The second month of the year ushers in the Super Bowl, Valentine's Day, President's Day and the Oscars making February a the month of romance for football fans, adoring lovers, history buffs and movie goers.

The majority of Americans love football which is why Super Bowl Sunday is considered to be one of the most popular American holidays.  Ranked right up there with Thanksgiving, Super Bowl Sunday brings together friends and family, and gives them reason to park their keister’s on the couch and indulge in some nachos, BBQ wings, and beer.  Fans of football will tune in on February 4th at 6:25 pm to see the Indianapolis Colts face the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI at Dolphin Stadium, Miami Florida.  Many had given up on Peyton Manning as one of the best quarterbacks who would never see a Super Bowl. 

Now, Manning will have his day against the Bears who have not been to a Super Bowl since 1986 when they beat the Patriots with a score of 46 to 10. The Colts have not been to a Super Bowl since 1971 when they were known as the “Baltimore Colts.” They won Super Bowl V by beating the Dallas Cowboys 16-13.  This game is often referred to as the “Blooper Bowl” because of the record setting number of turnovers.  Combined there were eleven turnovers in Super Bowl V.  Hopefully this years’ Super Bowl will not have as many bloopers…although, it would make for an entertaining game.

Ahh... Valentine's Day... the day of love, flowers, candy, gifts, cards and romantic dates.  Valentine's Day contributes a lot to the economy as florists sell more red roses on this day than on any other throughout the year.  The Greeting Card Association reports that Valentine's Day is the second most popular holiday (next to Christmas) for sending cards with card exchange estimates at one billion.  Heart-shaped chocolate sales will be at an estimated 35 million boxes.  The most important aspect of February 14th is to show that special someone just how much they are loved.

In 1968, Congress passed the Monday Holidays Act, which moved Washington's Birthday from February 22nd to the third Monday in February. The official name is still "Washington's Birthday" as proclaimed by President Chester Arthur in 1885.  However, in recent years, it has been called "President's Day" to honor George Washington as originally intended along with Lincoln and all presidents.

Oscar night is February 25th, accompanied with all of the usual glitz, glamour and greatness on the red carpet.  Peter O' Toole, nominated for the eighth time, is up for Actor in a Leading Role for "Venus".  Other Oscar nominees in this category include, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Gosling, Will Smith and Forest Whitaker.  Actress in a Leading Role nominees include Penelope Cruz,  Judi Dench,  Helen Mirren,  Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet.   Tune into ABC at 5 pm Pacific and 8pm Eastern to view the winners and Ellen Degeneres as she hosts this special event for the first time.

Additional Resources for Febrary 2007:

• Official Site of the Super Bowl - Providing a scoreboard, history, news, videos, fan information, contests, a seating chart and more.
• Official Site of the Chicago Bears - Contains merchandise, traditions, events, photos, tickets and stadium information.
• Official Site of the Indianapolis Colts - Purchase merchandise and learn about the team, players, games, cheerleaders, photos and news.
• History Channel: Valentine's Day - Featuring the history and legends concerning the origin of Valentine's Day.
• St. Valentine's Day Trivia - Offering interesting Valentine facts and trivia.  Also find the names of famous couples married on Valentine's Day.
• Infoplease: President's Day or Washington's Birthday? - Find out why some people feel the move toward "President's Day" takes away from the honor given to our first president.
• OSCAR.com - Learn about the nominees and legacy of the Academy Awards.  Site includes news, games and sweepstakes.