Ideas for a Uruguay Themed Party
Possibly forgotten by - or maybe unknown to - many younger football fans, Uruguay were the winners of the first ever World Cup in 1930, and won it again 20 years later,
when they unexpectedly defeated hosts Brazil to lift the trophy, in one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history.
Not bad for a country of less than 5m people! But then they are "sandwiched" in between Argentina and Brazil, so maybe we shouldn't be surprised at their footballing success.
Among other largely unknown facts about this Latin American nation is their love of partying. The carnival season in Uruguay is the longest in the world, lasting from shortly after New Year
right through until the start of Lent in March. So they've won the World Cup and love to party - we should all get behind them and throw more football parties in their honour!
Over the centuries, Uruguay has been influenced by Spain and other European countries, but - like its neighbour Brazil - also by the culture of slaves brought to the country from
what is now Angola.
Uruguay Party Decorations
Decorate yourself and your room with Uruguay shirts, flags and scarves (see links, right,
or
search for Uruguay kit at Kitbag.comg(512634)a(1759159))
).
If you're serving food, search for sky blue and white table covers, napkins, plates, cups and
cutlery on our general
Party Decorations Page
For bunting, flags, balloons and more
Uruguayan Party Decorations Ideas,
visit our
American Flags & Decorations Page
As for colour schemes, in addition to the above ideas, anything else you can find in sky blue and white will help create the right atmosphere.
Food for a Uruguay Themed Party
Uruguayan food is very similar to that of its larger neighbours Argentina and Brazil. Uruguayans love a traditional barbecue -
asado - which is usually cooked over a
wood fire for an authentic flavour. As in Argentina, beef is universally popular, as are Spanish style sausages such as
chorizo and
Empanadas.
They also love large meat-based sandwiches (like a club sandwich made with steak) called Chivito al pan,
which are extremely popular with locals and tourists alike, and are ideal to serve at a Uruguayan football party.
Beef Empanadas
Steak Club Sandwich - Chivito al pan
Steak Club Sandwich Version 2 - Milanesa al pan
Uruguayan-style Beef & Rice Stew
Drink for a Uruguay Themed Party
The national drink of Uruguay - although also very popular in Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Chile and Bolivia - is
mate
, a type of herbal tea. It is not unusual to see Uruguayans
walking around the streets with
mate in its traditional serving vessel and a flask of hot water to top it up with. There are many traditions surrounding the preparation and serving of
mate, and particular etiquette surrounding the way the drink should be consumed socially.
Uruguayan wine is not as widely available nor as highly regarded as that of Argentina or Chile. However, that may be about to change, because according to the wine experts Uruguay does produce
some excellent wines from its tannat grapes, and more and more is being exported - worth trying to find some if you can.
The best-selling local beers are Pilsen (ok, I get that one) and Patricia. Patricia? What's that about?! Well, it may have a name that looks odd to the English-speaking world, but by all accounts
Patricia is an excellent lager, and well worth seeking out.
