Inspiration

Getting together to tailgate is an essential fall activity. Even if you have no plans to go to a game in-person, throwing a “tailgate” style party is a great way to cheer on your favorite team with friends and family. Decorations Table Cloth I like to make my tailgate feel elevated and still spirited by using school colors with something cute like a block print tablecloth. This is an outdoor affair so I’m not using my best linens but Etsy has some cute tablecloths that won’t break the bank. For example, as a Gamecock fan, I think this maroon palm tree table cloth would be so cute at a South Carolina tailgate or party!  Flowers Flowers always have a place at the table in my opinion, no matter how casual the affair (casual affair just means casual flowers)! I mean into fall a lot with mums but dahlias would also be so pretty - bonus if you get a few that tie into your school colors (but no blue roses PLEASE).   Food Buffalo Chicken Crockpot Dip This buffalo chicken dip recipe is SO easy. I use chicken from a rotisserie chicken for minimal cooking and everyone always love it. I serve it with scoop chips, ritz crackers, and celery! P.S. if you're doing a lot of tailgates, it's worth investing in this power station so you never have to worry about outlets again! (within reason) Fried Chicken My tailgates have always revolved around SEC football, so, for me, some sort of fried chicken is a must. My go-tos are Chickfila and Publix. Chickfila for a nugget tray and Publix has great actual fried chicken drumsticks. Save yourself the headache of grilling out during a tailgate and give yourself more time to hang! Pepperoni Rolls I really need to type up my mom's pepperoni roll recipe because it's a little simpler than what I could find online but this recipe is probably the closest. These have always been a hit in my family (and they're even better after the game when you've, um, had a little bit to drink). Blondies When I called my mom to get her perspective on tailgate must haves, she mentioned Blondies, I think, 10 times. Something about a brownie/blondie is comforting in the fall, and I personally feel blondies are harder to mess up than cookies. This recipe is a winner for me. Drinks Besides beer - which you have to have at a tailgate if you're with people who drink, no ifs, ands, or buts, it's fun to have another drink options at your tailgate.  For a day game Bloody Marys! My husband swears by the Zing Zang mix and add some other ingredients to really up your bloody mary game. This recipe is similar to what he does and this is a great option for an early day game (or if you're just starting your tailgate extra early). For the southerners Tailgate. Tea. While Vanderbilt wasn't known for having a ton a tailgates with family like they do at other SEC schools, I did go to a few where my friend's mom served what she called Tailgate Tea, and it was delicious! Make it in bulk in a little serving jar and you don't have to worry about getting all your guests drinks because they will happily serve themselves to this stuff. Here's the recipe. And don’t forget to be a good host! Anytime you’re joining a tailgate, it’s a good idea to offer up a food or drink. Personalize what you bring with a cute fall gift tag. Shop them here!

Having people over can feel daunting and overwhelming but I'm here to tell you that it is totally something anyone can do, and it's something everyone should do more often! And no, your house doesn't have to look like it came out of a Serena and Lily catalog for it to happen. These are a few tips and tricks I've always carried with me when having people over to my house.  1. Have an appetizer out when people arrive Give people a little something to snack (and/or drink) on when they arrive so they're not staring at you waiting for dinner to be ready. Having an appetizer doesn’t have to mean something fancy. Usually some party mix, olives and/or a bit of cheese will do the trick!  2. Always have an item that doesn't need to be cooked Basically anything that has "salad" attached to its name - Caprese Salad, Pasta Salad, Coleslaw (okay that doesn't have salad in it but it's the name thing). Having an item that doesn’t need to be cooked is super helpful for freeing up that coveted stove and oven space. Bonus points if it can be made the day before and kale is great for that! 3. If someone asks to help, give them guidance on how  I don’t generally ask for help (unless it’s like a Friendsgiving situation) but if someone wants to help, I’ll tell them what would help the most! Maybe I need napkins or forgot to pick up a white wine option for people. Whatever it is, I find it easier to tell people how they can help when they ask! That way, you don't end up with a tray of chocolate chip cookies when you already had some key lime pie ready. 4. Outsource at least one item Speaking of key lime pie - I personally would never make that myself for a dinner party. I read somewhere once that a smart host knows what to cook yourself and what to outsource. Definitely never try to cook everything, unless you want to feel overwhelmed then go ahead. Usually I outsource dessert, but there are times (especially at things like Thanksgiving when your pescatarian cousin comes by and you need some other main for her) when I will do things like buy the pre-marinated salmon to make things easier.    5. Make something you've made before I feel like this is self-explanatory but having people over is just not the time to experiment with something new. Unless you feel confident you can do it! A good rule of thumb is to stick to what's familiar and what you know is delicious!  Going to a dinner party and need to bring a gift? Our gift tags are perfect wrapped around a bottle of wine or vase of flowers! Shop Them Here

Honestly, in comparison to Mother’s Day, dads are EASY. All they really “want” for Father’s Day is to get in some good ole quality time with their kids. So, depending on where you are in the world, we put together some ideas on how to make the best man in your life feel extra special on this day. Here, we bring you a classic - the barbecue.  Decorations Use a fold up table or any outdoor table you already have and throw a classic checkered tablecloth on top like this, this or this one.  Use your food!  Grilling burgers? Get creative with your favorite condiments and display them in little bowls and jars on the table. You could even buy dispenser bottles like this for even better display.     The menu  Burgers: This is the perfect time for some burgers on the grill. Make the patties a day or two before and they’re so easy to throw on the grill when the time is right. Also - people will RAVE over this specific recipe I promise you. Corn: Grilled. Corn. With. Butter. (and some salt) - no more, no less. Here’s a good recipe and they basically no prep. Salad: The key to any good gathering is to have at least one thing that you don't have to actually cook. Plus, this salad uses kale which means dressing it ahead of time is actually preferred for most! For me, I find it hard to eat kale straight away and making this salad (dressing included) the day before is perfect.  Cobbler: This is something that is really easy to throw together, plus it can be made in the morning and then put in the oven to reheat for 20 min. MUST serve with ice cream or it can’t be eaten. This one is closest to my grandmothers that I could find on the world wide web. Plus, you can really use any fruit here - my favorite's blueberry but peach is in season in the summer and would be great here too! BONUS: We mentioned how it would be fun to get creative with your condiments above. Here's a recipe for something we love to make on burger nights with friends. It's one of those "special sauce" recipes that pop up at a lot of restaurants!   Activities Lawn games are your friends here! Plus, these games can always double as gifts if you need for Father’s Day. Cornhole is a fun family activity to play, especially for families of four!  A bit newer (which your dad might find exciting) is a game called Ladder Toss, another good one for two or four people. Get moving after that cobbler with some badminton. It’s easy enough to where you won’t cramp but at least makes you take a few steps (if you want something to make you move even more, you can do spikeball as well). Conversation Topics Have everyone in your family tell about one of their favorite memories with their father.  Create your own “menu” based on the burgers you have each created. What would each of your burgers be named on a menu at a restaurant?! Have a competition of the best “dad jokes” (bonus if you let your dad win).  The Music A good gathering ALWAYS has some tunes playing in the background. Here's a dad-themed playlist we made to keep it easy for ya - click here! Bonus: Gifts! Use the lawn games as gifts here to play into the theme! For example, check out cornhole sets that are decorated with your dad's favorite team like the ones here.