As a diehard fall fan, there’s an infinite number of things about the weather finally cooling down that make me (and many others) ecstatic about the approaching season. It’s hands-down the best weather to dress for: sweaters, boots, big coats and lots of layers. Apple cider and pumpkin are flavors that become impossible to escape (I mean that in the best way, to be clear). Fall also means that it’s time to sink into your couch for hours on Sunday (and, who are you kidding, Saturday too) while football games cycle through your TV.
And for all the things that football is and can be — exciting and intense, boisterous and passionate, competitive and unpredictable — it’s also becoming quite homey. For every replay I see on social media of Travis Kelce’s fumbled catch while playing the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, there’s another kind of football video I see: One where young adults embrace football season by making it a full-on vibe — one that feels particularly…soft.
Here’s what I mean.
Exhibit A: Football-themed mugs and football-designed cookies, served on a wooden football-shaped tray, nestled in a pristinely clean house among ceramic pumpkins and fall-colored leaves arranged on countertops and tables. Not to mention the shot of the Green Bay pajamas at the end.
Exhibit B: Everything listed off in this video describing ideal fall activities and favorites. Who wouldn’t love a day of apple picking, hot chocolate, warm baths and the obvious next fun activity, Sunday football? It funnily feels like a game of “which of these words don’t fit with the others,” but that’s not exactly the case here.
More football towels, football cups, fall leaves, pumpkin-scented candles and, again, of course, Sunday football.
It’s soft in a way that feels rather jarring compared to how football actually feels. It’s not like the rowdy tailgates, the smell of beer and sweat permeating overly crowded parking lots, inevitably befriending and bonding with loud, energetic strangers. Stadiums amid freezing cold temperatures packed with thousands of fans who are either all cheering or booing in synchrony (I’m an Eagles fan). House parties where men yell at the TV as an ensemble, but they’re muffled by the sounds of eating buffalo chicken dip. So a soft, comfortable, relaxing, romanticized version of this? With scented candles and tiny little string lights? It may seem like quite a concept, but it’s one that we should all get on board with.
I can’t help but also initially notice the ways that football decor has become prettified, too. A room decorated in football garb initially feels and sounds limited to eyesores like posters, flags or jerseys with hard-to-work-with colors that take up too much space, but clearly, brands are in on it too: Crate & Barrel glassware, Pottery Barn plates, a Williams-Sonoma cheese board. They’re offering a classier and subtler look on how to decorate a space for the season. It leans right into the hype and consumerism of fall decorating, making these football touches a curated addition in a home. Throw some wings and dips into the mix, and home really starts to feel like an elevated, comfortable setting to tune into the game.
It’s also not the first time that some people on social media have tried to “cozy-ify” something. There’s “cozy cardio,” a trend that combines low-impact cardio like walking in a comfortable setting with candles, dim lighting or Netflix playing . There’s animated videos of third spaces that take on a “cozy” spin that people frequently tune into for background noise. There’s “cozy gaming”, a new wave of technology, and don’t even get me started on the TikTok self-care trend “cozymaxxing” that went viral several months ago. Trends like these have popped up over several years, ones that seem like something that many young adults became interested in amid the decline of third spaces after the pandemic. But when it comes to fall and cold-weather months, it’s kind of an ideal time to lean into it. There is, really, nothing like being on your couch, in the warmth of your own space, relaxing in the way that feels best for you.
But it’s not just about fall here. It’s about football, and the sport is being completely romanticized in a new way by a new generation: An alluring, comfortable, easygoing way of tuning into a sport that’s really not any of those adjectives at all.
In some ways, it could be part of the Taylor Swift influence that’s increased how many women are watching the sport. Women are now finding a way to elevate the sport by creating an entire environment that they can enjoy while watching — especially if they’re watching with their boyfriends or husbands. As one influencer in a viral video put it: Women can find a way to enjoy football Sunday with their male partners without even liking the sport.
She lists out many highlights that come with the joy of football Sundays, while mentioning that men should excitedly lean into these activities so that the women in their lives can enjoy the day with them too: fun drinks, fun foods, lighting candles, wearing team apparel, learning more about the lore and the drama of rivalries between the teams or players to make it feel a little reality show-esque. They could even keep a book they’re reading nearby while the game is on in case they’re really just not into it for some “parallel play,” if you will. She reads her book, you watch your game, but you’re in the same room on the same couch together. The ultimate common denominator here is that you two get to spend shared, silent time together in a room that has just the right vibe. In a way, it’s kind of the ultimate date night — but you can literally make it fun all day.
And clearly, men are willing participants — these videos show that they’re already leaning into it and even enjoying it. If you’re going to be lounging around all day, why not just full-send it and make it a vibe that everyone will love?
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