Football Season Is Here ā Apparently My Living Room Is a Sports Bar Now šš
There is a very specific moment every year when summer quietly starts packing her things and suddenly everything becomes:
Football.
Football on Thursday.
Football on Sunday.
Football on Monday.
Football discussions on every other day when there is apparently no football. š
And whether you're the person screaming at the television like the referee can hear you through the screenā¦
or you're the person who has absolutely no idea what's happening but heard there would be buffalo chicken dipā¦
Welcome.
This post is for both of us.
Because football season and fall decor somehow become one entire personality around this time of year.Ā š
It's also:
Snack season.
Put-everything-in-a-Crock-Pot season.
People-are-coming-over-so-now-I-have-to-clean season.
Why-is-there-a-grown-man-yelling-at-my-television season.
And, most importantlyā¦
I-have-an-excuse-to-buy-cute-fall-stuff-for-the-house season.Ā šš
Suddenly I don't just need chips.
I need a serving situation.
I don't just need queso.
Apparently the queso deserves its own little heated residence.
And obviously nobody can watch football under a regular blanket when there are perfectly good cozy fall blankets existing on the internet.
These are the rules. I don't make them.
So, I went looking for things that could make game day easier, the food setup cuter, the couch cozier and the whole house feel like fallāeven if your personal contribution to football commentary is occasionally looking up and asking:
āWaitā¦ are we winning?ā
šš
And somewhere along the way, this stopped being a football shopping list and became an entire seasonal home takeover.
We have things for feeding everybody.
Things for keeping everybody's drinks cold.
Things for turning the couch into a cozy little fall nest.
Things for making the front porch look like somebody in this house has their life together.
And there's a Highland cow.
Obviously.
Let's get into it. šš
Affiliate Disclosure:Ā Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a qualifying purchase through them at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
š First Things First: If We're Watching Football, We're Eating
I don't care whether you're hosting twelve people or it's just you and one other person sitting on the couch.
Football requires snacks.
I don't know who made this rule.
I don't know where it's written.
But apparently the second a football game comes on television, regular meals cease to exist and suddenly we're all surviving on wings, dips, sliders, chips and things held together by melted cheese.
And frankly?
I'm not fighting it.
š§ The Queso Has Its Own Football Now
Okay. This is ridiculous.
And I love it.
The PRO POTS 1.5-Quart Football Slow Cooker & Food WarmerĀ is literally shaped like a football.
Do we needĀ the dip to come out of a football?
No.
Does that matter?
Also no.Ā š
This is exactly the kind of thing I'd put out with queso, buffalo chicken dip, meatballs or another warm game-day snack and then act like I personally invented football entertaining.
And because it's a smaller 1.5-quart size, it makes sense for the dip or appetizer instead of taking over the entire table.
Basically: your queso has stadium seating now.
š§ Charcuterie Is Just Adult Lunchables with a Mortgage
At some point, somebody took crackers, cheese and little pieces of meat, arranged them beautifully on a wooden board and convinced all of us it was sophisticated.
And I respect that level of marketing.
Because let's be serious.
Charcuterie is just adult Lunchables with a mortgage.Ā š
But game day is actually the PERFECT excuse for one.
Throw on some cheese, crackers, pretzels, summer sausage, nuts, fruit, little dipsāwhatever your people will actually eatāand suddenly you've created something that looks like you spent way more effort than you did.
Which is basically my favorite kind of entertaining.
š Option #1: Fully Commit to the Football
If we're already serving queso out of a football, we might as well stop pretending we're subtle.
This football-shaped charcuterie boardĀ is one of those things that makes an ordinary snack spread instantly look like you planned an entire theme.
Fill the sections with pretzels, cheeses, crackers, meats and dips and put it on the table.
That's it.
Everybody else:
āOh my gosh, this is so cute!ā
You:
āThank you, I worked very hard.ā
Amazon did most of it.
But they don't need to know that. š
š§ Option #2: I Want Something I'll Use After Football Season
Now THIS is for my practical girls.
The portable charcuterie board with a lidĀ isn't football-themedāwhich is exactly why I like having it as our second option.
You can use it for game day now, then turn around and use it for holidays, parties, cookouts, road trips, family get-togethers or one of those evenings when dinner is mysteriously just:
āEverybody find something.āĀ š
The compartments keep everything separated, and the lid makes it especially nice if you're taking food somewhere instead of hosting at home.
So basically:
Football board:Ā Buy it because it's adorable. Portable board:Ā Buy it because Future You will keep using it.
And I support both versions of financial justification. šš³
š Cute Food Is Great. Not Washing 47 Dishes Is Better.
There are two kinds of game-day hosting.
There's:
āLook at my beautiful reusable serving pieces.ā
And then there's:
āI want every single thing on this table to go directly into the trash when everyone leaves.ā š
Both are valid.
Which is why we're covering both.
šļø For the āI Actually Own Serving Dishesā Crowd
This Game Day football-field serving trayĀ is cute without being so aggressively football-themed that your chips look like they're participating in the playoffs.
It's reusable, has handles and gives you plenty of room for sliders, wings, sandwiches, cookies or whatever else you're serving.
I especially like this one because you can bring it back out every football season instead of buying new party supplies every time somebody decides your house is where we're watching the game.
Which, by the way, is how these things happen.
You host successfully one timeĀ and suddenly everybody thinks you've opened a venue.
š
šļø For the āAbsolutely Not, I'm Not Washing Thatā Crowd
Hello.
I've been expecting you.Ā š
These 50-piece football food trays and party suppliesĀ are for the host who wants the table to look festive but would also like cleanup to consist primarily of:
Trash bag.
Wings? Tray.
Fries? Tray.
Nachos? Tray.
Random combination of seven appetizers because apparently game-day food doesn't have rules?
Tray.
And once everybody leaves?
No stack of little plates staring at you from the sink like they've been personally betrayed.
Just toss the disposable pieces and reclaim your kitchen.
Beautiful.
Efficient.
Possibly the closest thing to self-care we're getting during football season.Ā š
š½ļø Okayā¦ But What If You're Feeding an Actual Crowd?
There's hosting a few people.
And then there's opening your front door and realizing apparently everybody you know brought somebody.
Suddenly your cute little bowl of buffalo chicken dip is surrounded by wings, meatballs, pulled pork, mac and cheese and enough food to cater a small wedding.
This is when we graduate from:
āCome over and watch the game!ā
to:
āApparently I run concessions now.āĀ š
š„ Keep the Hot Food Hot ā Revolutionary, I Know
A disposable chafing dish buffet setĀ isn't the cutest thing in this post.
There.
I said it. š
But if you're actually feeding a crowd, it might be one of the most useful.
Set up your hot food, let everybody serve themselves, andāmost importantlyāyou aren't running back and forth to the kitchen reheating things while everyone else gets to sit down.
Because hosting should not mean spending the entire game asking:
āDoes anybody need anything?ā
while quietly developing resentment toward everyone in your house.
Ask me how I know.
Actually, don't. š
š„¤ And Please Give These People Something to Drink
We've handled the queso.
We've handled the snacks.
We've handled the people who apparently arrived expecting a buffet.
Now let's discuss beverages.
Because if I'm going to sit through four quarters while somebody in my living room explains why the referee is personally ruining their lifeā¦
my drink can at least stay cold.Ā š
These green Steel Chill football cupsĀ give us the gameday look without requiring anybody to drink out of something shaped like an actual football.
They're reusable, they're festive, and they make a regular drink setup look like it belongs with everything else we've put on the table.
Fill them.
Hand them out.
Then return your attention to the important things.
Like figuring out why everybody just screamed at the television. šš
š Congratulations. You Have Successfully Fed the Football People.
At this point we have:
Queso with its own stadium.
Adult Lunchables.
Football-shaped serving situations.
Hot food that remains hot.
Cold drinks that remain cold.
And significantly fewer dishes waiting to ruin our evening.
Our work here is done.Ā š
Now everybody can eat, yell at the television and argue about calls that none of us personally have the authority to overturn.
Meanwhile?
I'm going to the couch.
Because we've reached my favorite part of football season:
Being cozy while other people care deeply about sports. šš
š Football Season and Fall Decor Have Officially Taken Over
The food is out.
The drinks are cold.
Everyone has found somewhere to sit.
Somebody has already started yelling at the television.
Perfect.
My responsibilities are complete.
I will now be under a blanket.Ā š
And this is where football season and fall become best friends.
Because while everybody else is thinking about scores, touchdowns and whatever a first down actually meansā¦
I'm looking around the living room thinking:
You know what this room needs?
A blanket.
Some pillows.
A candle.
Maybe several candles.
And suddenly we've gone from hosting game day to completely redecorating the house.
This escalated exactly as expected.Ā šš
š¾ Footballā¦ But Make It Dogs
I saw these fall football and dog paw pillow coversĀ and immediately knew they belonged here.
Because apparently somebody finally understood that my fall decorating requirements are:
Football.
Pumpkins.
Dogs.
Cute.
Done. No further questions.Ā š
The set has four different designs with those cozy cream, gray and burnt-orange fall colors, so you can toss them onto the couch without making your living room look like the sporting-goods aisle exploded.
And the little dog paws?
Come on.
Some of us have four-legged family members who will spend the entire game stealing somebody's seat anyway.
They deserve representation.Ā šš¾
š§” Every Couch Needs an Emotional Support Blanket
Now we're talking.
This burnt-orange throw blanketĀ is exactly the kind of thing that quietly changes the whole room.
Put it across the back of the couch with those pillow covers and suddenly:
āI threw a blanket over there.ā
becomes:
āOh yes, I've transitioned the home for autumn.ā
šš
But more importantly, it's a blanket.
And football games are long.
So, while someone else is three feet away having an emotional breakdown over a penaltyā¦
you can be wrapped up on the couch, warm and comfortable, wondering whether anybody would notice if you took a nap.
Everybody wins.
Wellā¦
hopefully somebody does.
I'm still learning how this works. šš
š And There It Isā¦
Look at your living room.
Football pillows.
Burnt-orange blanket.
Snacks everywhere.
People yelling.
Dog probably sitting somewhere it isn't supposed to be.
And suddenly you realize something:
Ohhhh.
We're not just in football season anymore.
It's FALL fall.
And once I realize it's fall?
It's over.
Because now the living room can't just lookĀ like fall.
It needs to smell like fall too.
Which is exactly how we accidentally end up with candles, pumpkin spice, potpourri and an entire house that smells like somebody baked somethingā¦
even though absolutely nobody did. šš
š Apparently the House Also Needs to Know It's Fall
We've got the pillows.
We've got the blanket.
The couch is officially autumn-approved.
But there's one problem.
It still smells likeā¦
your house.
Absolutely unacceptable. š
Because apparently decorating for fall doesn't count unless the HOUSE also knows it's fall.
I want to walk through the door and immediately smell pumpkin, cinnamon, apples and questionable financial decisions at HomeGoods.
THAT'S fall.Ā šš
šÆļø First, We Light Something That Smells Expensive
I love a good fall candle, but I also have commitment issues.
What if I want pumpkin today?
Apple tomorrow?
Cinnamon when I'm cleaning?
Vanilla when I want everyone to believe I've been baking?
This four-pack said, āGirl, you don't have to choose.ā š
You get Spiced Pumpkin, Caramel Apple, Clove Cinnamon and Vanilla Cupcake, which basically covers every personality I'm going to have between now and Thanksgiving.
Light one while everyone's watching the game, curl up under that orange blanket and enjoy the illusion that your home is peaceful.
Even if somebody ten feet away is screaming:
āTHAT WAS CLEARLY PASS INTERFERENCE!ā
Sir.
I'm smelling Caramel Apple.
Please respect the atmosphere. ššÆļø
š For When One Candle Simply Cannot Carry This Entire House
Now we're involving the outlets.
Because why should one tiny candle be responsible for creating fall ambiance across an entire home?
These Glade Golden Pumpkin & Spice PlugInsĀ are for the rooms where you want fall happening without having to remember that you lit something.
Plug them in.
Walk away.
Let electricity handle autumn.
Technology is incredible.Ā š
And there's something deeply satisfying about walking from one room to another and realizing:
Yep.
Pumpkin has spread.
The takeover is complete.
š And Then There's Potpourriā¦ Which Apparently Got Cute Again
Listen.
For a while, the word potpourriĀ made me picture a dusty bowl sitting on somebody's bathroom counter in 1997.
š
But THIS?
Little pumpkins.
Dried orange slices.
Cinnamon.
Fall colors.
Okayyyyy, potpourri.
I owe you an apology.
Put this in a pretty bowl on the coffee table, entryway or dining table and now it isn't just making the room smell goodāit's actually part of the decor.
Which means we're getting two jobs out of one purchase.
And around here?
We respect an employee who multitasks.Ā šš
š Okay. Inside the House Is Officially Fall.
Look at us.
We started with football snacks.
Then we needed a blanket.
Then pillows.
Then candles.
Then we plugged pumpkin spice directly into the electrical system.
Things have gotten out of hand beautifully.Ā š
But now there's one small problem.
You know what's sitting outside looking completely left out?
The front porch.
And we can't have people walking through a cozy autumn wonderland inside after being greeted by a porch that still says:
āWe haven't emotionally recovered from summer yet.ā
Absolutely not.
We're taking this operation outside.
šš”š
š” Apparently the Front Porch Would Like to Participate
Here's the problem with decorating one area of your house.
You stand back.
You admire it.
You feel accomplished for approximately seven minutes.
And then you look somewhere else.
Well, now THAT looks sad. š
The inside of the house is cozy.
It smells like fall.
There's a blanket waiting on the couch.
Meanwhile, the front porch is outside looking through the window like:
āOh. So, we're just doing fall without me?ā
Fine.
Get in here, porch.
š Option #1: Soft, Cozy & āYes, I Have My Life Togetherā
This 20-inch Hello Fall wreathĀ is probably the one that fits the whole Beautifully Overwhelmed vibe the most.
It's got the softer cream pumpkins, greenery, berries and little touches of orange instead of screaming:
PUMPKIN SPICE HAS ARRIVED. š
It's pretty, warm and just understated enough to give the front door that cozy fall look without making it feel like we're running a seasonal craft store out of the garage.
And the little āHello FallāĀ in the middle?
Done.
Door decorated.
Look at us being seasonal adults. šš
š» Option #2: No. I Want FALL Fall.
Okay, maybe subtle isn't your thing.
Maybe you want the front door to announce autumn before anybody even pulls into the driveway.
I respect it.Ā š
This 24-inch harvest wreathĀ brings the sunflowers, orange leaves, berries and all those deeper traditional fall colors.
It's warmer.
It's fuller.
It's basically the wreath equivalent of walking outside in boots while holding a pumpkin-spice coffee even though it's still suspiciously warm outside.
šš
So, we've officially got two porch personalities:
Soft Fall:Ā āOh, what a lovely little autumn wreath.ā
FULL FALL:Ā āGET IN LOSER, WE'RE GOING TO THE PUMPKIN PATCH.ā
Choose your fighter.
š
š¼ And Now, Flowers I Cannot Accidentally Kill
Listen.
Real fall mums are gorgeous.
I buy them.
I put them outside.
I admire them.
I have every intention of caring for them properly.
And then life happens.
A few days later I'm walking past the porch like:
āWhy are you being dramatic?ā
Ma'am.
You haven't watered her.
šš
Which is exactly why these artificial fall flower bundlesĀ caught my attention.
You still get those pretty orange, red and yellow fall colors in your porch planters without waking up one morning to discover you've accidentally created a botanical crime scene.
Put them in your existing pots, arrange them around the porch and enjoy your beautiful fall flowers while contributing absolutely nothing to their survival.
Finally. Gardening at my skill level.Ā šš
š And Just Like Thatā¦ We've Taken Over the Entire House
Remember when we were just watching football?
That was cute.
š
We started with queso.
Then came the charcuterie.
Then apparently, we were operating a buffet.
Then the couch needed pillows.
Then the couch needed a blanket.
Then the house needed candles.
Then the electrical outlets got involved.
Then the front door got jealous.
And now we're outside planting flowers that aren't even alive.
This is no longer game-day preparation.
We have accidentally completed a seasonal home makeover.
And I regret nothing.
But before we wrap this up, I have exactly one more thing.
Is it necessary?
No.
Does it serve an important household function?
Absolutely not.
Did I see his tiny face holding a pumpkin and immediately decide he belonged here?
Obviously.
š®šš
š® And Finallyā¦ I Have No Defense for This One
Everything else in this post?
I can justify.
The slow cooker keeps the dip warm.
The serving trays hold food.
The blanket keeps you cozy.
The candles make the house smell good.
The wreath decorates the door.
Even the fake flowers have a job:
They survive me.
š
But this?
This is a tiny Highland cow wearing overalls and a hat, holding a pumpkin that says:
āBe Thankful.ā
That's it.
That's my argument.
LOOK AT HIM.
š®šš
I saw his little face and immediately abandoned every financial principle I've ever pretended to have.
Does he keep the food warm?
No.
Does he organize anything?
No.
Does he improve the structural integrity of the home?
Absolutely not.
But will he sit somewhere looking ridiculously adorable while silently reminding everyone to be thankful?
YES, HE WILL.
And frankly, after surviving football people yelling in the living room, feeding everybody, cleaning the house and accidentally redecorating the entire property for fallā¦
I think we've earned a tiny emotional-support Highland cow.
šš®
Put him on a shelf.
Put him by the fireplace.
Put him on the entry table.
Let him live among the pumpkins.
And when somebody asks:
āWhy did you buy that?ā
Look them directly in the eye and say:
āHe lives here.ā
No further explanation required.
šø A Little Beautifully Overwhelmed Note
Somewhere between the football-shaped queso and the artificial mums, this post became about more than game-day stuff.
And weirdly?
I kind of love that.
Because these little seasonal things aren't really about having the perfect house.
They're about making ordinary days feel a little more fun.
It's throwing a blanket over the couch because the weather is changing.
Lighting a candle while dinner is cooking.
Putting something ridiculous and adorable on a shelf just because it makes you smile.
Inviting people over even though the house isn't perfect.
Eating way too many appetizers while somebody you love yells at a television.
š
Life gets heavy enough on its own.
We spend so much time worrying about money, schedules, responsibilities, what needs cleaned, what needs fixed and what we're already behind on.
Sometimes it's okay to just enjoy the season you're standing in.
Make the dip.
Light the candle.
Put the fake mums outside because the real ones never stood a chance.
Buy the ridiculous little cow if he makes you happy.
Your life doesn't have to be perfectly put together to be worth making cozy.
And maybe that's what I love most about fall.
It's a season that almost gives us permission to slow things down a little.
To gather.
To get comfortable.
To make home feel like somewhere we actually want to be.
Even if that home currently contains football screaming, crumbs on the couch and one suspiciously unnecessary Highland cow.
Beautifully overwhelmed, indeed.Ā šøš
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