Top Notch Tailgating!
- In last fall’s Tip of the Week, Try Tailgating, I encouraged Busy Bee readers to cook up some pre-game fun by hosting a tailgating party! Generally speaking, tailgating is a terrific and inexpensive way to entertain, but if you want to take it up a notch, here are some clever enhancements!
Invitations
Paperbuzz – for a great assortment of tailgating invitations, take a look at Paperbuzz for designs which include a die-cut football and a really cute football field with goal post! For adults, I just love the invitation featuring a bloody mary with a football on its stirrer! This card can be printed at home or by Paper Buzz!
DIY Invitations
- Die-cut Football – Consider creating your own by cutting football shapes out of corrugated cardboard. Write the party details on the back and trim the card with white shoe laces woven
through punched holes! - 3-D Box – In the “over the top” category, purchase small square cardboard boxes, line the bottom with Astroturf cut to fit and add small, toy football figurines. Write the party specifics on the inside of the lid, toss in some football confetti and seal the box with clear strapping tape. Address the outside of the box and send your creation through the U.S. mail!
- Felt Pennant – You could also make a pennant out of felt with the tailgate information written on the back.
- Plastic Footballs – Lastly, try using a permanent marker to draft invitations onto small plastic footballs, picked up from the Dollar Store!
Serving Ware
- Lillian Vernon has some fun footbal themed serving pieces that are really appealing. There is a dolomite chip bowl where the interior sides depict fans in the bleachers and the bottom is a field! Dip is served in the included football shaped bowl! (Stadium Snack Server Set
, $24.98)
- Also available from Lillian Vernon is a coordinating set of four football shaped snack plates (Stadium Platter & Football-Shaped Bowl
,$19.98) Don’t forget that if you decide to invest in some of these pieces, you can bring them back out on Super Bowl Sunday!
- Mariposa also has covered the “football field!” This company, one of my personal favorites, offers finely crafted aluminum football shaped serving bowls, in three sizes. ($40 to $124) I also really like the square cocktail napkin box bearing a 3-D football to weigh down the napkins ($42) and the football dip spreader! ($17) All are available at Silver Impressions.
- On Your Own – In the “no cost” category, consider serving your snacks inside of a plastic megaphone or an upended football helmet!
Cookbooks
If you’re looking for some new recipes for your upcoming tailgate, take a look at these two resources:
- Tailgating published by Gooseberry Patch ($4.95 at Gooseberry Patch)
- Fox Sports Tailgating Handbook by Stephen Linn. (Fox Sports Tailgating Handbook
for about $12)
Desserts
- Clever Cake – Bake a football stadium shaped cake! This clever cake mold will allow you to bake an adorable and easy dessert that can be decorated in team colors! (Nordic Ware Stadium Pan, $31.50)
- Custom Cookies – Serve custom made cookies from Super Cookie! This site offers an assortment of football themed cookies such as helmets, shoulder pads and yard markers, along with a single oversized football cookie! ($15.99/tub of 23 small cookies or $30 for the large football at Super Cookie)
Get Comfortable
Stadium seats and blankets are really the icing on the cake!
- Stadium Seats – Pick up several of the practical and comfortable stadium seats! These seats are crafted of padded canvas, provide full back support, have a convenient carry strap and can also be used as a tote bag with thermo-guard insulation! (Stadium Seat
, $25)
- Stadium Blankets – Classic plaid fleece blankets from Wrapables would also be great additions to your tailgating supplies! These blankets are available in two different color plaids and include an easy carrying strap! The current sale price is pretty terrific, too! (Plaid Blanket, $16.95
)
)
Party Favors
- For the kids – fill a basket with color coordinated pom-poms, small footballs, and plastic megaphones. (Football Assortment
, $9.99 for 50 pieces)
- For anyone – fill cellophane bags with solid chocolate, foil wrapped footballs! Tie the bags with team colored ribbon! (Chocolate Footballs, $32.20 for a 5 lb bag)
I am always on the look out for exciting products and ideas and I hope that some of my “finds” inspire you to take tailgating to the next level! Consider “claiming” a fall tailgate as your signature event that family and friends will look forward to every year! Happy Game Day!
Party Resources:
- Fine Stationery – Party planning made easy with personalized invitations from FineStationery.com
- Oriental Trading – Fun party supplies. Free Delivery on orders of $59 or more.
- Favor Affair – Use coupon code FREESHIP175 at checkout for free shipping (ground only).
- Birthday in a Box – Choose from more than 100 party themes, or shop for individual party decorations and favors.
- Celebrate Express – Free Shipping on orders $75 or more
- ShindigZ – Save 10% on party supply orders of $100+ ShindigZ.com with promo code SZCJC9
- Cool Party Favors
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Tags: tailgating, ideas for tailgating, tailgating invitations, recipes, party ideas, tailgating party ideas, football party ideas, how to host a tailgating party, how to tailgate, upscale tailgating
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Kirtsy
Love this…am helping with my son’s “house football” tailgate. Hamill House’s team colors are blue and white, so I will definitely be on the lookout for the blue and white poms and other decorating ideas. Their big rivalry game against Kennedy house is early November, wish us luck! I’m thinking hot cider and custom cookies. Thanks for the great ideas.