Every February 2nd, Americans eagerly await the groundhog: will the sleepy rodent’s appearance herald the arrival of spring…or foretell another six weeks of winter?

Groundhog Day has its origins in a Christian festival called Candlemas , which is traditionally celebrated on or around February 2nd. A European tradition stated that a sunny Candlemas meant an additional six weeks of winter weather, while a cloudy Candlemas signaled an early spring. According to German folklore, the matter was clinched by the appearance of a hedgehog: if the sight of his own shadow frightened the shy creature back into hibernation, Candlemas was officially “sunny.”

Because hedgehogs are not indigenous to North America, early German settlers adopted the groundhog, or woodchuck, as their weather predictor. In 1887, a newspaper editor named Clymer H. Freas along with a newspaper publisher and American Congressman named W. Smith organized a Groundhog Day festival in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The festival’s mascot, a groundhog dubbed Punxsutawney Phil, “told” the Groundhog Club president his prediction regarding winter’s end. On that historic morning, Phil saw his shadow at 7:32.

Now an annual event, the festival continues to be popular, inspiring films, fiction and other events and festivals around the country. Even Canada is in on the fun – our neighbors to the North look to “Wiarton Willy” to predict the arrival of spring.

Even if you can’t make it to the big game, you can enjoy a great game-day party at home! With the right preparations, you and your guests will have a good time, even if all are not big football fans.

Decorations

Have enough TVs.
Set up multiple TVs so all guests will have a clear, unobstructed view.

Tip: If you expect really rabid fans, maybe set up a TV in the bathroom for those inevitable interruptions.

Dress up.
Encourage guests to come dressed in one of the team’s colors.

Split the room.
Make a line with masking tape down the center of your TV room, decorating one side for each team with posters, pennants, blankets and other team paraphernalia.

Tip: To save expense, consider making the posters and pennants with poster board and markers. Get the kids involved.

Decorate furniture.
Cover chair backs with team jerseys.

Tip: If you don’t have team jerseys, try making them with inexpensive t-shirts and indelible markers.

Add a unique touch to your table.
Use fake turf on your buffet table instead of a tablecloth. Use a football or a helmet, if you have one, as a centerpiece.

Keep people comfortable.
Have plenty of cushions, footrests and blankets available.

Games

Set up a pool.
A simple search online will show you how to do it. Try typing “football pool” into your chosen search engine.

Tip: In addition to the final winners at the end of the game, why not have winners for each quarter?

Tip: Add some other fun wrinkles, too, like bets on who will win the coin toss, who will have the first turnover and the first score, the length of the game, who will be Most Valuable Player, etc.
For prizes to the winning betters, pick up small football-themed gifts or award them with gift certificates.

Rate the commercials.
Rate the commercials that debut during the game. Tally up the results and announce the winner at the end.

Tip: You can have a pool for this, too!

Invite guests to “get involved”.
If you prefer a more raucous sort of party, purchase or make foam bricks to throw at the TV when a call or score doesn’t go your team’s way. Rubber dart guns work well, too.

Challenge guests with football trivia.
Keep track of trivia scores and give a prize or gag gift to those who get the most correct.

Tell football jokes.
Ask everyone to come to the party with a football joke. Or you can print out a bunch from the Internet and put them in a bowl and let guests draw them during the game.

Give mementos.
Hand out small items as gifts or just thanks. Ideas include key chains, mousepads, stickers, magnets, anything with a team name or Super Bowl logo on it.

Food

Make snacks available.
Chips and dips are a staple of any Super Bowl party.

Tip: Veggies cut and prepared at the store can be a popular healthy replacement for chips.

Serve buffet style.
Prepare all food in advance, or consider a potluck.

Tip: Lean toward foods that don’t require silverware if possible.

Use warming plates or crockpots.
This will keep food warm while allowing guests to help themselves and helping you stay out of the kitchen.

Serve on paper or plastic tableware with team designs.
Have lots of paper towels, napkins and rug cleaner handy.

Tip: Sourdough bread bowls, cabbage and sweet bell peppers are also fun containers for dips.

For recipe ideas for appetizers, desserts and main dishes, see below.

Drinks

Beer
Have plenty of beer chilled. This means you’ll also want a lot of ice on hand.

Tip: Keep a full cooler within arm’s reach during the game. Restock at halftime.

Cocktails
If you want to serve cocktails, keep it simple by choosing one or two, ideally with a football focus.

Tip: Create and name your own special, one-of-a-kind game-day drink.

Non-alcoholic
Have plenty of coffee and sodas ready for kids and those who prefer non-alcoholic beverages.

Miscellaneous

Help arrange transportation.
Make sure that guests that drink do not drive home. Either offer to pickup and drop off guests or have taxi numbers ready and available.

Tip: Hire a van for the day and pay a non-drinking or non-Super Bowl friend to drive guests to and from the party.

Keep kids occupied.
Set up a back room for the kids with a TV and DVDs, snacks of their own, games, and other toys. Consider getting a sitter.

Safeguard fragile items.
Be safe and remove any breakable items before guests arrive.

Plan for cleanup.
Make sure you have enough trash bags for the post-game cleanup.

Helpful party ideas from Solutions:

Inflatable Serving Bar	Inflatable Serving Bar Turn an ordinary table into an ice-cold cooler for salads or beverages.
Buffet Serving Platters	Buffet Serving Platters Unbreakable serveware looks great and travels with ease.
Essential Condiment Bowls	Essential Condiment Bowls Here’s an attractive, space-saving way to serve side sauces!
NFL Neon Helmet	NFL Neon Helmet Display your team spirit with a light-up sign!

Recipes

Appetizers:
Garlic Bruschetta
Exceptional Bean Dip
Fast and Easy Avocado Dip
Cornbread Muffins

Main Dishes:
Irish Beef Stew
Stuffed Peppers
Roasted Garlic Chicken Pizza

Desserts:
Turtle Bars
Soft Ginger Cookies

View all of our recipes here.

January 23rd is Yoga Day USA! Many of us at Solutions love the way yoga makes us feel – in fact, we have an on-site class once a week after work. Great for all fitness levels, yoga eases physical and mental stress, offers relief from pain without medication, increases your flexibility and even helps you manage your weight!

Check out your local gym, community college or recreational center for a yoga class near you, or visit your local library to check out a book or video with postures you can practice at home. And don’t miss these great products from Solutions to help you get started with your new activity!

84109 Stainless Steel Water Bottle: Safer to drink from than aluminum or plastic.
83786 Yoga Stick-e™ Socks (pictured above): No slipping as you exercise.
80817 Car Seat Vest Cover: Keep seats clean after a workout.

Post: R.E.M. Spring – Facial Hair Removing Spring – Review Roundup

Category: Recipes

Recipe: Fast and Easy Avocado Dip

Freebie: How to Set a Table, Detailed Proper Place Setting Instructions

Help us celebrate Kitchen Month at Solutions by sharing your favorite kitchen shortcut with our readers! The writer of our favorite tip will receive a handsome, neoprene Market Tote packed with our popular Gourmet Getaway Bag, nonstick Silver Dollar Waffle Griddle, neoprene Fishnet Wine Tote, an Egg Pet Plant and an e-gift card for $100 at Solutions.com. Altogether, this wonderful gift has a total value of over $235 – you can even share it with someone else!
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“Mom browned cube steak and put it in the oven to cook slowly and tenderize, then made a gravy with Campbell’s mushroom soup to put over mashed potatoes. A serving of Bisquick biscuits added to the treat, one we loved so much that we did not complain about the serving of green vegetables we had to eat. We were poor, but that meal made us feel like royalty!”

-Sheryl B.

Thanks to everyone who submitted their favorite “comfort food’ dishes. Check out all the meals in the original Remember your family’s favorite “comfort meal?” post.

What’s your favorite household cleaning tip? Share it with our readers – the writer of our favorite tip will receive an e-gift card for $200 at Solutions.com. You can even share it with a friend or family member for a wonderful gift!
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