Patch Oscar Party: Tips to Host the Ultimate Bash

Today is the Academy Awards, which in my world, means laying out my prom dress, buying an extra large pizza and inviting my closest friends over to revel in all that is Oscar night. 

For those of you who may not understand my strange obsession with this night, permit me a brief explanation–the Oscars are my Super Bowl. I revel in the night's wardrobe malfunctions, yell at the screen when a bad call has been made and make small bets with friends on the outcome.

From the first red carpet coverage, to the last glimpse of the after-party I am glued to the television screen. Over time, I have become somewhat of an expert on planning a homemade Oscar bash and while I would love to invite each and everyone of you to my home to share this night, for security reasons, I'm going to share my secrets instead.

Best Supporting Materials

• Official Oscar ballots (available in the "Photo" section to the right): Prior to the arrival of your guests, print off a few of these official ballots, courtesy of the website, Oscars.org. Have your guests fill out their picks prior to the start of the show. At the end of the night have each guest tally the number of picks they got correct and have a small prize or treat when you announce, "And the winner is ..."
• "Best" awards: Keep the party moving by handing out your own "Best" awards throughout the night. Choose categories like "Best Dressed," or "Best Couple" and have your friends vote for each other. Party stores have aisles full of inexpensive ribbons and trophies you can use to award the "winner."
• Commercial fillers: Unfortunately, the commercials during the Oscars aren't quite as good as those during the Super Bowl, so you might need something to keep everyone interested. For the less lively, you can try some 83rd Academy Awards trivia (available in the "Photo" section), courtesy of Oscars.org, or for the more rambunctious crowds, a game of "Who Am I?" For the latter, grab a few name tags and list the names of celebrities, living or dead. Stick the name tags to the backs of your guests and have them try to guess who they are based on clues given by fellow guests.

Best Decoration

• on Hall Road has one aisle devoted to Hollywood-themed decor. From Oscar-like gold statuettes to banners, red carpet and popcorn containers, you can cover most of your decor bases for under $20. Print off a coupon on the website and save 15 percent on anything in the store.
• Entertainment gurus are saying this year's Oscars are all about color, so when you're buying the standard paper plates and napkins, consider an upgrade to color. 

Best Drink Creation

• There are two stages on the Oscar bash beverage spectrum. If you can't see yourself thinking too outside the box, then rest assured, a few 2-liters of Pepsi or Coke products and small selection of wine or beer will suffice. But if you are feeling adventurous, then read on ...

1. Oscar Night-Themed Drinks: Red Carpet Fizz, Shirley Temple, Tequila Mockingbird (get it?)
2. Drinks from the Movies–The Thin Man (1934) dry gin martinis, The Seven Year Itch (1955) Tom Collins, James Bond martinis and champagne

The 83rd Academy Awards starts at 8 p.m. on ABC.