How To Throw A 'OUAT' Premiere Party

In just over a week, it'll finally be time to plop ourselves down in front of the TV for the premiere of Once Upon A Time Season 5. It's been a long summer without the Storybrooke crew, and I'm sure we're all anxious to find out what's going to happen with the whole Dark Swan storyline and to meet everyone in Camelot, right? Hopefully you've got a group of friends around that love the show as much as you, or at least a partner or family member you can force to feign interest for the duration of the episode. It's going to be a good one, but there's one thing that could make the night even better: a premiere party complete with delicious snacks, decorations, and... oh yeah, did I mention snacks?

Throwing good premiere parties is an art, though not one that's very hard to master. The show itself is your main event, so you really only need to have people who actually want to watch it, and the rest is extra. Given that it's based on fairy tales, Once Upon A Time makes throwing an awesome party not only simple, but really fun, too. You can concentrate your themes on particular characters if you have a fave, or just go for a more general storybook feel if that's your vibe. Basically, there's no way you can really go wrong, but if you want some ideas to start planning your shindig for "The Dark Swan", you're in luck.

Make Your Snacks Count

I mean, all snacks are good snacks, but if you want to be the ultimate Once fan, you need to be strategic about your choices. Grab some bear claws or make some grilled cheese sandwiches like Emma enjoys from Granny's. If you're feeling super adventurous and/or hungry, make Regina's famous lasagna — complete with chili flakes. For an old school feel, anything apple flavored will also not go awry.

Dress To Impress

You might think you're too old for costumes, but you're totally not. If you're more conservative, blazers and black trousers will let you pass for Regina, while jeans and a worn leather jacket will give you the classic Emma Swan look. Of course, if you and your friends are into fancy dress, try out some Enchanted Forest garb.

Turn Your Living Room Into The Enchanted Forest

I'm not suggesting you bring in a bunch of leaves from the back yard, but burn a fall-scented candle (Bath & Body Works and Yankee Candle both have great options) and buy some fall-themed decorations, like a leaf-patterned tablecloth or a pumpkin centerpiece.

Get Playful

The actual season premiere is only an hour long, so you'll have plenty of time for other activities like playing games. In a nod to Mr. Gold, you can always get the "Let's Make A Deal" board game — Rumple loves making deals. I don't recommend anything as dangerous as Pin The Dagger On The Dark One, because that could go south quickly, but give it a go.

Booze It Up

There's no particular theme here, but booze never goes awry at a party. You can get creative with your cocktails and make up some fun character-based ones, like the Mean Green for Zelena or whatever (don't ask me what's in it; I'm not great with liquor). For those who don't drink, root beer is always a good idea.

Images: ABC; Giphy (4); swanqueen-morrilla/Tumblr