

Note: As
absurd as some of them may seem,
we did not make any of
these holidays up.
Key: Holiday. Pithy
comment. Suggested holiday
libation. (Recipes
included for the odd ones.)
November
1 Dia de los Muertos (Mexican). Raise a
drink to lost friends. Dead Guy Ale.
2 Festival of Odin (Norse). Vikings believed
they went on an eternal drinking binge with Odin if they
died in combat. Glogg.
3 First dog goes to space (1957). Laika lasted two hours
in orbit. Flying Dog Ale.
4 Cash register patented. Originally created to combat
stealing by bartenders in a Dayton, Ohio saloon. One on the cuff.
5 Guy Fawkes’ Day (British). Celebrating the kook
who tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Car Bomb.
6 St. Leonard’s Day. Patron saint of prisoners. Jailhouse
Pruno.
7
Lono’s Day (Hawaiian). Party with Hunter S. Thompson’s
favorite war god. Blue Hawaiian.
8 Abet & Aid Punsters Day Mania Festival (Roman). Like those bastards
need our help. A drunk baseball player (a pitcher full of beer).
9 Feast of the Four Crowned Martyrs (Freemason). I sense
a conspiracy. Crown Royal.
10 Stanley Found Livingstone, he presumed (1871). Seek out long lost
bar buddies. Gin and tonic.
11 St. Martin’s Day. Patron saint of drunkards.
St. Martin Cocktail
1 1/2 oz gin
1 1/2 white rum
1 oz bitter lemon
Dash Angostura Bitters
Pour gin and rum over ice, top with bitter lemon, add angostura, stir.
12 Brotherhood of Fools founded (1381). Haven’t you put
off your membership long enough? Old Milwaukee.
13 Stenia, the Bitching Festival (Wiccans). Let ‘em
know exactly how you feel.
Bitch On Wheels
2 oz gin
1/2 oz dry vermouth
1/2 oz white creme de menthe
1 tsp Pernod
Stir with ice, strain.
14 Moccas’ Day (Celtic). Pig goddess festival. Blind
Pig Ale.
15 National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day. Make sure
you load it with beer before you begin. As much beer as you can cram
in your refrigerator.
16 W.C. Handy’s Birthday (1873). “I think
a guy who’s had just the right amount of booze can sing the blues
a hell of a lot better than a guy who is stone sober.”—Charlie
Rich. Bourbon, neat.
17 Penance Day (Germany). Now, what would the Germans
have to be penitent about?
War All the Time
2 1/2 oz vodka
1 oz Aftershock
3 oz tequila
2 oz beer
1 can frozen lemonade
Pour all into a blender. Blend until smooth.
18 Festival of the Nine Lotus Leaves (Chinese). Controlled by
the Goddess of Mercy, Guan Yin. Nine shots of Maotai.
19 Warlock Day. According to ancient belief, the first
stranger you meet on this day dressed entirely in black will be a warlock. Demon
rum.
20 Revolution Day (Mexico). Drink until you have your
own revolution(s). Tequila Slammer.
21 Feast of Hathor (Egyptian). The cow goddess Hathor wanted to destroy
mankind, but Ra tricked her into drinking beer and passing out instead. Delicious,
humanity-saving beer.
22 Anniversary of the Founding of the Friendly Sons of St. Vitus
(1915). Pro-drinking not-so-secret society founded by journalists
in a ship’s lounge. Cape Cod.
23 First jukebox installed (1889). Threatening the piano
player no longer necessary. Boilermaker.
24 Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s Birthday (1864). Raise one to that
lovable absinthe-swilling, whoremongering dwarf. Absinthe.
25 Women’s Merrymaking Day (Wiccan). Live it up,
ladies! Girlie drinks.
26 Casablanca premiered (1942). Strasser: “What’s
your nationality?” Rick: “I’m a drunkard.” Gin
joint gin.
27 Bruce Lee’s Birthday (1940). Rent Enter the Dragon
and take a drink every time Lee’s feet leave the ground. Forty
of Midnight Dragon.
28 William Blake’s Birthday (1757). “The road
of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.” One for the road.
29 Ice discovered on the Moon (1996). As soon as they
discover scotch, I’m building my rocket ship. Red Rocket Ale.
30 Winston Churchill’s birthday (1874). “I have taken more
out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me.” Churchill Martini
(pour the gin and glare across the room at a bottle of vermouth.)