Once baseball’s World Series defined America’s competitive nature, today the Super Bowl and American football have taken center stage. Times change, and while major league baseball players aren’t yet in the bread ranks, they seem dwarfed by the popularity of football.

For many households, the Super Bowl party is becoming one of the main social occasions. Admittedly commoner in comparison to the tradition of party favors and such, it is considered as pure a treat as New Year’s Eve once was. Traditions change and it is better to change with them or be as overwhelmed as a salmon swimming upstream to spawn.

Today’s Super Bowl party has a decades-long history of developing layering of trends and marketing. Magazines are full of recipes and money-saving offers that recommend menus and train hosts and hostesses on their uses. Many of these contain very good advice if they are intended to sell specific products.

Among the best of these are the bocadillos. These tend to be savory rather than sweet. Dips of various kinds are the favorite Super Bowl party staple. Other occasions call for cakes and cookies, while this is an occasion that highlights the use of gravy and spinach dip.

Paper party supplies make up the majority of Super Bowl decorations, but plastic football trays and helmet bowls are used to coordinate the team’s favorite colors. The spinach dip, of course, is served in a bread bowl with a spoon so that the bread cubes sit on toothpicks for easy dipping. However, the chips and salsa can still be served in those ceramic hat sets.

Regional favorites work well for Super Bowl celebrations. A roaring fire sets the mood in New England, while local chowders can, as always, feed the crowd. Golden Rule? Enjoy!