When many people think of February, they think of Valentine’s Day. In my house, we think of a particular football championship game that, for legal reasons, I can’t name. You know the one. The “big game” is a national holiday for my husband, our friends, and me. Since we have lived in Indianapolis, we have hosted a party that gets bigger every year.

You need a few key things for a successful “big game” party. First, a good group of attendees — being a football fan is not a requirement. Second, delicious, primarily unhealthy food and drinks to help get your guests through about six hours. Someone always tries to contribute a salad to my gathering, and it never gets eaten. A couple of years ago, we made it a breakfast food theme — biscuits and gravy, egg bake casseroles, doughnuts — and that was a big hit.

Third, I like to make the whole night a game for my guests so even if you don’t like football, you can still have something keeping you interested. I created a sheet for each guest with 10 questions about the game, the commercials, and the halftime show. Will the National Anthem be over 3 minutes? Will the coin toss be heads or tails? What brand will have the first commercial after kick-off? What’s the first song the halftime singer will perform? The person who gets the most questions right wins a gift card.

The first three months of the year can sometimes feel like a grind. The second Sunday in February helps to give us something to look forward to. My daughter still has a few more years before she can stay up for the game, but I know she will enjoy it when that day comes. Well, I know she will enjoy the food at least.

Do you have unique game day traditions? I would love to hear about them.