Top 10 U.S. Holidays With the Most Binge Drinking
Celebrating certain holidays comes with more drinking than others. Mother’s Day, for example, does not have the same reputation as a ‘party holiday’ as Cinco de Mayo. While it is normal to cheers an occasion with a few drinks, binge drinking (drinking more than five drinks as a male or four for a female in two hours) could be dangerous. Learn about the booziest holidays based on data from a survey of more than 1,000 Americans from Alcohol.org, as well as how to stay safe this Thanksgiving with a few tips for responsible drinking.
Holidays With The Most Binge Drinking
The list of booziest holidays has Mardi Gras in first place and Thanksgiving in last. That is not to say, however, that Thanksgiving is not a boozy holiday. The average person still has 2.7 drinks on Thanksgiving – more than twice the average number of drinks on a nonholiday. The most commonly consumed alcoholic beverages on Thanksgiving are wine, beer and whiskey. Almost every holiday has higher than average drinking amounts.
- Mardi Gras (4.5 drinks per person)
- New Year’s Eve (4.4)
- Patrick’s Day (4.2)
- Fourth of July (3.8)
- Halloween (3.5)
- Cinco de Mayo (3.5)
- Memorial Day (3.3)
- Labor Day (3.2)
- Winter holidays (3.1)
- Thanksgiving (2.7)
What is ‘Black our Wednesday’?
The amount of alcohol consumed over the Thanksgiving holiday has resulted in a new nickname for the Wednesday before Thanksgiving: Blackout Wednesday, also referred to as Drinksgiving or Whiskey Wednesday. It is reportedly the biggest night of the year for bars, as most people do not have work or school the following day. According to the survey, 15% of men admit to binge drinking to celebrate Thanksgiving while 10% of women do. In addition, 3% of men and 2.1% of women admitted to blacking out on Thanksgiving.
Holiday Celebration Safety Tips
Having a drink or two on your favorite holiday is normal. If you wish to celebrate in safety, however, practice awareness of your drinking habits. Avoid overindulging in alcoholic beverages this Thanksgiving to protect your well being. You can remain safe, secure and in control on even the booziest holiday by keeping a few tips in mind.
- Set a limit: Before you attend a Thanksgiving event, set a limit on the number of alcoholic drinks you will consume. You know yourself and how many drinks you can handle. Once you set a limit, do not back out. Count your drinks and stick to your limit.
- Do not drink alone: Drinking by yourself could make you a target for crimes such as date rape or assault. Try to bring a trusted friend with you to Thanksgiving celebrations. Never leave your drink unattended.
- Pace yourself: Throughout the event, alternate between an alcoholic beverage and a nonalcoholic one. Drink a glass of water in between beer or wine. Make sure you eat plenty of food to help absorb the alcohol.
- Never drink and drive: There is never an excuse to get behind the wheel after you have been drinking. Designate a sober driver or plan on getting home through Uber or Lyft before you go out. Do not drive after you have been drinking, no matter how many you had.
- Watch for drunk drivers: Blackout Wednesday through Black Friday comes with a high risk for drunk drivers. If you have to drive around this holiday, keep a careful eye out for signs of drunk driving, such as swerving or recklessness. If you think someone is driving drunk, stay back and call 911 to report the driver.
You can have a good time while playing it safe this Thanksgiving with a few drinking tips. If you do not trust yourself to make sound decisions while drinking, just say no. You could save lives – including your own – this Thanksgiving by choosing to stay sober. If you do get into an accident with a drunk driver, contact a car accident attorney near you for help.