We have scoured the market and checked our sources. We’ve done some serious thinking, so you don’t have to this hectic shopping season. Voila! Here are 25 of our favorite holiday gift ideas for the tailgaters in your life.
This list runs the gamut, from super affordable to luxury, from the practical (coolers and grills) to the downright frivolous (and hysterical.) We’ve got some traditional items, and cutting edge too, with just about everything else in between. Get going on the shopping list and start knocking out that to-do list now.
Don’t thank us, by the way. Just throw a little something extra into the online shopping cart for yourself, and we won’t tell!
At Inside Tailgating, we independently select and write about stuff we love or want to try out and think you will too. FYI- as a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, and other affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and/or linking to their websites, such as Amazon.com, we may receive commission on sales or other compensation through those links on this page. It is at no additional cost to you, but we gotta pay for our tailgates somehow…
Food & Drink
1. Grill Masters Club. Know a serious pitmaster and tailgate host who likes to stay up on the latest BBQ trends? Grill Masters Club boxes feature items picked by a certified BBQ judge. With a different theme for each box, they’ll never see the same thing twice. Boxes include everything from rubs, sauces and spices to grilling supplies and recipes, as well as one surprise item each month. Sign up for a single box or subscribe for 3, 6 or 12 months of monthly deliveries. Cost is $27.95 to $32.95 per month.
2. Omaha Steaks. A gift box of delicious high-quality meat ready to throw on the grill at a tailgate delivered to your door? That’s what you get with the Tailgater’s Choice, which includes eight Omaha Steaks burgers, eight gourmet jumbo franks and eight Gourmet Bratwurst for $39.99. To step it up, go with the Serious Tailgater, which features four boneless chicken breasts, four Polynesian Pork Chops, four Gourmet Burgers and four Classic Beef Franks for $57.99. A practical gift any tailgater would love.
Grills & Gear
3. Timber Ridge Laburnum Tailgate Wagon. The Laburnum was the winner of our monthly Select 6 vote for the best tailgate wagon. First off, it’s durable. It’s made of 600D material and can hold up to 180 pounds. Its front wheels fully rotate, which makes for great maneuverability. And it has a drop-down tailgate which means it can accommodate longer items like chairs and tent poles. The Laburnum is also budget-friendly, retailing at $99.99.
4. QB54 Tailgate Game. It’s two tailgating chairs and a play-it-yourself football game in one. This invention from two brothers from New Jersey is catching on like crazy in the tailgating scene. Co-creator Mike Silva says, “When you go to a football tailgate why throw a beanbag or a frisbee when you can a throw a football?” Hard to argue there. Two players or teams play to 54 points by tossing a football into the chair seat basket or kicking it through the attachable uprights. One game set (two canvas chairs and a football) retails for $99, but you can get 20 percent off by using the code: tailgate20.
5.Entertainment Beverage Tub. You’ve got to love the versatility of this galvanized, rust-proof metal beverage tub that works beautifully indoors or out. Load it up with ice and 24 beer bottles or a half dozen wine bottles to snazz up your tailgate spread or bar-side buffet. Personalizing it just adds the perfect touch to any gift, especially for the entertainer and tailgater in your life. It retails for $34.99.
6. The Tailgater Cooler and Trunk Organizer. This awesome accessory can double as both holiday gift and New Year’s resolution crusher. The collapsible three-compartment organizer will help any tailgater de-clutter for the next road trip, day at the beach, or even trip to the grocery store. The cooler compartment can hold two gallons of milk (or 18 cans) while being flanked by two full grocery tote bags. The cooler has a removable liner that makes for easy cleaning. The organizer comes in black, blue or red, and can be customized with an imprint. It retails for $29.95.
7. Best of Times Pop-up Bar. This is a steel-framed portable bar with optional umbrella set that’s built as sturdy as high-quality patio furniture and can be toted around in a bag. Coordinated bar stools are an additional add-on option. It’s great for backyards, tailgates and any outdoor venue, whether it’s for personal or corporate use. No tools required for assembly, which can be done in a matter of five minutes – we know because we’ve done it ourselves. Customized covers are available, as well as an array of colors and themes. Retail starting at $299 for the bar only in a solid color.
8. 18.5” Classic Pit Barrel Cooker. Our friends at Pit Barrel Cooker get rave reviews for this dandy, which is rated the best-selling drum booker on the market. Unlike a traditional grill, which cooks from one direct source, Pit Barrel cooking puts the food in the middle of the action, where it gets heated from all sides at once for a consistently great taste. Retails from $299.99.
9. Meater. This is the first truly wireless smart meat thermometer and it connects to an app on your phone. It means you can insert the probe in a piece of meat, place it on the grill, and get back to the party. You’ll receive a notification on your smartphone when the meat has reached the desired temperature. (And you can follow easy step-by-step directions for the specific cut of meat within the app.) No more burning dinner because you’re chatting up your fellow tailgaters. Too good to be true, right? But it is. Cost is $69.00
10. Hydro Flask Soft Coolers. The “unbound” series coolers are built for the tailgate-hopper, who wants to travel light while moving from one tailgate spread to the next, but still keep their contents cold (for up to 48 hours) and easily accessible (wide-mouth hinged top.) The 24 L tote doubles as a great beach bag. The 22L backpack ($199.95) is light enough to carry on a hike or camping venture. They’re lightweight, sleek, durable, and with just enough heft for the job at hand. They retail for $199.95.
11. Coleman RoadTrip LXE Portable Grill: The Coleman RoadTrip won our Select 6 vote for best portable grill. It’s easy to use, both in terms of transporting and cooking. It folds up and rolls on two wheels like a roller board suitcase, complete with pull handle. When assembled, it folds into a waist-high cooking surface. (No more bending down to cook on a shin-high portable grill, and no table required for table-top grilling!) The Coleman Roadtrip LXE features two 10,000 BTU burners, InstaStart matchless lighting, and a 16.4-ounce propane tank that’ll cook for more than an hour. It retails for $250.59.
12. Traeger Lil Tex Elite 22 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker: One of the top-rated grills by Seriously Smoked. And it’s not exactly “Lil” either. It has the capacity to cook four whole chickens, 16 hamburgers or five racks of ribs, which makes it great for entertaining at a tailgate or backyard cookout. It has an 18-pound hopper which means you can grill or smoke for hours without refills. The side grease drain makes for easy cleaning. Retails on Amazon for $699.99.
13. College team-colored Christmas Lights. Fanatics.com has orange and purple Christmas lights for Clemson, scarlet and gray for Ohio State, orange and blue for Auburn, and red and black for Georgia. Currently, at $14.99 they’re a guilt-free gift for yourself. Use them to line a canopy at an upcoming tailgate, then string them up to your Christmas tree at home, or the tree in your front yard. Be the talk of the neighborhood and tell them we at Inside Tailgating told you.
14. SAC-IT-UP Cornhole Beach chair: What a great idea! A beach chair that doubles as a cornhole board (in one of its eight reclining positions.) Folded up, you can carry it as a backpack. It’s got a head-and-neck pillow and plenty of pockets – for cell phone, sunglasses and sunblock – and one for the six cornhole bags that are included. Use it to tailgate a music festival, picnic at the park or just set it up in the back yard. Price on Amazon: $99.99.
15. Tailgate N Go. As seen recently on ABC’s Shark Tank, though you may remember we introduced it to our readers in 2018. This ingenious storage-container-turned-cooking-space is basically a portable outdoor kitchenette where you can keep cooking utensils and supplies organized when you’re on the go. The attachments include cutting boards, a grill, stove, sink, cooler, and condiment stations. It can be reconfigured four ways to customize the cooking station. Tailgate N Go will fold back up and slide easily into the bed of a truck. You can serve from the Tailgate N Go off the back of your tailgate or add a swing-out hitch to allow access to both sides. Retails for $1,650.
16. Honda EU2200i Generator. It’s light – at 46.5 pounds – relatively quiet and has a .95 gallon fuel tank, which allows for a little more than eight hours of run time at 25 percent load. It comes with a three-year warranty from Honda and carries the durability and reliability you expect from Honda products. And if you need more power, you can add a second EU2200i. Retails for $1,049.00.
17. GoPong 8 Foot Portable Beer Pong Table. This portable regulation-sized beer pong table will be a hit at any tailgate, backyard party or BBQ. Certain models come with pre-cut cup holes to prevent spilling and it folds up into a briefcase-style carrier. It comes in black, football field, American flag or custom dry erase where you can draw your own tournament bracket, fraternity letters or express your school spirit. It includes six pong balls. Retails for $67.99 to $99.99.
18. GameChanger Cornhole Bags: For the serious cornhole players in your crew, buy the bags that the pros use. GameChanger Cornhole bags from All Cornhole, are approved by the American Cornhole League and can be seen on ESPN being used by players in the ACL’s college cornhole championship series. These bags retail for $90-$97.
19. BruMate Winesulator gift set. For the wine-drinking friends you thought already had everything. This wine canteen and coordinating tumblers with lids make bringing your own wine to a tailgate or party a snap. The winesulator holds an entire bottle of wine, and it keeps wine chilled for 24 hours-plus. It’s also great for the pool, beach or music festival too because it’s glass-free, which means it’s not only safe but travels well. Retail for $59.99-$69.99.
20. WYLD Dually Hard Cooler. These durable double-compartment coolers are great for separating hot and cold items and for wet and dry. And while these 50-quart tough guys are built for the boat deck on a deep-fishing trip or the rugged terrain of a deer hunt, they’re easy and practical for tailgating too. Another option is to forget the ice and containers and pour your beverage directly into the cooler compartments. Using the Tap Kits on each side you can serve Sangria from one side and beer from the other. Retails for $289.99.
21. Logo Brands Round Table. It was hard to pick just one Logo Brands item to share but we settled on the fold-up round table because it’s super handy and an easy way to add some spirited surface area to your tailgate! Each table has four drink holders and easy access for four chairs. Eat a meal? Play a game of spades? Use it as part of your buffet? And when you’re done, fold it up and put it in a handy carrying case. Retails for $42.00.
Fans & Thrills
22. Tellum + Chop college apparel. Give the gift your favorite sports fans won’t give to themselves, either a) because they don’t know about it yet or b) they didn’t know yet that they’re this bold. This fun and fabulous sportswear from Tellum + Chop does much more than rep a team, it breeds confidence for the wearer. It’s an instant conversation pieces at any tailgate, watch party or holiday gathering.
23. Game Day Chic apparel. This is hip and modern sportswear for the discerning fashionista (and her boyfriend.) This is for the friends who may or may not need to tout their favorite team, maybe just their sports passion. The slogans on these high-quality T-shirts go a little deeper: “Baseball and Coffee” or “Weekends are for Sleeping In & Football.” We totally get it. T-shirts go for $25-$29 and sweatshirts $34-$42. Game Day Chic is offering Inside Tailgate readers 10 percent off their purchase with the promo code: INSIDETAILGATING.
24. Team RLN. Founder Brianna Cannon calls TeamRLN’s look game-day glam, and that’s the perfect way to describe it. These are earrings that shout your allegiances, whether it’s for Ole Miss, the state of Texas, your sorority, or pom-poms the color of your favorite team. They’ve got adorable Christmas tree and snowflake earrings for the holiday season too. The hand-crafted designs range from $65 to $85 and are available through Amazon.
25. Fanchest. Don’t know what to get your favorite sports fan for Christmas? Get it all. Fanchest is your sure bet, offering an array of their favorite team’s officially-licensed sports gear from the NFL, NHL and college in a box. The combos include everything from hats, jerseys, umbrellas, water bottles, mini-helmets, and even baby gear. What assortment you get is part of the surprise. Fanchests range in price from $59 to $289, depending on whether they include a jersey or memorabilia. Youth and baby gifts are available too.
FYI- as a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and/or linking to Amazon.com, Inside Tailgating may receive commission on sales or other compensation through those links on this page. It is at no additional cost to you, but we gotta pay for our tailgates somehow…
All prices were accurate at time of publication, but may fluctuate over time.
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