Simple Super Bowl party tips

I'm not a sports fan. I do think the Carolina Panthers are the best hockey team this town has seen, but other than that I really don’t follow sports.

If I were a football fan and I felt inspired to host a Super Bowl party, it would have to have two elements. Jambalaya must be on the menu as a nod to New Orleans where the big game is being played.

And I would have to have fun with half-time entertainer Beyonce's recent lip sync drama.

As a nod to that scandal, I think it would be hilarious to play a Beyonce song and have willing partygoers line up and give their best overwrought lip sync performance (who cares if they know all the lyrics or not). The less gregarious guests could be the ones who vote for the winner.

Here are some other Super Bowl party tips:

By nature, Super Bowl parties are casual, so keep it simple. You don't have to go overboard with decorations. Sometimes just having napkins in your team's colors is enough.

If a lip sync contest isn't your style, come up with some other sort of game or pool where the winner gets a prize. Make it easy enough that even guests who aren't football savvy can have a chance to win.

This is the time to break out the hearty food, which is why a big pot of Jambalaya would be perfect. Make sure there's plenty of it and other food to munch on, especially if guests are going to be drinking, which is usually the case. A pot of chili, or a nacho bar with toppings, would also be good main courses.

Having a signature drink always adds to the fun. Come up with a concoction, give it a silly name and garnish it with football trinkets from a party store.

Follow Olivia on Twitter @oliviafortson