There are many national days of the year devoted to alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks. Can’t make up your mind which one to celebrate? Why not raise a glass to all of them on National Cocktail Day – March 24?
It’s always interesting to celebrate a national day that focuses on alcohol. I seem to learn new things about entertaining beverages that I never knew before.
Check out National Beer Day, celebrated on April 7, National Cosmopolitan Day, May 7 and National Mimosa Day, May 16, for two more fun national drink days.
What is a cocktail?
A cocktail is a drink made of alcohol which consists of a single spirit or several of them combined into one glass.
It is normally mixed with other ingredients, such as fruit juice, cream, or other liquid mixers and often garnished with pieces of fruit or vegetables.
Some cocktails focus heavily on the alcohol content and others feature the mixers as the main attraction.
When it cocktail hour?
We often hear about “Happy Hour” but the term cocktail hour is also used by managers of hotels and restaurants. It is a way to attract customers to the establishment before people generally start drinking.
The hours of cocktail hour (and happy hour) are between 4 and 6 pm. Many official events, such as weddings are preceded by a cocktail hour, so the time could vary then.
Cocktail hour is a time to socialize and enjoy cocktails and appetizers.
Fun facts about cocktails
Do you love the taste of a fancy cocktail? If so, you might be interested in some of these fun facts.
- The first mention of the word “cocktail” was in 1978 in a British newspaper. The word was hypenated “cock-tail” and referred to a ginger drink.
- Cocktail umbrellas were first introduced in 1932.
- Each cocktail umbrella contains a tiny scroll with a fortune on it under the collar.
- Ernest Hemingway invented a cocktail which he called “Death in the Afternoon.”
- Winston Churchill once said “the gin and tonic have saved more Englishmen’s lives, and minds, than all the doctors in the Empire.”
- New Orleans is rumored to be the birthplace of America’s very first cocktail – the Sazerac.
- Cocktails are thought to be an American invention in the 1800s, but they were likely inspired by British punch bowls – big bowls of spirits mixed with fruit juice, spices and other flavors. These were consumed in punch houses in the 18th century.
- National Cocktail day (and other days) was invented in 2013 by author Jace Shoemaker-Galloway.
How to celebrate National Cocktail Day
The obvious comes to mind, of course, but there are lots of ways to celebrate National Cocktail Day.
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- Watch the movie Cocktail, starring Tom Cruise. He plays an ambitious New York bartender who moves to Jamaica to find true love.
- Try a festive cocktail served in fruit, such as a hollowed out pineapple for a new experience.
- Host a cocktail party and ask your friends to bring the mixings and a recipe for their favorite cocktail.
- Read Tequila Mockingbird to discover how to make cocktails with a literary twist.
- Treat yourself to a Bartender’s Mixology Tool Set. You’ll be making cocktails like a pro for your next party!
- Try to learn how to make one new cocktail that you’ve enjoyed when dining out, so that you can make it at home.
- If celebrating with a cocktail, please be sure to drink responsibly.
- Spread the word on social media using the hashtag #NationalCocktailDay. Here is a tweet to get you started:
Cocktail recipes for National Cocktail Day (or any day!)
Of course the best way to celebrate National Cocktail Day is to treat yourself to one. Check out these cocktail recipes for some inspiration.
Cocktails are much easier to make than you may think. Most take just a few minutes and a few tools using items that you likely have on hand. Try some of these for a new taste sensation. Easter is coming soon and this midnight kiss cocktail is a colorful way to celebrate. Need something to serve for Cinco de Mayo? Try this spicy Michelada Cocktail. It's a stepped up bloody Mary with a spicy kick. This Floridora Cocktail combines the flavors of raspberry liqueur and lime juice with ginger ale for a refreshing drink that will remind you of the tropics. Refreshing and tart, this drink uses watermelon cubes, raspberries and fresh lemons and is easy and quick to make. To serve it as an adult drink, simply add a little rum, vodka or gin. Pomegranate and lychee juice gives this drink an Asian flair. Make it in just minutes! Do you love margaritas? Switch it up a bit by using dragon fruit to flavor the drink. Lots of different juices combine with grenadine and vodka to make this Cinderella glass slipper cocktail. It's a bit past Valentine's day but this pretty drink can be used to say "I love you" any time of the year! Is it a drink or is it a dessert? You get to decide with this orange cream martini recipe. The terms buck, or mule are used to refer to historic drinks that contain ginger beer, or ginger ale, along with a citrus juice and some kind of spirit. In the case of the Moscow mule, the spirit is vodka. National Cocktail Day - Celebrate with these Delicious Cocktail Recipes
Easter Midnight Kiss Cocktail
Michelada Cocktail - Perfect for Cinco de Mayo
Floridora – Refreshing Raspberry and Lime Cocktail
Watermelon Raspberry Lemonade – Not your usual Recipe
Southern Comfort Southern Breeze Cocktail
Dragon Fruit Margaritas – Cinco de Mayo cocktail from a Cactus!
Cinderella Glass Slipper Cocktail
Love Potion Cocktail
Orange Cream Martini Recipe
Moscow Mule Cocktail – Spicy Kick with a Citrus Finish
There are close to 2000 national days every year. The month of March, alone, has over 300 of them. Be sure to check out the list of national days in March to see what we are celebrating this month.
If you like to plan your activities for the whole month, be sure to print out my calendar of national days for March.
Be sure to also check out these other national days that feature alcohol:
- National Beer Day
- National Hot Buttered Rum Day
- Natural Beverage Day
- National Mimosa Day
- National Pina Colada Day
- National Martini Day
- National Irish Coffee Day
Looking for something to go along with the cocktails? Be sure to have a look at the March food holiday calendar for lots of tasty ideas.
Pin it for later
Would you like a reminder of National Cocktail Day? Just pin this image to one of your cocktail boards on Pinterest.
Jace Galloway
Tuesday 24th of March 2020
Just wanted to thank you for sharing my special holiday, National Cocktail Day. I created the occasion in 2014.
Cheers, everyone!
Carol
Wednesday 25th of March 2020
What a treat to have you comment Jace. I've added a note in my description of the day in the article above. Carol