Everyone's heard of Black Friday — the day after Thanksgiving when everyone hits the stores to take advantage of sales as the holiday shopping season officially kicks off. However, have you heard of Black Wednesday? It refers to the day (and night) before Thanksgiving. It's actually been called the biggest drinking night of the year.
Why are people hitting the bars and restaurants the night before an iconic family holiday? There are a number of reasons:
- Many people, including college students, are home for the holiday. They may be spending Thanksgiving with family, but Wednesday night is a good time to meet up with friends they haven't seen for awhile.
- For people who are responsible for cooking the Thanksgiving feast, the thought of preparing dinner for the spouse and kids the night before can be unappealing. Many people enjoy a nice, relaxing dinner at a restaurant on Wednesday night.
- A number of people get off work early the day before Thanksgiving, so they go out with friends before going home. If they're able to sleep in on Thanksgiving, they may stay out late Wednesday night.
If you're one of the people out enjoying the evening, put the Uber app on your phone and use it to get home unless you have a reliable designated driver. If you don't need to be out in the late afternoon and evening on Black Wednesday, it's safer to stay in and avoid the hoards of drivers who descend on the roads. Many of them, sadly, will be under the influence — particularly as it gets later in the evening. Nothing ruins a long holiday weekend like a trip to the hospital.
Need an attorney? Contact Viloria, Oliphant, Oster & Aman L.L.P. at (775) 227-2280.
Source: LifeSaver, "The night before Thanksgiving – Black Wednesday," Shelly Wutke, accessed Nov. 20, 2015