Your At-Home Gameday Guide
Who needs a stadium when you’ve got this setup?
As much as I love the buzz of a tailgate in a college town, there’s something equally irresistible about gameday at home. Picture this: you and your favorite people cozied up on the couch, crockpots bubbling away, snacks within arm’s reach, and no one waiting in line for the bathroom. An at-home gameday is the perfect dash of comfort added in to the best time of the year, so here’s your ultimate guide to pulling it off in style.
Bites: Crowd-Pleasing Eats & Drinks
The food is the true MVP of any gameday gathering. You want snacks that keep people satiated from College Gameday to the 8:00pm showdown, but of course you don’t want to end up trapped in the kitchen. A winning lineup includes a mix of some of these easy bites + delivery pizza or a Publix sub platter:
Mini Meatballs
This is quite literally the easiest crockpot recipe to ever be made, but it is always a crowd favorite. Bonus points for serving them on themed toothpicks for easy grazing!
Homemade Snack Mix
Salty, crunchy, and infinitely customizable. Mix together cereal, pretzels, nuts, and any other favorite ingredients, then toss with melted butter and spices before roasting in the oven.
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Creamy, cheesy, and a little spicy—this is the dip people hover around until it’s gone. Serve with tortilla chips, celery sticks, or even crossitini.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
A cozy, sweet finish to balance all the savory bites. Soft, chewy, and best served warm from the oven.
Batch Gin-Cider Punch Cocktail
Keep your libations low-key with a stocked fridge of favorite cans and a batch cocktail like this easy to sip and make Gin-Cider Punch.
Tablescape Touchdowns
Just because you’re not out tailgating doesn’t mean you can’t bring a little flair to your living room. Even just a few playful touches, equal parts sporty and chic, can elevate your day.
Checked Football Serving Plate
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this $10 dupe for the over $200 original I had been coveting. This piece will flawlessly mix in with your more elevated serving pieces, while still bringing a sporty wink to gameday.
Embroidered Cocktail Napkins
I love that this option features a monogram, either with your family name for a hostess touch or the initials of your team of choice! P.S. Tons of colors are available via this small business.
Football Napkin Box and Weight
Our wedding registry featured Mariposa servewear, so I love when I can mix and match playful pieces like this with my more formal selections. No one said tailgating had to be tasteless!
Football Party Picks
I love a small, inexpensive, cheeky detail and these football party picks fit that bill perfectly. Whether it’s for your mini meatballs or accompanying drink garnishes, for $7 you can turn football on the couch into a proper fete.
Personalized Cups
I have adored the trend of having customized accoutrements around your home that visitors can take as souveniers (matchbooks, swizzle sticks - the options are limitless!). These shatterproof cups are relatively inexpensive, easy to travel with, and add a perfect bespoke touch to any get together.
Your Uniform
When you watch from home, comfort can be key. But, that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice cheering on your team in style!
Abercrombie & Fitch Vintage Sunday Crew
Take your gameday looks quite literally with this crewneck that will take you from cheering on your home team, to staying glued to the marquee match, to even catching the professionals at it on Sunday.
Hill House Ellie Nap Dress
Just because you’re staying in the house doesn’t mean you need to stay in the sweats! I love a Hill House Nap Dress because it’s the quintessential throw and go that you can lounge in all day. Pick up a piece in your team’s color and call it a day.
Lingua Franca Custom Cashmere
Create your entirely own work of art with your favorite saying, team, or cheeky idiom - all in the coziest materials. Lingua Franca allows you to fully customize your text and colors, making for a gameday fit that will be the talk of the town (or at least your kitchen).
For the Fairweather Fans
Not everyone wants to be glued to the television for 12 hours straight (and I think our optometrists would advise against). Here are some fun activities to mix in for the fainthearted, who care more about just being with the people than the points.
Football Needlepoint Canvas
Needlepointing really is perfect for gamedays. Stitch and chat, and pause for the redzone. There’s also nothing more satisfying than seeing your progress by the time the final whistle is blown!
Football Mahjong
I’ve found that when snoozier matchups crop up, our crew likes to pull out a game like mahjong to play while keeping games on in the background. This brand features team themed tiles and mats to perfectly compliment your preferred team!
