How to Host a Great World Series Party

Though perhaps not as ubiquitous as their football counterparts, World Series themed parties are a great way to get a bunch of friends together and celebrate America's favorite pastime. This is a guide to hosting a first rate World Series party.

First, you'll want to decide exactly which game you'll be having the party for. Choose whichever game you think will be the last or most exciting (who's going to get psyched for the second game?). To invite people, the easiest thing is to simply call or e-mail them. However, if you want to make your party memorable, design a fun invitation. Some great ideas are invitations in the shape of and decorated to look like baseballs with all the pertinent party information includes and invitations that are designed to look like game tickets, inviting your guests to the World Series. If you know what team you're rooting for you can incorporate those colors into the invitation as well, either with the font or in a general statement on the invitation that you hope to see your favorite team go all the way.

Next, you'll want to decide which team you're routing for and plan your theme around that -or you can dedicate half of your room to one team and half to the other and have "dueling" themes. One simple idea is to decorate with streamers and balloons according to your preferred team's colors. They can be purchased at any party store and are a great way to liven up an area. If your household are big baseball fans, utilize any souvenirs you've collected over the years and hang posters and pennants on the walls throughout your party area.

For a World Series party, the menu practically writes itself. What baseball game is complete without a hotdog with all the trimmings? Think of that old favorite "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and have bowls of peanuts and crackerjacks as appetizers (one fun tip is, instead of putting them in bowls, have a clean baseball hat act as your bowl instead -just make sure to line it with a paper towel first). Another menu idea (which is especially fun if you're planning on "dueling" party themes) is to make dishes that are specific to the places your teams are from. If the Red Sox are playing, dish up some Boston baked beans and Sam Adams beer. If the Yankees or Mets are playing, you can't go wrong with a New York style pizza and Buffalo wings. To complete your menu, go with a traditional apple pie -the essential American food for the American pastime.

Though, naturally, everyone is going to be concentrating on the game, it's still a good idea to have some other form of entertainment planned for your World Series party. Before the game begins, set up a betting pool amongst your guests, not just for the winner, but other aspects of the game you're watching such as balls, hits, and strikes (how many will there be and by whom). During commercial breaks or less interesting parts of the game, pull your guests into some baseball trivia that's specific to the teams playing. Have everyone come dressed in their favorite team gear and have a prize for the best dressed or most creative costume.