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As far as National holidays days go, we can’t think of a better one than National Happy Hour Day! Aside from Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year, this holiday is basically everyone’s waiting for — taking advantage of happy hours at your favorite bar, cafe or restaurant, every drop of that glorious liquor can be bought at a discount! Traditionally offered by bars, restaurants nowadays also hold happy hours and offer appetizers at discounted prices. Usually, a happy hour includes two drinks or two appetizers for the price of one.
How Happy Hour Started
National Happy Hour Day is celebrated annually on November 12th, and we’re all familiar with the term. Every bar and restaurant in the world has this, but the question is, where did this term first begin, and how did it come to spread across the world?
The words “happy” and “hour” were used when describing pleasant times. In Act 1, Scene 2 of William Shakespeare’s King Henry V, it states, “Therefore, my lords, omit no happy hour that may give furtherance to our expedition…”. The use of the phrase “happy hour,” would then refer to a scheduled period of entertainment. However, it can be traced to a much more specific date, in 1913, and it originated from the United States Navy. The term was used as a euphemism for shipboard entertainment which includes smoking, wrestling, boxing, music, movies, dancing, as well as alcohol. As a reference to a point of drinking, however, it made its appearance during the prohibition, the term “Happy Hour” referred to that time spent at a speakeasy before retiring to restaurants no longer able to serve alcohol. Today, American bars celebrate “Happy Hour” daily with discounted drink specials, usually between the hours of 4:00 and 7:00 PM, except for places where it is prohibited by law. In Europe, many countries strictly regulate the price of a serving of alcohol, so customers may be served a double pour rather than a discount on a single order.
How to celebrate it
There are a lot of ways to celebrate the famed and fun holiday. It is celebrated in the most wonderful and joyous ways, like going to your favorite establishment and partaking of the offerings of their Happy Hour. For others, they celebrate Happy Hour by going out with their friends, families, or coworkers, because of course, friends and drinks? Who doesn’t want discounted booze? For other people who aren’t into drinking that much, it doesn't mean that they can't enjoy happy hour. Actually, many restaurants and coffee shops have happy hour prices on appetizers and hors-d'oeuvre. You can enjoy these while sipping on a non-alcoholic beverage — a juice, perhaps?