Red Sox
The most important element in throwing a Red Sox theme party is your love for the team. Planning may be easier if you live in Boston, but with a little creativity and enough time, you can please every diehard Red Sox fan. Just make sure you plan for the age of your guests. The party can be simple or elaborate, with a small or large budget. You can make your decorations and games, or buy them either locally in New England or online.
Invitations
Start the fun by looking for ideas that will grab your guests' attention with the invitation. Put the Red Sox logo on a blue card or send a clip of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" in an electronic invitation, or e-vite. Invite them to join in by wearing a team jersey or t-shirt if they have one. Team colors work well, too, if they don't have any Red Sox clothing.
Decorations and Favors
If you live in Massachusetts, it is likely that your local party supply store carries Red Sox plates and napkins, balloons and other decorations. You can also buy Red Sox novelties online. But you can personalize your party by making your own decorations and favors. For example, use red or blue tablecloths, turn Red Sox caps into centerpieces and wrap the flatware in clean red socks. Hang a green sheet on a wall to represent Fenway Park's famed Green Monster and paint a scoreboard on it. You can also use generic baseball-themed items and add the Red Sox touch; for instance, paint toy baseballs with the Red Sox's stylized "B" logo.
Novelty stores and Web sites have a broad choice of Red Sox items, but you may not want to spend a great deal of money on favors. In that case, you can make them yourself. Give each guest a few baseball cards or fill red baby socks with candy. Even noncrafters can have fun thinking of ideas to represent the team you love.
Food
Decide whether you want to serve a full meal or just a snack. To be authentic, you may want to look at the list of offerings at Fenway Park Concessions. Although they sell a large variety of foods, you will probably want to serve more traditional fare. Peanuts and Cracker Jacks make everyone nostalgic for the game. Serve Fenway Franks, if you can get them, or another brand of hot dogs. If you want to recreate the smell of the game, fry peppers and onions to go with them. For sweets, order a cake from your local bakery or buy Red Sox ice cream bars from Hood.
Entertainment
If you schedule your party during the season, the only entertainment you may need is watching the Red Sox play on television. But if you want other activities, your games should be planned for the age of your guests. You can buy Red Sox-themed games, such as Jenga, Monopoly or Yahtzee, or team jigsaw puzzles. You may want to create your own games, such as "Pin the B on Wally" or have a Red Sox trivia contest. If your guests are musical, sing Jack Norworth's "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" and Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline." Or, if you have a quieter crowd, watch game highlights on sports shows, such as ESPN's Baseball Tonight, or the comedy "Fever Pitch," starring Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon.
Tags: your guests, Ball Game, Fenway Park, games such, Take Ball, Take Ball Game