Football Game Day Watch Party

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It's football season! That means after-school practices, smelly gear, a steady combo of icing and Epsom salt baths, high school Friday night lights, and Saturday college football games. With tips from ESPN's College Game Day host Lee Corso on NotSoFast.com, and tips here on WorthPinning on how to throw a great football watch party, you can have a game day winner on and off the field! Kick off starts in 3-2-1...

Ready to create a little excitement in your home on game day? Game day isn't always about the game and the teams...it's also about getting together and connecting with friends over a shared interest. What better way to share a Coca-Cola?! Follow me to Walmart, where I found everything I needed to score this fun football watch party at home.

I picked up a 12 pack of Coca-Cola and Coke Zero cans and then made my way back to the beverage aisles to pick up some 12oz Coca-Cola and Coke Zero bottles. Hey, there's Lee Corso on the Coca-Cola display!

I turned the corner to find 12oz POWERADE bottles to deliver to my son's football practice. I'm certainly no helipcopter mom (generally steering clear of practice only to arrive at pickup), but I know when a little something extra is appreciated by these boys.

WP tip #1: To make game day a little easier, I often set up the party decor the day before the party.

Game day food: pulled pork sliders with tangy slaw, beef sliders, tater tots, and hot-dogs. Check out the fun tray you can hold across your arm to keep your other hand free for cheering or set the whole tray down when the game gets more intense!

WP tip #2: Not everything has to be homemade! The little football desserts were easy to buy at the store and spruce up at home- just trim the corners of a pre-made rectangle chocolate cake dessert and pipe white frosting strings for the football, to go with the football party theme.

WP tip #3: let others do some of the work for you! I've created for you to use as a banner (as shown below the table cloth cover). Print and trim to create your own party decor.

WP tip #4: make party decor you can use again or re-purpose! The other decor I made for the party is something I'll take with me tomorrow for my son's next game:  white picket d-fence and off-fence signs made from wood shims and wooden letters.

Start this craft by painting about a dozen wood shims for each sign with white craft paint and allow to dry. Line up 10 of the shims vertically with space between, as shown. Warm up the hot glue gun and then dab a bit of hot glue on each shim and place a shim perpendicular (a couple of inches from top and bottom) on the vertical shims.

 For the wood letters, I cut out scrapbook paper and adhered with a thin layer of decoupage on the top of the letter and then brushed a top coat over the scrapbook paper.

The D is hanging from the fence for the defense sign. You can remove the D and hand it to the football fan next to you in the stands at the game! They yell "D!" and you yell "Fence!" The OFF is hot glued to the fence for the offense sign.

The boys nearly tackled the cooler to get their hands on the POWERADE after a tough practice a couple of days before game day. Then, they certainly brought their teenage appetites to the football watch party.

It's not always easy to impress teenage boys, but throw a pre-game day party or a game day watch party for an afternoon of football and food with friends, and you've definitely got a mom WIN on your hands!

Tomorrow the boys suit up for their 4th game of their (so-far) undefeated season! Don't forget to check out NotSoFast.com for more tips on how to score at every game!