

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.)
September
1
Labor Day. “A person can work up a mean
mean thirst after a hard day of nothin’ much.” —Replacements.
Working Man’s Zinfandel
2 oz tequila
2 oz scotch
1 oz cinnamon schnapps
1 oz peach schnapps
Sprite
Mix liquor with ice, top with Sprite.
2
World War II ends (1945). Drunks save the
free world from tyrannical teetotaler.
Victory Collins
1 1/2 oz Vodka
3 oz lemon juice
3 oz grape juice, unsweetened
1 tsp powdered sugar
1 slice orange
Shake with ice, strain into a Collins glass over ice cubes. Garnish
with orange slice.
3 Lost Day. Good day to start a bender. Pint of rye.
4 Looking For the Boundaries Day (Cuchumatan Indians, Guatemala
Highlands). Test the boundaries of last call. Mescal.
5 On the Road published. Barhop like Cassady
and Kerouac. Cheap beer.
6 Read a Book Day. See if they have a bartender’s
bible behind the bar. Flop the guide open and see what you get.
7 Keith Moon overdosed on drugs prescribed to combat his alcohol
problem (1978). Well, it cured his drinking. Booze, hold
the drugs.
8 Star Trek debuts (1966). Kirk and his lusty band of
drunks are unleashed on the universe. Romulan Ale.
9 Horned Dance Festival (Pagan). Ah yes, the horned dance.
You know the one. Sex on the Beach.
10 Buy a Regular a Drink Day. Wonder who came up with
this one. Cheapest draft.
11 National Tricky Handshake Day. We kid you not. Left
Hand Sawtooth Ale.
12
H.L. Mencken’s Birthday (1880). H.L. estimated that 17,864,392,788
cocktails could be conceivably mixed from the ingredients a well-stocked
bar. #5,054,458s and lots of ‘em.
13 National Peanut Day. And you know what goes with peanuts.
Draft beer.
14 Slaughter of the Pig at Santa Maria delle Grazie (Italian). When
the Italian’s have a pig roast, they really do it up. Negroni.
15 Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. Perk her up by picking
up the tab. Whatever the lady wants.
16 Day of the Great Mother (Pagan). We all know a few. Gran
Ma.
17 M.A.S.H. debuts (1972). “Swill gin? Sir, I have sipped,
lapped, and taken gin intravenously but I have never swilled.” —Hawkeye. Gin
martini, Sahara dry.
18
Captain Nelson discovered Jeannie in a bottle (1965). Was
only slightly disappointed she wasn’t bourbon.
Jeannie’s Dream
4 oz Malibu Rum
2 oz sloe gin
2 oz orange juice
2 oz pineapple juice
2 oz 7-Up
Mix Malibu, juices and 7-Up. Gently top with sloe gin.
19 Feast of Thoth (Egyptian). The god purported to have taught
the Egyptians how to make beer. Pyramid Pale Ale.
20 Alexander the Great’s Birthday (256 BC). Conquered
the world while on a bender. Tequila Alexander.
21 Swiss National Yodeling Festival. You never know until
you try. Longneck bottled beer (to defend yourself).
22 National Wine Week begins. Week-long bender! MD
20/20.
23 John Paul Jones victorious (1779). Declare, "I
have not yet begun to drink!" at last call and see how far it gets
you.
24
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Birthday (1896). “Sometimes
I wish I’d went through those good times stone cold
sober so I could remember everything—but then again,
if I ‘d been sober the times probably wouldn’t
have been worth remembering.” Champagne Cocktail.
25 William Faulkner’s Birthday (1897). “There’s
no such thing as bad whiskey. Some just happen to be better than others.” Well
whiskey.
26
Gilligan’s Island debuts (1964). Fact: 70% of men prefer
MaryAnne.
Gilligan’s Island
1 oz vodka
1 oz peach schnapps
3 oz orange juice
3 oz cranberry juice
Shake, pour over ice.
27 Samuel Adams’ Birthday (1722). Patriot, brewer, boozehead. Sam
Adams Lager.
28 Drink As Much Beer As Possible Day. Started in Milwaukee.
Case of Old Milwaukee.
29 Festival of Tezcatzonctl (Aztec). All Hail the Chief Aztec
God of Intoxication! Tequila.
30 Cheers debuts (1982). “Terrorists, Sam. They’ve
taken over my stomach and they’re demanding beer.”—Norm. A
trough of beer and a snorkel.