It’s October, which means we’ll soon be witnessing the changing of the seasons: not summer fading into autumn, but baseball giving way to football. Here are some basic tips for hosting a successful game day get-together.

Rain or Shine: If the weather’s nice, make plans to grill outside pre-game or during halftime. Weather forecast looks a little grimmer? Change the menu to dishes you can cook in the kitchen. If you’re a true die-hard you can take your game to the next level and barbeque regardless of rain, wind or snow.
Cook Before and Serve Early: No host wants to miss the key moments in the game while manning the stove. Cook dishes before the crowd arrives and have food set out ahead of time. Hot dishes can be kept warm in the oven.
Food Setup: Ideally you should pull a kitchen or dining room table into one corner of the living room and serve food buffet style. Leave room on either side of the table of possible, and remember to provide plenty of plates, silverware and napkins.
Traffic Flow: Often the temptation is to cram as much seating into your living room as possible. Remember that your guests are going to be up and about throughout the game. Set up chairs and couches with adequate walking paths.
Garbage and Recycling: Set up bags for garbage and recycling in accessible areas of the kitchen. You may want to have an additional garbage container in the living room as well. Make signs for each.
Support the Fantasy Football Diehards: Fantasy football has become increasingly popular amongst even casual football fans. Keeping a laptop or desktop with an internet connection nearby will please those avid stat-trackers.