheese guacamole. Instead of being predictable with Buffalo wings, cover your chicken wings in a pomegranate and mint sauce. You’ll have more fun making these new spins on old classics and your dishes will be the topic of conversation among your guests.

For our 50 best guacamole recipes, click here.

Not everybody at your party is going to be super into watching the big game. These easily distracted guests will talk over integral plays, make everyone hush for the commercials, and could potentially be a source of mild annoyance for the sports fanatics in attendance. If you know some of your friends love a party but hate football, plan things for them to do in another room, such as a dance party, board game night, or Puppy Bowl viewing party.

For “8 Drinking Games You Can Play With Classic Board Games,” click here.

Yes, the Super Bowl is a total “eat-in-front-of-the-TV” type of event, but if you’re really looking to hold a party that is free of clichés, you should consider a sit-down dinner at a dining room table. You can still serve Super Bowl Sunday classics like burgers, chili, and chicken wings, but you can elevate them to a table setting. Hold the dinner before the game, and then put out popcorn and desserts for the game itself.

For our 50 best burger recipes, click here.