Celebrating Cereal Bowl Sunday

Step into the pages of my childhood, where football had about as much appeal to me as a cabbage patch (the farm not the doll). My family didn't exactly go all-in on the football frenzy, but living just beyond the reaches of Giant's Stadium in NJ meant the sport was part of the backdrop of our lives. My mom, however, was determined to ignite a spark of interest in me. She tried everything – jerseys, collector cards, even stickers. But alas, my veins didn't flow with football fervor.

Still, she held onto the notion that a young lad should at least find some joy in watching the Super Bowl. Cunning as she was, my mom played her cards right by tapping into my natural love for breakfast cereal. And so, a tradition was born. In the days leading up to the Super Bowl, she'd hand me some money and send me off to the store. My mission? To choose the cereal of my dreams – anything I desired. The catch? As long as I sat through the game, I could devour as much cereal as my heart desired.

Genius, right? I'd munch away, one bowl after another, until I was practically immobilized from a bellyful of cereal. At that point, watching the game was my only option. Over time, my enjoyment of the games actually grew.

After a couple of years of this ritual, and the gradual shift to a generously sized bowl, my sister, with a hint of playful scorn, coined the term "Cereal Bowl Sunday." It was a name that stuck around, a playful jab at my cereal indulgence.

Though my days of celebrating Cereal Bowl Sunday waned sometime in the 1990s, this morning, I took a nostalgic leap. A bowl of Quisp kicked things off, followed by a generous helping of Fruity Pebbles. And here I sit, perched in my chair, fixated on the game, my ability to move somewhat limited. Do I have any regrets about not indulging in the other savory offerings on this sports-themed day?

No, my friend, not a single ounce of regret. Cereal Bowl Sunday isn't about second-guessing – it's about cereal, and plenty of it. So take up your spoon, dive into your preferred cereal delight, soak in the game, and join me in rekindling a Retroist family tradition that's all about savoring the simple joy of cereal.