November 12th is Happy Hour Day #HappyHourDay. I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t mind celebrating Happy Hour Day with my friends and family. Either at home or at one of our favorite restaurants. Including Applebee’s which does specials during certain times of the day and they also have $1 drinks.
Would you like to go with me to Applebee’s there Queso and Mozzarella Sticks are so good and they are part of the #snacks on sale. Of if you prefer to stay home I can pick up appetizers from the store and make us drinks and we can create our own HappyHourDay.
If you’re sitting at your favorite watering hole with a group of buddies chowing down on free or reduced price Buffalo Wings, Chips and Salsa, Fries and maybe Coconut Shrimp with Cocktails or Beer between 5-7pm on November 12th, call me and I will join you because you’re we would be right on time to celebrate Happy Hour Day.
Surprisingly, something that most of us associate with fun after work in mostly urban settings, actually got its start with the U.S. Navy as far back as 1914. (However, in 1900 “Happy Hour” Social Clubs did exist.) Did you know that because I sure didn’t. But I would have liked to visit a Social Club. What about you?
Did you know Happy Hours, as we know them today, got started during the early days of the Mexican-American War? During the occupation of Veracruz Harbor, American Sailors aboard the U.S.S. Arkansas were the subject of desperate reporters looking to fill out mundane stories after earlier fighting had used up all the exciting copy.
Notices, as in this lead in the “Washington Times” of May 1, 1914, “ ‘The Happy Hour’ Aboard Ship Makes U.S. Tars (short for “tar heels”, a slang for Sailors from North Carolina) Contented.” were common. After a busy day, happy hours boosted morale with boxing matches, dancing and drinking. (Although Liquor was expressly banned from Naval vessels starting in 1899, Sailors may have sneaked Booze onboard.)
By the end of WWII, happy hours were a “thing.” The relaxing practice had spread throughout U.S. Naval fleets. But on April 25th, 1959, a “Saturday Evening Post” article popularized, “happy hour” for everybody outside the Navy.
According to “Bustle,” an article entitled, “The Men Who Chase Missiles” described the hazards for people who “ lived and worked on remote Island outposts tracking Cape Canaveral’s missile launches… “Except for those who spend too much during “happy hour” at the Bar — and there are few of these — the money mounts up fast.”
As much as we love National Happy Hour Day (and we really do!), the day itself remains uncredited. This may be one of those internet-generated days that makes life so much fun. At the end of this day, let’s meet at the bar after work, say, around 6?
National Happy Hour Day Activities
Don’t expect the patrons to uniformly call out your name when you enter your favorite bar just as they did for Norm in “Cheers,” but on National Happy Hour Day, there might be extra special discounts for Bar or restaurant “regulars.”
You can’t deny a sense of camaraderie when you throw darts or play bar games with folks who know you. But don’t limit yourself to the old standby, either. Be adventurous and venture out to a spot you’ve been itching to try or make a mini Pub Crawl out of the evening.
Technically, you can’t reap the benefits of half-off drinks if you’re throwing your own shindig but it’s cheaper to drink at home, so you still win. Plus, you don’t have to worry about how you’re getting home. Granted, the atmosphere might not be as “cool” as your favorite Watering Hole but you can spice things up by trying out new recipes and making your go-to exactly how you like it.
Did you know Happy hour isn’t just about drinking? Many bars and restaurants offer specials on food, too. If you’re the designated driver (or if you just enjoy food more than Alcohol,) Happy Hour really is a sweet deal!
Why People Love National Happy Hour Day
Reliable public transportation isn’t a perk that everyone gets to enjoy and calling a cab isn’t always budget-friendly. But, with all the money you save by not paying full price at happy hour, there’s lots of wiggle room for all your cab needs. It’s the one time you don’t have to feel guilty about spending extra on the ride home.
We’re not saying we need Booze to get along with our coworkers, but it doesn’t hurt, either. After a hard day at the office, let your hair down with the people who helped you get through it. We might all have responsibilities outside the office, but, sometimes, all you really need is one good Happy Hour to keep you sane (and friendly!)
People like adventure as much as the next person but some prospects are riskier than others. You know how a friend recommends a place you have to check out? Well, if it’s the friend who likes everything (and we all have one), you could be in trouble. Fortunately, happy hour gives us a chance to check out a new spot, but at a discount, which makes the snacks delicious and the Cocktails even better!
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
