Cheer On Team USA with a Gold Medal-Winning Olympics Viewing Party
Every four years, the world temporarily comes to a halt as the best athletes from countries across the globe compete in the Winter Olympics. A rare occasion with universal appeal, the Olympics tend to attract the attention of people across the board, from die-hard sports fans to people who wouldn’t otherwise know a hockey stick from a baseball bat.
With the inexplicable (and incredibly rad) popularity of sports that most people rarely watch more than once every four years, each Olympic Games presents a great opportunity to get a team together and throw your own viewing party. So in the spirit of taking your party game to an elite level, here are some tips to put your Pyeongchang 2018 party at the top of the podium:
Give Your Party Prep the IOC Treatment
The first step of any great party is to get the logistics settled ahead of time. Who’s on the guest list? What time do people arrive? What are you going to be doing? Is watching the Games going to take priority, or will it be socializing and playing games of your own? Will it be a bit of both? Make sure you get your schedule (and what guests are required to bring) settled, then send out your invites over text or WhatsApp.
Stick with a small group of friends or round up a rowdy crowd — any party size is fine so long as everyone can comfortably sit and easily see the television. And for those of you who are looking to put together a party for children (or children-at-heart), really get into the spirit of competition with a series of Olympics-themed games. PlayPartyPlan has put together an excellent list of at-home DIY Olympic games, complete with prizes, that are sure to show up in your 2018 Olympics highlight reel.
Prepare the Stadium
Nobody wants to kick back in a grungy house, so take the time to do a little pre-event clean up. If you live in a cold and snowy area, it’ll be important to make sure your driveways and walkways are clear of snow, and that people have an out-of-the-way space indoors to stash their winter gear like boots and heavy jackets. One simple small apartment solution is hanging coat hangers on the shower curtain and turning the bathtub or shower into a temporary (and easily cleanable) mud room.
You don’t need to have sterile surfaces, but be sure to do a quick tidy. Vacuum up any obvious messes and move furniture, pillows and carpets to create a comfy seating arrangement that will work for everyone in attendance. Either take the time to put clutter away, or at the very least pile it up and hide it in a different room or space where it won’t be seen.
Tidy up the fridge by throwing away anything that’s gone off and moving everything else to one or two shelves in order to provide space for things your guests are bringing. Be sure to empty the garbage and take out the recycling, if applicable.
Make extra space (and a buffet table to boot) by pushing your dining table against a corner or wall; this in turn frees up your dining chairs for additional seating. And host nation bonus points will be awarded if you have a couple of different kinds of charging cords at the ready for guests who might need it.
Finally, don’t forget to stock up on toilet paper!
Stock the Concession Stands
“Hangry” might have driven Chloe Kim to snowboarding gold, but it’s not how you want your guests to feel. Take the time to get a spread together to keep everyone sufficiently fed throughout the party, especially as a single event can run several hours. A buffet-style drink and food set up on your dining table will be sufficient — just be sure to have an area dedicated to napkins, plates, cups and cutlery (if required) that is easily accessed prior to grabbing snacks. If your cutlery is disposable, be sure to provide an easily seen and accessed garbage can or recycling bin. If it’s not, make sure there is a clear space in your kitchen for guests to put used plates, glasses and silverware.
If you want to kick things up a notch and have a few days in advance, preparing some thematic foods will add a celebratory twist to this year’s Olympic viewing experience. Allrecipes.com has put together a great list of easy-to-make Korean recipes to spice up your Pyeongchang 2018 party and in 2016, Spaceships and Laserbeams put together an outstanding list of Olympic-themed treats and decorative crafts to up your presentation score.
