Hosting the Perfect Eurovision Party
Eurovision is without doubt my favourite non-sporting event of the year. I never used to be into it, and would regularly moan about vote rigging and how it's all just too political to count as a legitimate contest. But then, in my mid-30s, I realised that none of that mattered at all - it was just bloody good fun. The quality of the singing is mostly irrelavant - it's all about the pazzazz. The costumes are usually ridiculous, the dances are mad, the hosts linking things are often terrible and there are always way, way too many ballads, but the overall feeling of joy and togetherness it creates makes the inevitably biased voting blocs worth it. That's why I have started throwing Eurovision parties, which have now got to be so good and so much fun that even my friends who say they HATE Eurovision come along and have a great time. I've built up things over the years so as not to break the bank in one go, but here are my top tips for hosting an amazing Eurovision party. Decorations One of the things that turns it from "a bunch of people watching telly together" into a proper Eurovision party is the decorations. These don't have to cost the earth, but every thing you do will really amp up the excitement for you and your guests. Flag bunting is really cheap, and can be reused every year. I get another pack for each party as you can never really have enough - stringing it around hallways, outdoors, the living room, kitchen and more makes it clear that this is no ordinary night. Matching this are little flags which go into the food (more on that below), and other flags get scattered around for no reason other than that they're fun. And you can never have enough balloons. Whether it's glitter balls filled with helium or just regular ones blown up by hand, fill your space with as many as you can manage. And if you want something extra special then put together a balloon arch. They're surprisingly easy to do, whether you use the plastic strips with holes punched in it to hold them together or go for a proper arch kit. My favourite arch was really cheap, and consists of a tent pole with water-filled stands to hold it in place, with balloons attached to little circles you thread onto it. Bonus points if you do them as a rainbow, of course. Food and drink It's tempting to do all of the catering yourself, planning dishes that will delight your guests from all of the competing countries. By all means, do a little of that, but remember that every second you're cooking in the kitchen is a second you're not in the room watching the madness unfold. It also removes one of the joys of the party - getting your guests involved in making it fun. Ask them each to bring along at least one thing to eat and drink from a participating nation. You can either leave it up to them, risking a hundred baguettes turning up, or you can assign them each a specific country. Either way, it means you don't have to do all the work yourself. Fancy dress This one is optional as every friendship group is different, but it's surprising how many people are itching for the opportunity to dress up for a party. You basically have two options available to you. The first is simply to encourage Eurovision Party outfits - think neon, ridiculous glam, over the top makeup, weird costumes, or maybe just effortlessly cool. The second is to go all-in, and ask your guests to come dressed as a competing country. Whether you assign them countries or not is up to you, but their mission is to come in an outfit which screams a specific country so loud that nobody will be in doubt as to who they are representing. Think lederhosen, or football kits, or frilly dresses, or film characters - the options are endless. Bingo This is where things really get interesting. Have a think about some of the things you predict will happen and make a list - alternatively, here's a link to some to get you started . Make sure you have a good, long list because these are going to be turned into bingo cards for your guests. The easiest way to do this is to use a bingo card generator - just copy and paste your list into there and let it do the work. Make sure not every card is the same (otherwise it'll get very confusing working out who won), and hand them to your guests. Some of the things they'll be on the lookout for will be during the singing, some during the bits in-between, and some during the voting, which means they all stay engaged. If you are feeling particularly bougie, pick up a cheap trophy and bottle of fizz for the winner. Taking it up a notch If you do any of that at all you'll have a great night. If you really want to step things up, there are a couple of surprisingly cheap additions which make a big difference. You can pick up a smoke machine for surprisingly little money these days. Mine was about £25 from Vinted, and came with a little remote so I could give it a quick blast at the start and whenever a particularly good song came on. It also had lights included, which really added to the party vibe. Combine that with a couple of laser projectors pointing through the smoke and it becomes a real party vibe. And the best way to end things is with confetti! Small confetti cannons are available for less than £20 - saving them for the final moments, when the winner is crowned, really puts the icing on the cake. A quick twist of the bottom while pointing it in the right direction and it almost feels like you're there in person. Just be aware that you'll be finding bits of confetti for months afterwards... The final, golden rule... Hosting a Eurovision party can be one of the most fun events you ever prepare. Whatever the outcome, people are brought together in joy, even when the UK inevitably gets nil-point and finishes last. Make sure your guests know that it's all about the fun, and that the voting is definitely rigged one way or another, and you won't go far wrong. And make sure you remember to enjoy it all yourself, too!!! Hosting can be a bit stressful, so remind yourself that all the people there are having fun because of your effort, so it would be rude for you not to have fun too. Good luck!