If you have a partner who LOVES the Super Bowl, and you couldn’t care less, all the hype and excitement can often leave you feeling annoyed or a bit like an outsider. Or maybe you don’t have a partner but all your friends are gathering to watch the game and you just can’t be bothered. What to do?
Here’s a list of things people who hate the Super Bowl can do while others stuff their belly with junk and shout at the TV:
Host a Super Bowl Party
Yes, it sounds a bit counter-intuitive, right? However chances are, you have some friends in the same situation: one half of the couple loves the NFL and the other doesn’t even know what the letters stand for, or they’re looking for something fun to do. Hosting a party is a perfect way to get like-minded friends together! Super Bowl fans in one room with the game on, non-fans in another commiserating while partaking in anything but football. Board games (adult-themed ones, if no kids are involved), some fun cocktails and munchies of your own will create an environment equal to that of the football-watchers, and you can all gather for the half-time show.
Make it simple and request pot luck contributions while you provide the booze. Don’t worry about cleaning up; use paper plates and plastic cups. It doesn’t have to be fancy to be a good time! If you do want the Martha Stewart version of a Super Bowl party, there are plenty of guides to be found around the internet.
Have a Me-Time Day
Send the kids to the grandparents or a friend for the afternoon and focus on yourself. You don’t have to do everything together with your partner and taking time to refill your own bucket may just ward off that Super Bowl irritation.
Have a Field Trip with the Kids
Movies, outdoor activities, craft workshops — the sky’s the limit. There is always something you can do with your kids outside your home to cure them of the “I’m borrrreeeddd!” whining and give your Super Bowl fan the run of the house for pigging out and swearing at the quarterback when the game isn’t going well. Meet up with friends or family you don’t normally see and have been meaning to connect with. Make a date for a coffee, dinner, nature walk or a museum stroll and catch up on each other’s lives.
Plan out your Valentine’s Day ideas and do the shopping in advance to avoid the crowds on February 13th. Kick your Super Bowl fan out of the house to go watch the game with someone who truly matches his or her enthusiasm and start the task of de-cluttering your home. Have a cook-off in the kitchen. Plan out some easy meals that freeze well, shop for all the ingredients before Super Bowl Sunday, then spend the afternoon cooking to stock up your freezer for those days meetings run late or the kids have activities. If you’ve decided that you might as well join ’em, there are loads of places to find out the basics about NFL football so that you’re not completely lost while watching the Super Bowl.