Those living in our McHenry new homes are always looking for a reason to show off their spacious abodes to friends and family. If you’re ready to host your next big party since the Super Bowl, then we have just the occasion for you to celebrate. March Madness starts this Sunday with “Selection Sunday,” when 64 college basketball teams are selected for the Big Dance that so many of us love.

That means the best time to host a March Madness party is just two weeks away. That first weekend of play, when everyone’s favorite team is still part of the tournament, is when spirits and hopes are high, and everyone’s amped up about the exciting weeks to come. Take advantage of this energetic time by hosting a slam-dunk party in your home.

We have a few tips to make your March Madness party a success:

*One fun way to get your guests involved before the party even starts is to have them complete their brackets in advance, that way; you can start the party off with a friendly, competitive pool.

*Decorate your Poplar Grove homes with the colors of a basketball – orange and black, hanging streamers and balloons and/or create a giant bracket on your wall using craft paper.  Place inflatable basketballs around the room for guests to toss around to one another.  Put a basketball hoop over your trash can to make tossing trash fun and easy for your guests. You could even really get into the spirit of the tournament yourself by wearing a black-and-white striped referee jersey and whistle.

*Host a few games of your own. Do some research in advance and come up with a basketball-themed trivia game, bring out the basketball games on the Wii, or if it’s warm enough, host a quick game of ball outside.

*The number one party rule: make sure you have plenty of food and drinks. Save time on game day by making dishes in advance like casseroles or slow-cooker snacks. Or play into the basketball theme by serving only ball- or circle-shaped foods, like sausage balls, meatballs, cheese balls, pinwheel sandwich wraps, Cheetos balls; and be sure to have plenty of sweets, too, cookies, brownies and cupcakes or cake pops are always great offerings. In addition to the usual soft drinks, it might also be fun to have sports drinks for your guests, to really add to the sportsy-ambiance of the party.

We hope you just have fun with your friends and family. To learn more about Gerstad Builders, visit our website or call 815-385-4495.