Throw Your Own Golden Globes Gala

By KYLE REYES

Updated 12:30 PM EST, Fri, Jan 9, 2009

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Sunday night, the Golden Globes will be on NBC. Sure, you could sit at home and watch them by yourself. But what fun would that be?

Instead, use it as an excuse for a party. We scoured over countless books and websites to find the best way to throw a shindig on a budget. Here’s what we’ve come up with for an award-winning party.

Play Dress Up: There’s one thing the Globes will have that you won’t – celebrities. But that doesn’t mean you can’t MOCK the celebs. Have all of your guests dress to the nines – gowns, tuxes, or costumes that look like their favorite actors.

Rollout the Red Carpet: You don’t literally need a red carpet. Get some red construction paper or wrapping paper and tape it down to your floor.

Hors D’oeuvres: Skip dinner. It’s expensive, and the celebs can’t afford the calories either. Instead, go with appetizers. Give the kid next door $10 to walk around with a big plate of cheese and crackers, cheese ravioli, pigs in a blanket, hummus and pita chips, or mini spring rolls. Buy in bulk from a place like Costco, Sam’s Club, or BJ’s. Click here for some easy, inexpensive ideas.

Poppin’ Bubbly: All of the cool kids are doing it. You don’t need a high-end champagne to do the trick – hide the bottles and your celebrity guests probably won’t know the difference. You can buy bottles of cheap champagne for as low as $3.99 (go with one bottle for every 4 people, minimum). If you want to make it go further, throw in a splash of Arbor Mist (cheaper than juice!). And of course pinkie up when you’re drinking it!

Act It Out: While you’re waiting for the show to start, why not a little acting of your own? There’s nothing like a little charades to bring out the comedy, drama, and action. (Side note – notice we put this AFTER the bubbly.) There are board games out there for less than $20 that will help guide you along. Try Guesstures, Moods, Hilarium, or Taboo. Give Golden Globes made out of Play-doh as prizes. Click here to learn how to make it yourself. Yes, you may all be adults. But the groans and the chuckles you’ll get will be worth it. We hope.

Backup Plan: If your budget doesn’t allow for the above, skip the apps and bubbly. Make your party a competition like the Golden Globes. Tell them each to bring a unique bottle of wine and unusual cheese. You supply the glasses and the crackers. Hand out certificates for “Best Supporting Wine” and “Best Foreign Wine”. Your friends will love it and ignore the fact that you’re too broke to afford a real globe.

Having a party? Click here to tell us about it!