East Carolinian

Issue date: 11/4/08 Section: Features

Media Credit: staff photo

Forget political parties. Throw your own party!

It's the night almost four years in the making. With most North Carolina polls closing at 7 p.m., it leaves plenty of time for the Democrat or Republican (or maybe even the Independent) in all of us to celebrate the end of boring political ads and the beginning of the next four years of our country.

An election party is a sure way to rejoice and look back at the intense election season. Since many of us will be up late, coloring in our trusty U.S. maps red or blue, why not make a night of it by inviting your friends over for the results? Here's some tips to make your party McCain or Obama-ready:

• Start by decorating your living room with blue and red balloons. Even if you tend to favor a certain color or party, not all of your friends might feel the same way. Add a few white balloons in there and just make it a general American celebration!

• Do the same with refreshments, including using the famous Solo cups (red of course, in good party form). If you are on a tight budget, it might help to recycle old Fourth of July decorations from this summer's celebration. Even fall decorations can be used-instead of carving a pumpkin with an unusual picture, have a contest where friends carve Barack Obama or John McCain faces into the front.

• Play a classic game of Bingo during the election coverage. Print a blank Bingo card from online, and have your friends fill in the spaces with people they might see during the television broadcasts. Some examples: a clip of Tina Fey impersonating Sarah Palin, a station calling a state's results too early, etc. The possibilities are endless with what you might see, but this game is a hilarious way to celebrate a night that will inevitably be stressful for some.

• Make a political playlist. While it's easy to steal from either Obama or McCain's campaign trail mix, it's even better when you find songs on your own. During the lag times of election coverage, turn the TV on mute, and crank up that iPod for all of the neighbors to hear. A simple search online will give you ideas, but some tracks should include "Born in the USA" by Bruce Springsteen and the classic, "God Bless America." Just make sure you sing along.

Bring out as many noisemakers as possible when hosting this event, because when those election results come in, you might feel obligated to wake the neighbors, especially if your desired candidate wins the election.



This writer can be contacted at features@theeastcarolinian.com.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools