It's that magical time of year again, friends, when we can all gather together around our TVs and watch the majesty and wonder that is THE POINSETTIA BOWL.  While it is often overlooked, like Flag Day or New Mexico Bowl Day, many still celebrate Poinsettia Bowl Day with a joyful fervor.

Looks like Poinsettia Bowl Day is finally here!

For those of you unfamiliar with the holiday, we here at Roll Bama Roll have put together a little primer to help you get into the festive spirit.

Origins:

There are disparate theories as to the origins of the holiday. The more common stories include:

In feudal times, Poinsettia Bowl Day was primarily a reason for a gathering of extended families. All the serfs would gather their families in the manor of their lord, which made it easier for the lord of the estate to hand out annual stipends to the serfs. The lord of the estate would give practical goods such as cloth, grains, and tools to the serfs who lived on his land. Typically they were presented in earthen bowls, and the holiday was considered the start of the "bowling" season. Under this explanation, there was nothing voluntary about this transaction; the lord of the manor was obliged to supply these goods.

In Britain many years ago, it was common practice for the servants to carry bowls to their employers when they arrived for their day's work the week before Christmas. Their employers would then use the bowls to arrange contests between the employees, sometimes matching the two best to determine a champion, but often times simply pitting weaker employees that perform in less glamorous functions against more high profile ones as a means to ensure the established employee hierarchy.  Traditionally, the first contest consisted of the arranging of poinsettias, though knife fights and hot dog eating contests were also common.

The "Poinsettia Bowl Day Knife Fight" is considered by most experts as the origin of the coin flip in college football.

Date of Poinsettia Bowl Day:

Since no one is certain of the actual origins of Poinsettia Bowl Day, it is typically scheduled by the capricious whim of ESPN programming directors.  For example, last year it was celebrated on Thursday, December 22nd while this year it is being celebrated on Tuesday, December 19th.  While some feel that this disregard for continuity is a main reason the holiday is constantly overlooked, the lack of interest by the general puclic has so far kept any efforts at establishing an official date from being effective.

Festivities on Poinsettia Bowl Day:

While Poinsettia Bowl Day was formerly a time for families to gather together after the efforts of a hard year gone by, it is now traditional for families to split apart, as the men typically spend it in front of the TV watching a football contest between the Mountain West Conference's #2 selection and an "at large" selection while the women do last minute Christmas shopping, nag the men of the family about never spending any time with them because they are always watching football, or otherwise make a general nuisance of themselves.  Other traditional activities for Poinsettia Bowl Day include:

The Sliding of the Metal:  A medieval precursor to the modern "sledding," the Sliding of the Metal was made synonymous with the holiday after precocious children began using their feudal lords' decorative armor to entertain themselves while their parents dealt with the serious business of Poinsettia Bowl Day.  Often said parents bore the brunt of their children's impudence after the activities were discovered, but today the tradition is a common and happy one.

A mother and her children enjoying the traditional "Sliding of the Metal"

Drinking:  Most college football fans look forward to Poinsettia Bowl Day as the start of the bowl season and a sign of better match ups to come, but there are also many who see it as a great excuse to get loaded on a weeknight.

The Wagering of Money:  Poinsettia Bowl Day offers plenty of opportunity for those desperate gambling addicts to place various wagers on a sporting contest that they would otherwise have no interest in.

So there you have it, a few tidbits about one of our favorite holidays.  Remember folks, celebrate this glorious holiday with caution, and the smart money is on TCU -12.*

*Roll Bama Roll neither encourages nor condones sports gambling, and is not responsible for any losses incurred by taking our advice.  If you win, though, we get a taste.