Christmas shopping can be a difficult thing. But if you’re shopping for a committed football fan, then there are a string of options worth considering. Let’s take a look at them.
This is a collaborative post
Football gifts
Why do football-related gifts make such a lot of sense? Football, for many, is a passion that dominates all others. For a committed fan of a particular club, any items related to that club are likely to be well-received. And these items are in abundant supply: every major team provides a range of merchandise, ranging from keyrings to scarves to mugs.
Of course, the most important piece of football-related merchandise is the replica football kit.
Football Kits
Replica football kits come in many different forms. There are home, away, and even third kits now available from every major team. For children, this might mean buying the entire kit, including shorts and socks. Just make sure that you get the size right!
For most fans, the shirt alone is sufficient. That could be the Liverpool home kit, for example, which is an essential piece of apparel for those watching a game at Anfield.
Of course, as well as replica shirts, you might also look for match-worn shirts. These can be especially valuable if they’ve been signed by players. These are collector’s items for which you can expect to pay a significant amount. Get them framed and hang them on the wall – they’ll only appreciate in value.
Tickets
For a seriously committed football fan, you might provide a set of tickets as a Christmas gift. Traditionally, the footballing calendar is crowded around Christmas time, which means that season ticket holders can’t always get to the games between Christmas and New Year’s Day. This creates an opportunity for speculative gift buyers. A football fan might be presented with tickets on Christmas Day, and be watching their sporting heroes just a few days later – or even on Boxing Day.
Accessories
As we’ve mentioned, clubs of every sort provide a range of paraphernalia, which is perfect for those little stocking fillers. Anything that can be emblazoned with a club’s crest or slogan is suited to this purpose. As well as this, you might look for items related to specific players. Retired players and managers of a certain level of fame will tend to publish autobiographies – and a minority of these are really worth reading!
Games
On top of the merchandise provided directly by the clubs, there exists a rich ecosystem of games that pay tribute to the sport more broadly. You might think of football trading cards, some of which can be tremendously valuable. Or, you might look at a miniature football table, or the tabletop classic Subbuteo.
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