Priorities
The Middle East is aflame!
Snow has blanketed the country!
Heating bills are heading for the roof!
What can we do about it?
Let’s have a Super Bowl Party!
Can or should a football game between two far-flung entities, Green Bay, Wisconsin and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, take our minds and thoughts away from serious matters? The answer is yes!
My wife Lorraine has stayed up all night prior to the Super Bowl to gather food, drink and napkins for the crowd coming to our festive party. I, on the other hand, have shoveled a path through ice and snow to allow our guests entrance.
Being diverted away from serious or unpleasant thoughts is always a good thing. Sports are that sort of distraction. The game is on everyone’s tongue, and it is an opening for conversation. “Who are you rooting for?” is the question that begins many an early February dialogue. Even if your favorite team has fallen by the wayside and has been placed out of contention, the Super Bowl draws fan interest.
What is the proper Super Bowl Party diet? Pretzels, potato chips, dips (guacamole or hummus), salami, olives, cheeses of all varieties, nuts (peanuts, cashews, almonds or walnuts), crackers and mini-sandwiches.
Drinks are another huge category for Super Bowl Sunday. Beers of all varieties duel for space on the supermarket shelves. Diet Pepsi or Coke and regular soft drinks are on the menu. This year, I placed a pitcher of Sangria with fruit inside before the group and it went over very well; I had to keep opening more wine bottles to keep it replenished.
The post-game letdown is very serious. We have to wait a full year and 16 more football games to do this ritual over again. Strong coffee and loads of sweets are meant to snap us out of our “after the game lethargy.”
Saying “so long” to the guests as they depart into the freezing night is another time-tested tradition. Then up to bed, as visions of football dance in your head.
