First, make sure you have plenty of seating available for the number of people you plan to invite and that everyone will have a clear view of the television. Some people ask their guests to dress up in their finest Oscar-worthy attire, which can add to the festive mood but isn’t necessarily a must.

As your guests arrive, be sure to pass out pens and ballots. You can make your own ballots, or download the official ballots from the Academy’s website. If you make your own, consider adding funny open-ended categories like “Worst Dressed” or “Worst Acceptance Speech.’ When you tally the results at the end and announce the winner, you can also announce which celebrities won in your own fun contests. The winner should be encouraged to make an acceptance speech of their own, and it’s always nice to hand out a prize, even if just their own personal Oscar statue. We think a bottle of FAT bastard wine would be much appreciated as well!

As for food and drink, here are some appetizer ideas and wine pairings to go with some of the Best Picture nominees. Use these or let them be your inspiration and create your own!

Avatar

Pay homage to the blue Na’vi people of Pandora, and serve a bleu cheese dip and paired with FAT bastard Cabernet Sauvignon.

District 9

This one is kind of obvious, if you’ve seen the movie—grilled prawns on the barbeque! Serve with FAT bastard Sauvignon Blanc.

The Hurt Locker

Pay tribute to this movie’s setting with a Middle Eastern dish like hummus, kebabs or falafel and pair with the FAT bastard Shiraz or Sauvignon Blanc.

Inglourious Basterds

We chose French cuisine for this movie because much of it is set in France and in honor of our own French roots. Easy French favorites include croque monsieur sandwiches or mini quiches. For either of these, the FAT bastard Chardonnay in Pinot Noir would be a lovely complement.

Up in the Air

Homemade honey roasted peanuts were an easy choice to pay tribute to all of the air travel that takes place in this movie. Serve them with the FAT bastard Chardonnay.