CamenaInvites
Ideas

Party guide

A Game Night

Board games, snacks that don't need a fork and a little friendly trash talk. The food should be easy to grab between turns and not leave greasy fingers on the cards.

Host tip: Read the rules of any new game the day before, so you can explain it in two minutes and get everyone playing.

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The menu

Snack
Seven-layer dip and chipsRecipe from Tastes Better From Scratch ↗
Beer cheese dip with soft pretzelsRecipe from Sally's Baking Addiction ↗
Spicy parmesan party popcornRecipe from RecipeTin Eats ↗
Main
Ham and Swiss slidersRecipe from Tastes Better From Scratch ↗
Dessert
Fudgy browniesRecipe from Natasha's Kitchen ↗

Drinks and ice

  • A beer and cider bucket
  • Arnold Palmers (half iced tea, half lemonade), with vodka on the side
  • Sparkling water

Dice-shaped ice

Dice-shaped silicone ice molds are a fun, cheap game-night detail. For the beer bucket, layer ice with coarse salt so it chills faster.

Make ahead

  1. 1 day before: Bake the brownies. Make the seven-layer dip (keep chips separate). Freeze the dice ice.
  2. Afternoon of: Make the popcorn and the beer cheese dip. Assemble the sliders.
  3. 30 minutes out: Sliders in the oven. Pick two or three games and set them out.
  4. When friends arrive: Drinks out, first game starts.

The music

The 25 songs
  1. Take On Me, a-ha
  2. Don't You (Forget About Me), Simple Minds
  3. Come On Eileen, Dexys Midnight Runners
  4. Jessie's Girl, Rick Springfield
  5. Tainted Love, Soft Cell
  6. Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Tears for Fears
  7. Footloose, Kenny Loggins
  8. The Safety Dance, Men Without Hats
  9. Hungry Like the Wolf, Duran Duran
  10. I Ran (So Far Away), A Flock of Seagulls
  11. Should I Stay or Should I Go, The Clash
  12. Video Killed the Radio Star, The Buggles
  13. Just Like Heaven, The Cure
  14. Any Way You Want It, Journey
  15. Rosanna, Toto
  16. Time After Time, Cyndi Lauper
  17. You Give Love a Bad Name, Bon Jovi
  18. Walk Like an Egyptian, The Bangles
  19. Karma Chameleon, Culture Club
  20. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Wham!
  21. 99 Luftballons, Nena
  22. Holiday, Madonna
  23. The Final Countdown, Europe
  24. Our House, Madness
  25. Twist and Shout, The Beatles

Little touches

  • A gift for the host

    What guests can bring.

    A new card game, a six-pack or a bag of good snacks

  • To take home

    A little something at the door.

    None needed; bragging rights for the winner

  • Something to do

    Two or three games ready to go: one big group game, one team game, one quick game (see After-dinner games)

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