Throw a Better Oscars Party

Gold leaf foods! No. Black tie required! No. You’re going to be on the couch, watching TV, likely dribbling bits of popcorn onto yourself.

Don’t default to the obvious this Sunday. Your 2014 Oscars viewing party will be so much better if you follow our simple tricks:

1. There’s no time for paper invites what with the Oscars four days away, so do something else that feels funny and personal. Get crafty and layer some text over a shot of one of your favorite nominees. Something like this:

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Just no eVites, basically. We’re really not down with those. (And yes, you can steal our Adamy Adams invite.)

2. Make your guests cozy. Grab all the best blankets in your house, fold them crisply, and put them in a wicker basket or whatever you have on hand. Place said basket in the front hallway or just to the left of your front door’s threshold so it’s one of the first things your guests see. Either instruct them upon greeting them or, if you live in the kind of neighborhood where people just let themselves in, write a notecard that tells them to each take a blanket and proceed to the main room. This will set the tone for the evening: be comfortable.

3. Champagne for everyone! Just because your guests are wearing sweats and will be lazing under swaths of plaid wool doesn’t mean they shouldn’t drink something festive. (Plus: we love a high-low situation.) Place a tray of just-filled Champagne glasses on a table next to the basket of blankets. That way, this is your guests’ experience: enter, remove jacket, grab blanket, pick up glass of bubbly, plop on sofa, sip. Prettyyyyyy good.

4. Finger foods rule for parties like this; you can serve an array of items that will satisfy everyone and and guests can nibble throughout the evening. If you take our Champagne advice above (and we hope you do!), go inexpensive with the food. Pigs in a blanket work, as do tater tots served with more high-brow condiments such as artisanal mustard or a smoked fish spread. If you want something healthier, serve crudités with bagna cauda or hummus. What we’re doing: ordering a bunch of appetizers from our favorite Chinese take-out joint, removing them from their Styrofoam packages, arranging them on beautiful platters, and calling it a day. Spring rolls, shrimp toast, dumplings—this salty, warming food is perfect with bubbly.

And popcorn. Always serve popcorn.

Basically, treat your guests as you would on any other cozy Sunday night—just with a little more thought. That’s all they want, anyway. The rest of their energy will spent trying to figure out just how many times, exactly, E! red carpet host Giuliana Rancic has whitened her teeth and bracing themselves for a political speech by Sean Penn.

P.S. Go Amy Adams!

Related:

All Things Oscars

The Complete List of Oscar Nominees

Oscar Nominee Snubs and Surprises