Christmas is Saturday and by this time, hopefully, you have completed all your Christmas shopping. So now that all the big presents have been purchased it is time to start thinking about those stocking stuffers. When you think of tailgating gear you typically think of big bulky items like grills or pop up tents. (If you need suggestions on those traditional tailgating items, check out our Holiday Gift Guide 2010 for tailgaters.)
There is plenty of cool tailgating gear that is small enough to be considered a stocking stuffer that any tailgater on your list would love to receive on Christmas morning. So without further delay is our list of great stocking stuffers for tailgaters.
Grill Charms – Grill Charms are dime-sized solid stainless steel charms you place in food prior to cooking. Depending on the styles and collection your prefer, Grill Charms help you identify grilled meats that are smothered in spicy marinades, are grilled medium rare or can alert to a possible food allergy, i.e. peanut sauce was used. You grill meats as you normally would and when it is time to serve, there is no question which piece of chicken was soaking all night in Uncle Henry’s 12-alarm fire habanero marinade. Each box of Grill Charms, no matter the type of collection your prefer, is $19.95 for a set of six. Individual charms sell for $4 a piece. You can purchase them on the web at the GrillCharms.com.
Bottle Cap Caddy – This little bottle opener mounts to any flat surface and is sturdy enough to open up even the most stubborn of imported beer bottles. By mounting it on the side of your cooler or even better, on the underside of the lid, your bottle opener will always be close to where the drinks are. The best part of the Bottle Cap Caddy is the rubber sleeve that slips over it to catch falling bottle caps. When it gets full, slip it off, empty and continue the party. Once you are done tailgating, slip it off again, pop it into the dishwasher and it is ready to go for the next tailgate. A single Bottle Cap Caddy is $9.99 plus $4.95 flat rate Priority Mail Postage. Three (3) Bottle Cap Caddies can fit in a single U.S. Postal Service flat rate box so if you buy two or three, the postage remains the same. You can find the Bottle Cap Caddy at Shop.TailgatingIdeas.com.
Can Grips -Just because your are drinking in a parking lot out of an aluminum can doesn’t mean you can’t have a little class while you do it. The Can Grip is a plastic handle that snaps onto a standard 12 oz beverage can and gives the appearance you are drinking out of a mug. An added benefit of the Can Grip is that you don’t need a koozie nor fear your drink will get warm without one. Because you are not holding the can in your hand and thus transferring your nearly 100 degree body heat to the can, the can stays cooler even without a koozie. Not only does the Can Grip make your Natty Light look like an expensive import but it will keep it cool while your hands stay warm. Can Grips come in four colors, blue, red, green and pink, and come in quantities of five or ten. Five Can grips will cost you $24.95 and 10 Can Grips will run $49.90. Both of those prices include flat rate shipping. Can Grips can be found at Shop.TailgatingIdeas.com.
Customized Beer Pong Balls – Most tailgaters enjoy playing beer pong while out in the parking lots. But not every tailgater has their own set of customized beer pong balls. Both Adam’s Balls and Pong University can take your tailgating crew’s logo or even a picture of your face, and print it on a beer pong ball. Just imagine catching fire in beer pong and not only are you making cups left and right but your opponent looks down into his sunken cups to only see your smiling face starring back at him. Prices vary depending on how much customization and prices go down based on volume purchases. Customize beer pong balls can be found at either Adam’s Balls or Pong University.
Tailgate Barn Shirts – You gotta wear something while tailgating and that old and tired Gus Frerotte jersey is not cutting it anymore. The shirts over at TailgateBarn.com are all about tailgating and the tailgate party lifestyle. Their unique T-shirt designs will definitely get you noticed while in the parking lot. Choose your particular shirt design and then you can decide what color shirt and what color you want the graphic. So no matter who you root for, your shirt can still be in team colors while professing your love for the party that goes on before the actual game. Shirts range in price based on the size and type of shirt you order but all are extremely affordable. Get more info at tailgatebarn.com
Shotgun Party Opener – Tailgaters are notorious for shotgunning beers in the parking lot. Normally to achieve the requisite hole in the bottom of the can, tailgaters will use their car keys or a knife to make the hole. This practice is not only a pain in the ass but also can result in shards of metal to potentially cut your lip. These techniques also do not create a clean hole without a lot of jagged edges. Along comes the Shotgun Party Opener which is designed to make a clean and smooth hole in the side of a beer can. It also can serve as a regular bottle opener, a can tab lifter and a key chain. The Shotgun Party Beer Can Opener is available directly from Shop.TailgatingIdeas.com for $3.99 for a single piece.
Zaca Hangover Patches – This is one stocking stuffer that could go hand-in-hand with the previous gift idea. For that shotgunner or avid beer pong playing tailgater on your list, give the gift of no hangovers with the Zaca Hangover Patch. Applied to the skin much like a nicotine patch to help smokers kick the habit, this little patch releases anti-hangover goodness for 24 hours after you’ve had your first drink. I personally tested the patch against 14 gin & tonics and woke up the next day feeling much better than had I gone to bed normally. Zaca Hangover patches are $19.95 for 6 patches and available at www.zacalife.com.
Season Tickets – The tailgater on your list may already have season tickets to his or her favorite team but this would make a great gift for someone who is just wanting to go tailgating more often. You could even offer to buy next season’s tickets for that tailgater on your list. No matter how you do it, you can be sure that the Christmas when they get season tickets in their stocking will be a Christmas they will always remember. Prices depend on the sports team and seating locations. Call your local team’s ticket office for pricing and seat locations.