So the World Cup is nearly here again. The government may have decided that England probably isn't getting through to the later stages, but that won't stop us enjoying every minute from the first whistle to the final...dare I say it...penalty shoot-out.
Win, lose or draw, the World Cup brings us together. We'll chant and roar and shout advice to the ref as though he can hear us. Weather permitting, we'll even drag the BBQ out of the garden shed and flip a few burgers with the neighbours.
Let's face it, this is the one occasion that combines our two national sports - football and binge drinking. And this year the World Cup is in a part of the world where kick-off happens late in the day for us. Remember 12 years ago when we had to get in front of our TVs at some crazy hour of the morning, because Japan and Korea were already past lunchtime? Thankfully, this year, an 11pm kick-off is much more civilised.
So where will you be watching? Pub or sofa? If there's a beer or more in hand, it's going to be a late session. But before we get carried away with World Cup fever, have you thought about the morning after?
If you're anything like me, you'll still have to get up, get to work and face reality. Even if your head is pounding a bit and your mouth feels like something crawled in and died, life goes on, so click here for tips on dealing with a world-class hangover.
But, believe it or not, that's not the worst thing that can happen the morning after. Because, if you've been drinking the night before, there's every chance that you're not just hungover, you're actually still drunk. Probably well over the legal limit for driving your car, which explains why nearly 1 in 5 drink-drive collisions happen the morning after.
You might not know this, but the police do. They'll be on the look-out for drunk drivers, especially the morning after a late match. And why shouldn't they? No one wants to be on the wrong side of a car driven by someone over the limit, whatever the time of day.
Don't believe me? Take a look at this video:
How can you make sure that you're not drunk behind the wheel the morning after?
You could decide not to drink at all. Or you could do the maths that works out when your body will have eliminated all the alcohol you drank the night before. Having sex, a shower, a big breakfast or several cups of coffee may help you to feel better, but - sorry - they don't actually remove the alcohol from your system.
But if sobriety and hard sums aren't your thing, you need to keep a breathalyser handy - we've got some great ones available in our shop. They're not as accurate as the ones the police use, but they'll tell you if you've still got alcohol in your system. If you have - even if you think you're below the limit - please don't get behind the wheel. It's not worth the risk. The only safe level of alcohol to mix with driving is none.
Enjoy the World Cup - but do so safely - and remember to check you're not over the limit the next day so you don't risk your own penalty.