Gift Ideas for Football Fans

Great gift ideas for Football fans

Can’t think of what to get that special person in your life?  Do they love football? If they do, then finding a gift just got easier. The items below make great gifts for any football fan.

*Collapsible quad chair

Who couldn’t use a collapsible quad chair? These are great to use when sitting near the field or to use during those tailgating parties. They are generally inexpensive, and because they are collapsible, they can be taken anywhere.  You can make this chair extra special by purchasing one with your football fan’s favorite team logo on it. 

*Clappers, Cowbells, and Pompoms

Any good football fan will need a noise maker to use when their team makes that touchdown.  Mississippi State University fans use cowbells, but there are other items that are just as much fun. You can have specially designed team clappers or bam bams for your football enthusiast. If your football fan happens to be a female or you don’t want a noise maker, you can opt for pompoms in team colors.

*Team t-shirts and sweatshirts

Team t-shirts are cute and they are a fantastic way to show off that school pride. They go well with jeans, shorts, and turtlenecks. Don’t forget those warm and cozy team sweatshirts. They are perfect for the game and the cold weather.

*Hats and gloves

Football is a cold weather sport. Help keep your football fan warm while they are sitting in the stands with both a warm hat and a pair of gloves. If your football fan likes a professional team, you can find these with team logos also.

*Electric smoker (tailgating)

Tailgating and football go hand in hand. If your football fan likes to tailgate, then an electric smoker can be an ideal gift. There are three different types of smokers: wood burning, charcoal, and propane. Smokers can be used to cook both meats and vegetables at the same time which makes them perfect for tailgating.

*Cooler (tailgating)

Another item that is a tailgating must is a cooler. A cooler can be used to keep drinks and other carefully wrapped dishes like potato salad cool.  All your football fan will have to do is fill it up and head out to the game day party.

*Flat screen television

Let your favorite football fan watch that big game on a new flat screen television.  They can be purchased at any electronics store. They range in price according to size, so it’s easy to get one to fit your budget.

*Memorabilia

Anything with your football enthusiast’s team logo will make a great gift. This includes footballs, flip flops, bracelets, coffee mugs, and figurines.

Football enthusiasts all have one thing in common-they all love the game. When choosing a gift for them, get them something they will love.  Choose one of the gifts from the list above.

Planning a Tailgating Party

How to plan a tailgate party

 

If you are ready for some football, chances are you are also ready for a great tailgating party. If are you thinking about hosting a tailgate party, don’t settle for just another ordinary party.  Have the best tailgate party every.  Don’t know how? Then read on.

*Choose location

When hosting a tailgate party, location is everything. Choose a location that is close enough to the game, but far enough away that you and your buddies can truly enjoy yourself.  A lot of college campuses are banning tailgating in their parking lots, so have a different location in mind just in case. If you do have your tailgate party on the campus parking lot, learn their rules for tailgating. Parks, picnic areas, and beaches are great places to host a tailgate party. You will also need to decide if you will have tables at your party or use the tailgate of your vehicle.

*Decide on the size of the party and menu

Figure out how large your tailgate party will be.  If you are inviting a large number of people, then be sure to you pick a place that is large enough to accommodate your crowd and not interfere with other tailgaters.

*Potluck or Organized Meal

This also a good time to decide if you will prepare all of the food or if you will do potluck. Once you have made this decision, you can decide what type of food you will have at your party. Whether you are doing potluck or doing all the cooking, you will want to carefully plan your menu.

*Prepare some dishes ahead of time

To save time and energy, it is best to prepare some food ahead of time. Marinate your meat and make simple dishes like chili, taco filling, sloppy joes and potato or pasta salads before heading out. Consider how you will keep your food safe from contamination.  Have a specified place to keep your meats and one to keep the rest of your food. Good hand washing is also a must.

*Drinks

You should plan to bring enough soft drinks and water to last football fans throughout the party.  When trying to figure out how many drinks you will need, a good way to estimate is to assume each guest will drink one to two cans per hour of the party. If the weather is cool, you can also prepare hot cocoa or hot coffee.

*Eating utensils

Eat is so easy to forget the plates, cups, paper towels, and other eating utensils.  So, put them at the top of your shopping list. 

*Pack the car

Last, you will need to pack the car or truck.  Put your heavy equipment in first like your smoker, grill, cooler, and deep fryer.  Keep your food dishes away from these items to prevent containers from getting broken.

Football and tailgating go hand in hand. Even though tailgating is an informal party, don’t just throw things together.  Follow the suggestions above and have one of the greatest tailgating parties ever.

How Long Should You Wait for Him to Pop the Question?

How Long Should You Wait for Him to Pop the Question?

(This is my own personal opinion and personal experience. Each relationship is different. )

So, the two of you have been dating for a while…and, I do mean a while. He hasn’t asked you marry him yet even though you get along great. You like his family. His family likes you. He may have even told you that he loves you. You have waited anxiously Christmas after Christmas, birthday after birthday, and Valentine’s Day after Valentine’s Day. You may even be the mother of his child. The two of you may even be living together, so what is the hold-up? When will he pop the question?

Okay, ladies, let’s be honest with ourselves. Men are not like us. They don’t react emotionally. They react logically. They think things through and look at the bigger picture. Instead of worrying about love and spending eternity with us, they worry about paying bills and providing a good, stable home. So, just because he likes you, it doesn’t mean he wants to spend the rest of his life with you.

Yes, you may have given him 10 or more good years. You may have devoted your life to helping him succeed. However, if the two of you have been dating for several years, and he hasn’t asked you yet, look out! He is probably still looking for “Mrs. Right”. What?! You thought it was you. Well, he may not think so.

What makes me say this? Simple. If the man wanted to marry you, he would have by now. Don’t fall for the excuse that he is just trying to establish his career or that he is trying to finish sowing his wild oat. Even if he isn’t aware of it, he is not quite satisfied with you.

How would I know? I spent 6 years of my life waiting on my high school sweetheart. Guess, what? As soon as we broke up, he married someone else within a year. I spent another 10 years waiting for the “Man of My Dreams” to wake up and realize that I was “The One”.  “Mister” still hasn’t woke up, but I have. I have watched countless women do the same thing. But, we don’t have to.

Do a reality check on your relationship. And, don’t be fooled. Just because he bought you the ring, it doesn’t guarantee that he will walk you down the aisle.

What can you do? Simple. Have a heart to heart talk with your man. Ask him about the future of your relationship. Is he thinking about settling down? Does he envision the two of you together when you are old?

If you are satisfied with just being his girlfriend, then great. Stop worrying and let the relationship take its course.

Don’t waste another minute on a dead-end relationship. Decide what you want and verbalize this in a non-threatening way to your partner.

What Does He Mean...

You Say “I Love You. He Says “Let’s Be FWB”

So, you did it. You confess your love to this guy that you have had your eyes and mind on for quite some time. You have been praying and hoping that he felt the same way that you did. It took you a while, but you finally worked up the nerve to proclaim your love. Then, what does he do? Instead of saying that he feels the same way or letting you know that he doesn’t, he suggesting being friends with benefits. What is up?

Okay, siesta. I love you so I will tell you the truth. He means that he likes your body. Maybe he is lonely. Either ways, he has evaluated you and decided that he would like to have sex with you. Same thing as I love you, right? Wrong. At least, he likes me, right? Wrong, again. He doesn’t like you as a person. He likes what he thinks your body can do for him. He likes the prospect of getting you home for dessert. No, he is not considering you as girlfriend or wife material. He is considering you a willing victim. A volunteer to his drama. Don’t fall for it. Don’t agree. Don’t stoop to this level thinking things will change once the two of you hook up. It won’t.

Men place women in categories: girlfriend material, wife material, doable, doable when my boys aren’t around, and no way. You are on his “doable” list. Not one of the first two.

So, what should you do? Tell him, “Thanks but no thanks”, go home have a good cry, and begin to move on. If he comes back later, check to see where his mind is at. If he is ready for a commitment, go for it. But, don’t go along with the game. As my brothers, Stanley and Maurice, love to say “There are no victims in this game, only willing volunteers.” Don’t be a lamb led to the slaughter. Realize you are worth more than that.

Things Married, Chrisitans Shouldn't Say to Single People

As a single woman, I can’t tell you the number of times I have had someone tell me that I am single because there are some things I need to work on. I have been told that while I wait on the “right man”~the man God has specially designed for me~I should work on myself because “you attract what you are”. I have been asked, “What can you bring to the table? What can you offer a man?”

What?! This is so offensive to me that I can’t even express it in words. Why? Right, I have two degrees. Plus, I run my own photography business and write professionally. I am not rolling in money, but I do fairly well. It is a fact that most black women make more than black men. I would love to meet a man (black, white, or whatever color) who can meet me halfway. Next and most importantly, “I like me”. I would love to meet a man who likes to have “his own space” sometimes because I need mine. So, please go hunting, shoot some ball, or spend some time with the boys. I would love to find a man who likes to spend time reading or watching the game. I would love to find someone who enjoys some of the same things I do. I like me.

No, I don’t feel that there is a lot I need to work on. Yes, I can spend all of this wonderful time with God. However, God himself said that it was not good for man to be alone.

Question to all those married people: If I need to spend all of this time with God just because I am single, what about yourself? Does getting married signify that you have got it all together and you are excempt for prayer and fasting? When I look at the married couples I know, so many of them seem so miserable. I wonder if they are spending as much time with God as they are suggesting that I do because I am single.

Being single is not a curse. It is not a disease. For some people, it is a lifestyle choice. For some people, it is a temporary state. For me, it is the place where God has me for the moment. I don’t feel that he has me here because I am a wretched person or because I need to get my career established. Why am I single? I am single because this is God’s design for at this time and at this place. This doesn’t mean that I will be single forever. It simply means that God in his wisdom has me in a holding position, and when he is ready for me to land, he will guide me safely home.

Single, Sexual Being, In Love with God

 

I know the title is crazy, but it is true. I am single. I love God, but I am also a sexual being. I am aware that sex is best enjoyed within marriage. I believe the Bible. However, I will not lie and say that I don’t have sexual desire. This would be hypocrisy. I do want a companion. I want to get married. I want to enjoy sex.

No, I am not advocating premarital sex. But, I am being truthful. I have learned that God knows me. He know my thoughts and my feelings. And, I do have sexual feelings. I believe virginity is valuable, and if I could go back I would. But, that is water under the bridge. What does irritate me is when Christians who are married tell me to save yourself and I know they didn’t. What irritates me are Christian men who tell me not to give men my phone number or tell a man that I am attracted to him. Okay. Maybe. But, I am an independent woman, and I don’t see anything wrong with smiling back at a man I am attracted to.

I try to remain faithful to the cause. But, I am human. I am a sexual being, and I do still have the desire to be with a man sexually. Is this wrong when I love God?

The only person who can answer that is God. So, save all your negative responses. I just decided to be honest~unlike so many Christians out there who are having sex and aren’t married.

7 Simple Ways to Go Frugal

 

Learning how to live frugal is vital in today’s tough economy. Although most people assume living frugal means doing without and suffering, it doesn’t. What it means is smart spending and saving. The following are 7 simple things that you can do to save money and live more frugally.

Cut Coupons

Although it has been said time and again, it is a fact that using coupons will help you save money. You should use coupons to purchase staple items in bulk. Whenever an item that you use regularly is on sale and you have coupons for it, you should buy that item in large quantities. This will ensures that you don’t have to purchase the item again until it goes back on sale.

Sew socks

Who sews socks? When they get a hole in them, the first thing we do is throw them out and buy more, right? No! You don’t throw them out. By throwing out those socks, you are throwing away money. Most hole form at the tip of the sock. So, instead of tossing them in the trash, grab a needle and thread and go to work sewing up that hole. Because the hole is at the tip of the sock, no one will see your needle work anyway.

Pick up pennies

Picking up pennies is also a great way to save a little extra money. Lost pennies are everywhere. Take the time to pick them up. Add them to your piggy bank. After a few months take them out, bag them, and head to the bank. You will be surprise at the amount of money you will have over time. Remember the guy who paid off his house in pennies? Think about it.

Drink more water

Put the carbonated soda down and drink more water. Water is good for the body. It helps keep you hydrated, help to ensure that the brain receives the need amount of oxygen, and keeps the digestive system moving. Water has zero calories, and in most restaurants, it is free. So, instead of ordering a soda that you will be overcharged for, have a glass of water instead.

Buy soda in bulk

If you can’t seem to escape the need for carbonated soda, buy those drinks in bulk. Buying drinks by the case is much cheaper than buy them in single 12 oz. cans. Also, keep a few in your car for those times when you use the drive through. By having some can sodas already in your car, you don’t have to order a drink at the drive through. This will also help to save you money.

Shop consignment

Consignment shops are great places to find quality clothes without paying full price. These gently used clothes are often just as good as those bought from a department store, and they are half the department store price.

Eat out less

Eating out can be expensive. Although some people will beg to differ, it is much cheaper to eat meals at home. Why? The amount of money that you spend on one meal could have been used to prepare a larger meal that you can eat more than once in a day and that can be used for leftovers.

Living frugal doesn’t have to be hard. The things listed above are simple, painless things that you can do to help save money.