Happy May the Fourth, otherwise known as Star Wars Day! Every night is a great night for a Star Wars marathon in my book, but tonight it’s kind of mandatory. However, there’s no need to worry if you haven’t already planned a big, extravagant party complete with your dog in a Tauntaun costume greeting your guests. Here are some super easy ways to pull off an amazing May the Fourth Star Wars movie night with just a couple hours’ notice and items you probably already have at home.

My son and I enjoying his first ever Star Wars movie night…a moment every mother dreams of!

May the Fourth Food and Drinks

It just wouldn’t be a movie night without delicious snacks. Here are a couple simple, Star Wars-inspired ideas that are easy enough for anyone to pull off: (More ideas here as well)

Lightsaber Pretzel Sticks

Simply frost some large pretzel sticks and roll tin foil around the ends. Here’s an easy walk-though as well -> LINK

Wookiee Cookies

We’ve tried the recipe from Wookiee Cookies: A Star Wars Cookbook and they were pretty good. Here’s a modified version you can try if you don’t have the book.

Stormtrooper Marshmallow Cupcakes

Make (or buy) whatever kind of cupcakes you want and pop a marshmallow trooper on top. I can’t get over how cute these are. Black and white frosting obviously works better if you want to stick to the traditional stormtrooper look. Here’s a walkthrough -> LINK

Han Solo in Carbonite Jello

If you can make jello, you can handle this dish with ease. It will require a Han Solo Lego figure or action figure, of course -> LINK

Short Stop Blog

Princess Leia Oreo Truffles

With Rolo buns for hair, these sweet treats contain oreos, cream cheese and delicious chocolate. Here’s the full recipe -> LINK

Here are some additional lists that will help you plan out a full assortment of Star Wars treats:

• 21 options that include BB-8 quesadillas, Ewok granola bars & Death Star cake pops -> LINK
• 10 options that include Sarlacc Bundt Cake, Yoda Watermelon & Jabba The Hummus -> LINK
• 17 options that include Porg Inari Sushi, Bantha Cocoa, & Star Wars macaroons -> LINK
• 40 options that include Yoda Guacamole, Darth Vader Sausage Rolls, & a Light Saber Veggie Tray -> LINK

May the Fourth Star Wars Cocktails

For adult-only parties, you’ll need to serve festive Star Wars drinks. Here are three our favorite creations:

The Drink Me, You Will Cocktail

(image: Tim Nusog)

• Includes apple brandy, apple cider, sage syrup, lemon juice and basil: LINK

Blue Skywalker

• Includes coconut rum, pineapple juice & blue curacao, blended & served with a cherry. LINK (second option as well: LINK)

The Death Star

Geeky Hostess

• Includes Jagermeister, triple sec, vodka, whiskey, sweet and sour mix, cola: LINK (You should also pick up The Death Star ice cuber mold on Amazon)

Here are some lists of Star Wars cocktails that people have created over the years as well:

• 47 options, including the “Jedi Mind Trick”, a “Princess’s Pleasure”, “Blue Milk” and “Wookie Juice.” -> LINK
• 9 options, including the Darth Vader, Stormtrooper, R2-D2 and C-3PO -> LINK
• 4 options including the Dark Side, Qui-Gon Gin-Singer & Darth Mauled Pomegranite Cider -> LINK
• 7 options including the BB-8 Dark & Stormy, Wookie Fuzzball & Planet Hoth Toddy -> LINK

May the Fourth Attire

May the Fourth is the perfect excuse to geek out and dress up like your favorite Star Wars character. If you somehow don’t already have an old Halloween costume or T-shirt in the closet (and you call yourself a fan!?), here are a couple ways to show your love of the Star Wars universe with things you probably do have lying around the house:

A Bathrobe

While a robe with a hood is obviously going to be the most authentic, any old bathrobe should be enough to have you feeling at least slightly Jedi-ish. Or you could snag your Halloween costume a bit early here: LINK

A Fuzzy Jacket or Sweatshirt

I’ve always thought the furry Monkey Man-type fleece jackets everybody wears are kind of Chewbacca-y. If you happen to have one, tonight may be the perfect time to throw it on. If you’re really crafty, make some sort of homemade utility belt for added effect.

If you have time to get something from Amazon, check out the “I Am Chewie” Furry Hoodie.

“Something green, you could wear”

Show some reverence toward the Grand Master himself with an outfit of entirely green hues.

Princess Leia Hair

If you’re a girl, and you have long hair, rock the Princess Leia buns. It’s super easy and any guy at the party will probably fall desperately in love with you.

May the Fourth Activities

Besides watching the films and complaining about all the extra CGI crap George Lucas has added to the originals or about how badly you want to throw something at Jar-Jar Binks, here are a few activities you can do to celebrate May the Fourth:

Lightsaber Battles

Cut some foam pool noodles in half and use silver duct tape for the handles (here’s full instructions). Fun for adults and kids alike.

Of course, if you aren’t the DIY type, you can always Amazon Prime some toy lightsabers your way. Here are several options ranging from cheap toys to expensive collectibles: LINK

Star Wars Trivia

The Internet is full of Star Wars trivia questions/answers you can download and print out. This site has a bunch of great options that are challenging ,but not so obscure that only the nerdiest of Star Wars nerds would know the answers.

Star Wars Drinking Game

If you’re having a kid-free May the Fourth, here’s a drinking game you can play while working your way through the films. For example, it includes taking a drink each time a ship enters or comes out of light speed, each time a lightsaber is ignited or turned off, or each time Luke or Anakin Skywalker whine about something. I seriously recommend taking pretty small sips of that Blue Milk cocktail, otherwise you’ll pass out long before you even get to the good movies!

Star Wars Crafting Fun

If you are looking for something the kids can participate in, there are a number of cheap and easy craft projects that you can try. For instance, here’s a tutorial on painting Star Wars characters on flower pots.

Some other ideas include:

• Yoda puppet with a simple paper plate & googly eyes: LINK
• Rescue Han Solo in a Star Wars LEGO science experiment: LINK
• Make light op May the Fourth Be With You greeting cards: LINK
• Create your own Star Wars Play Dough Kit: LINK
• Create DIY R2-D2 & C3PO out of LEGOs: LINK

How to Pull Off an Impromptu ‘May the Fourth Be With You’ Party

Are you ready for Super Bowl 50? With just a handful of days before the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos kick off Super Bowl 50 in San Francisco, you are probably already gearing up for your big Super Bowl party. If that’s the case, now is the time to get your house in order with the right tech as well as theming the hell out of your party with the proper food & drink.

We’ve put together the ultimate big game guide together to help you through the process.

Screens, Go Big or Go Home

If you have 20 people coming over to watch the game, hovering around a 42-inch television is so 2010. It’s time to upgrade your screen size, ideally 55 inches or higher. While 4K Ultra HD is getting ramped up right now, you don’t actually have to buy a 4K set this year. The Super Bowl is not going to to broadcast in Ultra HD this year, but it will likely be broadcast in 4K next year. Here are a few solid picks: (prices are subject to change)

• LG 65LF5700 65″ 1080p Roku HDTV at Best Buy for $800.
• VIZIO E60-C3 60″ 1080p 120Hz HDTV at Walmart for $499. (Refurbished)
• LG Electronics 55LF6100 55-Inch 1080p HDTV at Amazon for $598.

If you really want to impress everyone, consider stepping up to a projection system. If your weather is mild in your neck of the woods, you could also consider an outdoor party with an giant projection screen. Here are great options for both.

• Optoma GT1080 1080p 3D DLP Projector at Amazon for $700.
• Outdoor Big Screen 92″ Lite Portable Movie Screen at Target for $150.

But The Screen Isn’t Everything

What good is a giant screen if you are stuck using the low-powered speakers in the TV? Parties can get loud and you are going to need volume. Here are a couple deals to boost your audio profile:

• LG LAS454B – 2.1ch 300W Sound Bar with Wireless Sub at Best Buy for $130.
• VIZIO 38″ 5.1-Channel Sound Bar with Wireless Sub and Rear Satellites at Walmart for $188.

You should also consider how hungry your guests will be for the second screen experience. If they want stats or replays on demand, keeping a tablet on hand will be handy.

Another option is routing your cable signal though an Xbox One in order to watch the game within the NFL on Xbox app. That will give you real-time stats on the game on the screen as well as access to replays. Here are a couple good deals to accomplish that:

• Samsung Galaxy 9.7-Inch 16 GB Tablet at Amazon for $250.
• Xbox One 1TB Madden NFL 16 Bundle + Free Game at Microsoft Store for $399.

Who’s Thirsty?

While having a variety of popular beer and wine on hand will certainly please your party-goers, it’s certainly not going to keep them talking about your party around the water cooler on Monday morning.

You need to kick it up a notch with some mixed drinks themed to the teams playing in the Super Bowl. Our suggestions:

Carolina Panther Cocktails

• Carolina Sweet Tea: Recipe 1, Recipe 2, Recipe 3
• Blue Curacao Margarita: Recipe 1, Recipe 2
• Carolina Blue Whale: Recipe 1, Recipe 2, Recipe 3
• Moonshine Mint Julep: Recipe 1, Recipe 2
• Carolina Panther Punch: Recipe

Denver Bronco Cocktails

• The Orange Crush: Recipe 1, Recipe 2
• Broncos Zone Blitz: Recipe
• The Bronco Bulldog: Recipe 1, Recipe 2
• Tequila Sunrise: Recipe 1, Recipe 2
• Spiced Cider Punch: Recipe

Who’s Hungry?

I see you eyeballing that sad pack of frozen pizza pockets in the grocery store. Let’s call that a third-string backup because you are going to step it up on the food front this year.

Don’t get me wrong, you should have the staples. You can never have enough chips, dip and other snacks during the game. However, you can also prep a handful of items prior to the game that will blow away your guests. Our themed suggestions:

Carolina Panther Dishes

• Carolina Pulled Pork Sliders: Recipe 1, Recipe 2, Recipe 3
• Fried Pickles: Recipe 1, Recipe 2, Recipe 3
• Collard Green and Artichoke dip: Recipe 1, Recipe 2
• Southern Fried Hot Wings: Recipe 1, Recipe 2
• Carolina Panthers Choco Chip & Pecan Cookies: Recipe

Denver Bronco Dishes

• Rocky Mountain Oysters: Recipe 1, Recipe 2, Recipe 3
• Mini Taco Bites: Recipe 1, Recipe 2
• Buffalo Sliders: Recipe 1, Recipe 2
• Pork and Pinto Bean Nachos: Recipe
• Bronco Orange Butter Cookies: Recipe

If you can’t find anything you want to make above, I recommend checking out 103 Super Bowl Recipes at Brown Eyed Baker.

That’s pretty much it; you are now ready to host a kick-ass Super Bowl 50 party. Go forth and conquer. And pray the Super Bowl gods deliver unto us a halftime performance from Beyonce that we can mock for weeks to come.

How to Throw a Killer Panthers / Broncos Super Bowl 50 Party