Trophies2Go Blog

Looking for something fun to spice up your Halloween bash?  Consider hosting a contest, complete with prizes!  There are all sorts of entertaining Halloween-themed games and activities to do with both kids and adults. Check out the 4 contest ideas blow with corresponding Halloween trophies for the winners.

Halloween Trophies add hype to your spooky event!

1.  Costume Contest - This is a no-brainer.  Everyone wears a costume to a Halloween party, so have your guests vote for their favorites!  This can be done at a kids' party, adult bash, or at the office.  My favorite award for 'Best Costume' is our Flying Witch Halloween Trophy.

2.  Pumpkin Carving Contest - Your guests bring a pumpkin to the party and take home a carved jack-o-lantern.  Put a big pot of soup on the stove, turn on some football, and it's the perfect fall activity!  At our family pumpkin carving competition, we had a 'Kids Choice' prize and an 'Adults Choice' winner.  For awards, I like our Halloween Rising Star Trophy or Jack-O-Lantern Halloween Column Trophy, as they both have carved and can be personalized specifically for your event.

3. Office Cube Decorating Contest - Why leave all the fun to the kids?  Get in the holiday spirit by hosting an office decorating competition.  You can choose a theme (or not) and then bring your spooky vision to life in your cubicle!  Once the office is decorated, host trick-or-treating for employees’ families to show it off.  One thing to double check with management is what decorations are allowed, such as lights or candles. This type of event is the highlight of the year for many businesses!  Don't forget prizes for the best decoration such as a Color Halloween Plaque to display in the office or a gift card to a neighboring coffee shop.

A great game for gremlins of all ages is the Spooky Touch Boxes!

4.  Spooky Touch Box - This is a fun game for a classroom party.  An adult creates a box with a hole, large enough for a hand to fit through, but small enough so you can’t see inside.  Within the box is a creepy item to feel.  I usually do 4-6 touch boxes for a party.  Each child takes a turn reaching their hand into each box, touching what is inside.  Whoever guesses the most correct items in the boxes wins!

Some ideas of things to put in the boxes are peeled grapes (for eyeballs), cold spaghetti (for brains), pumpkin guts (more brains), banana peel (for tongue), dried apricot (for ear).  My friend put an antler in one of the boxes for her daughter's party and that really stumped the kids.  Since the kids will get plenty of candy while trick-or-treating, I would suggest a non-edible prize.  A Halloween themed pencil, glow stick, glow necklace, creepy ring or Halloween medal are all good, inexpensive prizes for the winner.

I hope this gives you some fun ideas for your party and check out our large selection of Halloween Trophies here!  Only 2 1/2 weeks until Halloween - hope yours is safe and fun!

Editor's Note:  This post was originally published in October 2012, and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

Cheers,
Jessica

One of my favorite times of year, the Pacific Northwest is beautiful in fall.  Autumn includes warm September days, crisp clear nights, fall colors in the trees, the return of the salmon, Octoberfest and best of all, FOOTBALL!

Even though football is in full swing, now's time to look forward to the end of the season, celebrating accomplishments of players and thanking those who support your team.  There's three categories of important people to acknowledge - Players, Coaches and Parents, and Sponsors.

Players

Our top selling football awards for your team, top players, and outstanding coaches!

For young pee-wee players, they may receive a participation trophy from their league for playing this season.  This is especially common for kiddos in their first few years of football. Great choices for football participation awards include Star Spinner Football Trophies, Pee Wee Football Trophies, and the Boys Football Column Trophy.  Football medals and Football dog tags are also popular choices for your youngest players.

As the kids get older, they may get trophies less for participation and more for winning.  Popular choices are football tournament trophies , large football trophies, and resin awards, such as our Lombardi Replica Junior Football Championship Trophy.  For even more ideas, read the Guide to Kids Trophies by Age.

Then there are special awards, such as Offensive MVP and Defensive MVP.  Many times these players receive plaques such as a Full Color School Plaque.  Be sure to make it meaningful with special words of praise, individualized to each player.

For graduating seniors, probably the coolest trophy I have ever seen was a custom designed plaque made by Issaquah High booster parents.  They split a helmet in half (I have no idea how they do it!) and then mount it onto a large board.  We then supply the engraving that is attached to the board next to the helmet.  It is a gorgeous award that becomes a treasured keepsake for those players and their families.

Coaches and Team Parents

Get even more great coach gift ideas on our Pinterest Page!

Coaches get many gifts over the years, so if you do give a coach award, make it personal.  I recommend a signed ball with a holder, a picture plaque, an engraved whistle or clipboard.  Another small funny gift is a coach bobble head.

Then pool parent's money together to purchase a gift card to the coach's favorite store or restaurant.  For more ideas visit Top Gifts for Coaches or our Coach Gifts & Awards Pinterest Page.

Team parents, such as booster club members, PTA supporters, concession seller, and other adult volunteers also deserve recognition for their contributions to the football season.  A small gift, such as a coffee gift cards, with a hand written note, is a nice gesture for those parents who go the extra mile to support your team.

Sponsors

Whether you like it or not, community sponsors are often necessary to support the team.  Being a community business that often gets hit up for money, I understand how sponsors want recognition and exposure for supporting your team.  Here are some ways to acknowledge your football team's sponsors.

1. Publish them and what they do in the program. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a sponsor name, but I have no idea what they do or sell.  Make sure to tell your fans.

2. Announce the sponsor on the loud speaker.  Maybe you feature a sponsor a game.  Just make sure your fans see and hear the name.

3. Memento of their contribution.  Favorite items include plaques that sponsors can hang on their wall.  One extremely popular option for sponsors are picture plaques with a photo of the team and then the sponsor's name and year.  Another choice is the Full Color School Plaque, completely personalized to your school colors and mascot.  Our engraver Lori individually designs each plaque to match your school!

4. Thank you.  A hand written note from the players makes an impact.

Your football season is a memorable time for all involved, including the coaches, team parent volunteers, sponsors and most of all, players.  Make it count with awesome football awards everyone will cherish for years to come.

Cheers!
Jessica

Let me help you choose the perfect trophy for your league!

Hi I'm Jessica, Owner of Trophies2Go and a fantasy football widow.  My husband has been in a league over 20 years so I know a bit about the fantasy season. At Trophies2Go, our team has helped many commissioners choose epic trophies for their draft. We often get questions about how to order Fantasy Football Trophies online - let me help you!

Choose Your Fantasy Trophy First!

Step 1: Choose Your Trophy. Many leagues choose perpetual trophies that they pass each year from winner to winner. This adds hype to the draft.

Step 2: Side Plates. To engrave the winner's name each year, add the three blank side plate option. It costs an extra $10.

Step 3: Enter Engraving For the FRONT. On the “customize” page, add your League Name and CHAMPIONS or whatever engraving you wish, it's FREE!

Then add the trophy to your cart.

Next ADD your past winners!

Log your league's winners on the side of the trophy!

Step 4: Search Product #7170. This is 'Fantasy Perpetual Engraving' (aka the winners).

Step 5: Add Your Years to the Cart. Figure out how many years of engraving you need. If you want to add winners for 2013, 2014 and 2015, add "QTY3" for 3 years.

Step 6: Enter engraving for the SIDES.  On the 'Customize' page, each year gets 3 lines of engraving. For example,

-Line 1 is the Year (2013),

-LIne 2 is the Winner's Name (Jeff Anderson) and

-Line 3 is the Team Name (Big Money).

Then move on to the next year, etc. After you've typed all the info, add it to your cart.  That's it!  You can request a proof to check over your engraving - our awesome engravers work directly with you before etching.We ship your trophy to you and then you're all set for your draft! Slick & easy!

Order an epic trophy for your draft now and have a fantastic football season!

Cheers! Jessica

If you’re planning an event this summer, play outdoor games to get people talking, interacting, and off their phones! One of my favorites is Corn Hole, also known as Bean Bag Toss. This game is for all ages and easy to play.

Cornhole makes a great game for birthday parties, company picnics, family reunions, and tailgates. I even saw a game set up at an outdoor restaurant!

Equipment Needed:

This awesome board was painted with love! The bean bags go through the center of the sunflower.

Corn Hole does require equipment to play. The game has two boards with a hole in the middle, with the object to toss the bean bag into the hole. You can play one-on-one or have teams of two. If the bean bag lands on the board, it’s a point, if it goes in the hole, its three points. Teams take turns going back and forth.

For a guide to how to play, check out Hayneedle.com’s guide to Cornhole.

Cornhole boards:

You can buy a cornhole game as a set, or make your own. To buy, there are many different styles and finishes. Or you can purchase an unfinished set and paint it yourself! This would just require some creativity and would be a fun project to do with your kids.

To build your own bean-bag toss game, check out this DIY network site.

Cornhole Awards

Create a cornhole tournament and give personalized awards! We offer a number of fun, inexpensive awards for your winners. Our most popular options include:

Customer Dwayne added felt "bean bags" to his corn hole trophy. So clever!

Corn Hole Game Trophy – exclusive to Trophies2Go, you won’t find this award anywhere else. It looks just like a cornhole board. One customer even made little felt bean bags on this trophy, making it the hit of the event!

3D Motion Xtreme CornHole Trophy  – this popular little award is a great inexpensive choice for your winning team. It includes your personalized etching on the base.

Cornhole Champion Award Belt – for a larger event with a bigger budget, consider this high quality leather championship belt. This is an impressive award for your tournament winner!

Make it a summer to remember by hosting a fun event with your office, family or friends! Bean bag toss is the perfect way to get people connecting and making memories together!

Cheers!
Jessica

In this fast-paced, high tech time, it's refreshing to see a clock in a home or office.

Summer is wedding season and it's always a challenge to find a meaningful gift for the bride and groom.  Of course you can always choose an item from their registry, but sometimes you want to give something different, more sentimental with uniqueness and personalization, that they will cherish for years to come.  Personalized Clocks make the perfect gift of time for newlyweds, along with couples celebrating anniversaries.

Why a Clock is the Perfect Gift

When everyone has the time on their phone, computer, tablet, and Apple Watch, why would anyone want an old school clock?

The answer to why a clock is a great gift lies in that very question. A traditional clock, once a staple in every kitchen, living room, and office, is now a rare sight in many homes. It’s presence on a feature wall or mantle is notable, distinct, and often a focal or conversation point.

What makes our clocks special is they are both functional and beautiful.  Custom clock engraving makes the clock especially personal and a reminder of their special day.  The clock becomes a symbol of enduring love, an heirloom to be admired for a lifetime.

This stunning crystal clock makes a lovely display piece.

Our personalized clocks are masterfully crafted and precision engraved, sure to delight the couple.  In a wide range of styles, there's a personalized clock in every price range.  Below are some of our most popular options for a customized wedding or anniversary gift.

1.  Our Gears and Cogs Personalized Clock is one of our best sellers, large, impressive and diverse enough to fit almost any home.  With a modern design, skeleton face, and silver accents, this is a great choice for a young couple.

2.  The Transparent Crystal Clock with Gears is a beautiful crystal showpiece sure to impress your couple.  Again with the skeleton face, your personalized engraving is delicately etched directly onto the front of the clock.

3.  For a couple who loves reading or academics, our popular Personalized Rosewood Book Clock is a great choice. With traditional styling, it looks terrific displayed on a bookshelf with a library.

4.  Extremely affordable, the Silver Glass Personalized Alarm Clock is probably our best-selling clock.  Under $25, with clean lines and elegant styling, you would never know what a great value it is!  Just like every clock we offer, it includes personalized engraving for free.

Our personalized clocks also make great favors for weddings as well.  When I married years ago, I gave my bridal party each a small personalized clock to put on their nightstand or dresser to thank them for participating in our special day!

Enjoy the festivities and a summer of love!

Cheers,

Jessica