Amy Kane,
Feb 21, 2008
This year, I am hosting my very first Oscar party. I've wanted to do
it for years, but never got around to it. There are a few different
ways you can go with an Oscar party, from easy to elaborate. Since you
are basically inviting people over to watch TV for four hours, festive
decorations, refreshments, and activities are a must.
Theme: Salute to This Year's Films
Invitation: An "And the Winner Is" envelope.
Snacks: Based on items from the nominated movies. This
year, obviously you would have to serve milkshakes,
as well as blue Slushees, licorice ropes, and orange Tic Tacs from Juno.
The rest you can kind of fudge based on what you'd like to serve (lots
of this year's films featured scenes in pizza restaurants, for
example). Ratatouille would also be a good thing to serve, and if
you're feeling punny, you can serve Into the Wild Alaskan
smoked salmon.
Decorations: Print out copies of posters from this
year's nominated movies. Remember, you don't have to stick to the Best
Picture nominees. If you've managed to find a Juno hamburger phone (you
know you want one), display it prominently.
Activities: If you really hate your friends, you can
make them come dressed as a character from their favorite movie of the
year.
Party Favors: CD of music from nominated films.
Theme: Hollywood Glam
Invitation: Shaped like a "Walk of Fame" star.
Snacks: If you're really feeling ambitious (or have a
great caterer), you can try to duplicate some of the items on Wolfgang Puck's Governors Ball menu. Champagne is
crucial.
Decorations: A Walk of Fame star with each guest's
name, Oscar statues, chalk slate scene-clickers. (You should be able to
find plenty of appropriate items at your local party supply store.)
Activities: Set up a red carpet leading up to your
doorway. Take photos of your guests as they arrive and ask them whom
they are wearing. If you want, you can make it a formal occasion, but
not everybody will be too excited about sitting around watching TV for
three hours in a suit or fancy dress.
Party Favors: A fabulous gift bag, of course. If you
can't spring for the La Mer and iPhones the real celebs get, you could
try lower ticket items like flavored lip balm, travel-size toiletries,
scented votive candles, and fancy chocolates.
Theme: At the Movies
Invitation: Ticket-shaped.
Snacks: Traditional concession stand fare like
popcorn, hot dogs, Red Vines, Junior Mints, Milk Duds, Dots, nachos,
soft pretzels, and soda.
Activities: Play movie trivia during the red carpet
pre-show, and during those painfully boring montages.
Decorations: The beauty of this theme is that the
snacks can act as decorations, too. Set up a mini-concession stand (Amy
Sedaris recommends using your ironing board) with candy. You might
be able to find some popcorn buckets, but if not, decorate paper lunch
bags or use red and yellow gift bags to give each guest his or her own
popcorn supply. If you're really feeling ambitious, try rigging a
curtain in front of your TV.
Duplicate the movie-going experience as much as possible: Dim your
lights as soon as the show starts, and recruit some neighborhood kids
to play the part of the obnoxious people who won't SHUSH in the row
behind you at the theater. (I wish I were kidding when I tell you that
I listened to plastic bags rustling for literally the last 45 minutes
of Atonement.) My next-door neighbor will probably
thoughtfully have the bass on his stereo up all the way, effectively
mimicking the booming THX from the action movie playing the next screen
over, so I've got the ambiance covered.
Party Favors: Bundle of movie candy to take home. Gift
card to a movie theater if you're feeling generous.
Note: This is the route I'm going this year,
because I have to work this weekend, and my guests will be lucky if I
manage to vacuum before they arrive, much less lovingly bake them
homemade hors d'oeuvres.
For any of these themes, it's fun to have your guests make
predictions. You can find an official ballot here.
Whether you decide to have everyone chip in for a pool, or award a
prize to whomever gets the most right is up to you.
Whatever your plans for Oscar night, enjoy yourself, but when you're
indulging, don't forget that Monday is a workday for us non-Hollywood
types!
************
* * *
Amy Kane spends as much quality time with her television as
possible, when she's not busy at her day job as a cube dweller.
