The night of the general election 2015 promises to be a marathon television event, with the two main channels offering 19 hours of coverage between them from 9.55pm. Here's how to get through it entertained.  

It only happens once every five years - a fact welcomed by politicians' spouses and berated by bookies - but it's impossible to deny the effect the general election has on our cultural landscape.

Twitter has been heavy with #GE2015 hashtags. It is now impossible to turn on a piece of illuminated technology without reading an impassioned plea that the cost of Freddos will rise no more in a last-ditch attempt to secure votes. Election fever is rife - but not for much longer.  

Some publications have chosen to focus on party manifestos, or the thread count of Ed Milliband's tie, or the ways David Cameron looks like CP3O made of ham.

Such fripperies are of no interest to HeraldScotland. To accompany our real-time coverage of unfolding events, we have devised a way that will commemorate the biggest night in politics in around seven months with purely populist ideals at its core. How else will the stately, Churchill-esque (the dog or the man - you decide)  nod of BBC political correspondent Brian Taylor be celebrated other than a drinking game?

As the election falls on a Thursday, HeraldScotland will accept all responsibility* when players' employers question why members of their workforce are making frequent and prolonged trips to the bathroom the next morning. *Kidding on, obviously. Everyone knows the real litmus test of hungover colleagues is to count the number of fizzy juices on their desk.

If you're concerned about feeling fresh the day after - calm it mum, because it's also possible to play along with a soft drink or caffeinated beverage.

The HeraldScotland General Election night 2015 Scottish drinking game

 

A fancy graphic sticks on-screen, causing minor but professionally-masked panic Take a drink

Katie Hopkins tweets something offensive about a living person Take two drinks

Katie Hopkins tweets something offensive about a dead person Take two drinks

The words 'we've got a long night ahead of us' are mentioned Take a drink

Jackie Bird swooshes her lovely flame-coloured mane Take three drinks

Someone misses their cue on a live link Take a drink

Glenn Campbell makes a verbal slip-up, fundily-mundily style Take a drink

A clip is shown of George Galloway in a jaunty hat Take two drinks

The back of a branded laptop is covered by a funky decal pertaining to the TV channel Take a drink

The word 'kingmaker' is mentioned Take a sip

The colour of BBC political editor Brian Taylor's braces shows his party preference Take a drink

When a presenter thanks Brian Taylor, he closes his eyes and nods deeply Take two drinks

Any results that are announced in the dead-zone of 10-12pm Take three drinks

Someone references Scandinavian peacenik sauna republik-gate Take three drinks

A reporter studies their clipboard frantically when a link goes wrongTake a drink

Every ten times someone says 'swing' Take one drink

The phrase 'the most unpredictable general election in years' is mentioned Take a drink

A party member stamps on their rosette in frustration Take three drinks

Labour lose a seat to the SNP Take a sip

Bernard Ponsonby forgetting to enunciate a word perfectly Take three drinks