Planning an Oscars party is a snap—your TV will be your centerpiece, so you just need to add some lights, camera and action to bring the show to life.

Start the party as soon as your guests arrive by placing a red carpet right inside your door. As you open the door, give your guests the paparazzi treatment by yelling their name and snapping lots of photos of them as they enter.

In the spirit of the golden Oscar statue and the silver screen, buy cups, plates and other party decorations in shiny metallic colors.

And finally, because the Oscars usually clocks in at well over three hours, you’ll want to make sure your guests are comfortable enough to make it through the whole show. Footstools, extra pillows and blankets help your guests hang in there to see what is crowned Best Picture.

Half the fun when you watch the Oscars together with friends is critiquing what the stars are wearing. In the fine tradition popularized by Mr. Blackwell and Joan Rivers, you can make yourself and your guests victims of the fashion police by having everyone wear their fanciest outfit—or their most hideous one.

Plus, have plenty of feather boas and top hats on hand so you and your guests can reflect that old Hollywood glamour. And don’t forget the sunglasses, so you can pretend you’re going incognito just like the biggest stars try to do.

An Oscar pool keeps everyone invested in even the smallest, least-flashy awards. Give each guest a ballot with the Oscar nominees and ask them to pick the winners.

You can award one point for each correct answer, or give extra points to the major categories, like best actor and best picture. To prevent a tie, include a tie-breaker question like "How long will the Oscar telecast be?" Whoever gets closest without going over wins.

Another way to keep guests entertained through hour three is to play Oscars bingo. Before the party, create bingo cards with the most common Oscar happenings: a winner crying, thanking God or forgetting to thank their spouse or co-star; a presenter mangling a nominee's name; the orchestra cutting off a winner's speech; a host's joke falling flat.

Give each guest a card to mark off during the broadcast, and award prizes for each bingo. Be sure to switch up the items on your cards so everybody doesn't yell "BINGO!" at the same time.

Buffets featuring room-temperature foods like cheese and crackers, assorted olives, chips and dip, brownies and fruit are quick and easy for guests to eat during commercial breaks.

In honor of the movies, give each guest an individual bag of popcorn to snack on during the show, and have bowls of classic movie-theater snacks like Junior Mints, Raisinets, SnoCaps and Juju Fruits on hand.

For your feature food presentation, keep it light yet decadent, so you can keep snacking during the show. Caesar salad has been a Hollywood favorite since its introduction in the 1920s. Rich pastas are always a fan favorite, and star-shaped cookies round out the meal.

Featured Oscars Party Recipes from Epicurious.com

Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons and Balsamic Dressing

Eggplant and Spinach Lasagne Spirals

Maple Stars

Oscar Cocktail (serves 1) • 1 oz. gin • 1 oz. vodka • 3/4 oz. cherry brandy • 1 dash grenadine syrup • 1 oz. pineapple juice • 1 oz. orange soda • orange wedges and maraschino cherry, for garnish Fill a brandy snifter with ice, then add all liquid ingredients. Stir, then garnish with an orange wedge and a maraschino cherry.

Non-Alcoholic — sparkling cider, sparkling water, assorted sodas

Movie Lover Gift Ideas

Find unique gift ideas for movie buffs and cinema fans.

Find Gifts Now!

Send the right message with our free eCards — they're a fast and easy way to say thank you, happy birthday, save the date, congratulations, and more.

Send free eCards