You might not have tickets to catch the NFL Sunday game in person, but you can still enjoy it with your friends and family. The next time the Eagles play, hold a football viewing party at your house. If you’re an Eagles fan, any game (not just the big ones) can serve as an occasion to invite people over to enjoy some drinks, snacks, and friendly competition.

Decorate with Flair

Let people know that you’re cheering on the Eagles during the NFL Sunday game by hanging up team decorations. You can keep things simple and hang up some green and black streamers and use green and black paper plates, napkins, and cups. If you want people to know that you’re a big fan of the team, purachase Eagles themed party supplies such as paper plates, cups, and serving ware emblazoned with the team’s logo.

You can also make a football-themed table runner or tablecloth for the party. To make a tablecloth, drape a green plastic cloth over the table. Cut strips of white tape and position them on the cloth every foot or so, to make a miniature version of a football field. For a table runner, fold the cloth into thirds so it covers the center part of the table. Make coasters by cutting brown felt into the shape of a football; use a white paint pen to draw three stitches in the middle of the ball shape.

Feed the Crowd

Game day is all about the snacks. Stick with a menu that’s easy to pull together, so you can actually enjoy the game instead of spending most of the time in the kitchen. Find a great chilli recipe and make it in advance, then on game day you can reheat it in a slow cooker or on low heat on the stove. Serve the chili with crushed tortilla chips, grated cheese, and chopped green onions. If you have vegetarians in your crowd, prepare a bean-based chili for them and a beef chili for the rest of the group. Serve green beverages in honor of the team, such as dyed-green beer, Mountain Dew, or iced green tea.

Game watching also means sweet treats. Whip up a batch of your favorite cupcakes and decorate them with green frosting. If you have the time, prepare Eagles cutout cookies. Make your favorite recipe for roll-out sugar cookies, adding a few drops of food coloring to the dough before you roll it out. Use football-shaped or helmet-shaped cookie cutters to cut out the dough.

Place Your Bets

Add some excitement to the party by having guests try wager on the final score of the game. Have a special prize on hand for the guest whose prediction ends up being closest to the final score. You can also have guests guess how many touchdowns a specific player will score or how many tackles the defense will make. Prizes can include a gift certificate to a local deli or sports bar or an Eagles jersey.

As the temperatures get cooler, watching the game from the comfort of your home  seems like a better option than trekking to Lincoln Financial Field or tailgating in FDR Park. Go all-out with your next football party — even if the team loses, people will still fondly remember watching the game.

Photo source: Flickr

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