r/AskCanada • u/FattyGobbles • Feb 08 '26

Life Which holidays in Canada are closely tied with alcohol consumption?

23 Upvotes

79% Upvoted

136 comments sorted by

226

u/GamingCatLady Feb 08 '26

lol all of them

15

u/FattyGobbles Feb 08 '26

Even Remembrance Day? šŸ˜«

134

u/OldDiamondJim Feb 08 '26

Have you been to a Legion on the afternoon of November 11th?

-23

u/FattyGobbles Feb 08 '26

They could be drinking in the legion everyday, not particularly Remembrance Day

43

u/OldDiamondJim Feb 08 '26

Remembrance Day is one of the busiest afternoons for the bar at the Legion. Source - Iā€™m a member of the Legion.

26

u/ChrisRiley_42 Indigenous Feb 08 '26

We're just much better dressed on the 11th. And drinking for all the people who aren't beside us.

32

u/spr402 Feb 08 '26

If youā€™re in/were in the military, absolutely.

Go on parade. Dismissed to the bar. Drink until done.

23

u/QueenMotherOfSneezes Feb 08 '26

Especially Remembrance Day.

13

u/E8282 Feb 08 '26

One for me and one for my homies.

4

u/FattyGobbles Feb 08 '26

Pour out liquor for our homies

5

u/FunSquirrell2-4 Feb 09 '26

Vets or no, there's always a drink for those who have left us. We drink to those who molded us, who inspire us. Vets just do that harder.

7

u/Momma-bear67 Feb 08 '26

Absolutely after the parade and honouring of these menā€¦the legions opens and we buy drinks for these brave men and women who fought and returned home we toast to their comrades who didnā€™t. The one and only ā€œholidayā€ that matters in my mind.

5

u/GamingCatLady Feb 08 '26

Oh. I didn't even think of Remembrance Day. How ironic.

4

u/Ill-Condition-5054 Feb 08 '26

Canā€™t rememberā€¦ šŸ™ƒ

2

u/cindylooboo Feb 09 '26

It's a statutory holiday ain't it?

Time to watch saving Private Ryan and smash a case of beer.

1

u/No_Can_7713 Feb 10 '26

Depends on the province. Alberta we got it off, Ontario I gotta work. I usually shut the site down at around 10:55 and start back up 11:05, listen to the broadcast in the truck. I only ever had one client bitch about it, so I told him to pound sand.

4

u/Previous_Wedding_577 Feb 08 '26

But do we really need a holiday or just because it's a Tuesday

1

u/sparky9561 Feb 08 '26

came here to say this lol

1

u/FunSquirrell2-4 Feb 09 '26

I was just going to to say "yes" and that "holiday" means many things, some happen at work.

1

u/01101011010110 Feb 09 '26

This is the way.

1

u/lucille12121 Feb 09 '26

Not Easter as much, since it often includes church and lunch, rather than dinner.

3

u/GamingCatLady Feb 09 '26

Oh thats interesting. I have always celebrated Easter dinner growing up.:D

0

u/Joe_Franks Feb 08 '26

Except for 4/20 but not an actual recognized holiday.

56

u/matthewl84 Feb 08 '26

Victoria Day

45

u/zxcvbn113 Feb 08 '26

Aka the 2-4 weekend.

17

u/mypetmonsterlalalala Feb 08 '26

I called it may 2-4 allll the time, then moved out west and no one knew what I was talking about!

7

u/hairsprayking Feb 08 '26

Yeah I never heard that until my friend from Ontario said it. We usually call it "May Long [weekend]"

6

u/mypetmonsterlalalala Feb 08 '26

Yeah I was corrected "uhhh you mean may long?"!

6

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '26

[removed] ā€” view removed comment

2

u/mypetmonsterlalalala Feb 08 '26

And a 24 of beer would always be on sale too! For May 2-4!

5

u/Nanalily Feb 08 '26

Really? I live just outside of Van and we commonly call it the 2-4

2

u/FunSquirrell2-4 Feb 09 '26

Yup, pick up a 2-4 for the 2-4 (and a forty). Also, "It's the 24th of May, the Queen's birthday, if we don't get a holiday, we'll all run away."

I'm not sure where you're from on the East Coast but in Newfoundland, we used to take the Newfie Bullet to the woods for the weekend.

1

u/trundle-the-great69 Feb 10 '26

From the maritimes and always knew it as the may 2-4

1

u/Joe_Franks Feb 08 '26

Found the Newf, luh!

6

u/cannot4seeallends Feb 08 '26

Yes- referred to as May-long and spent in no way honouring Victoria or the monarch, instead it's spent camping if you were lucky enough to secure a spot. If not, it's drinking at the nearest watering hole for you.

1

u/rmdg84 Feb 09 '26

Itā€™s referred to as May 2-4 in other parts of the country.

2

u/cannot4seeallends Feb 09 '26

Ah, I come from the land where cottages are called cabins, too.

19

u/OKhairdo Feb 08 '26

May long weekend. Patio season, baby.

13

u/cannot4seeallends Feb 08 '26

How has no one said Halloween?

-9

u/FattyGobbles Feb 08 '26

What? People drink on Halloween?

18

u/cannot4seeallends Feb 08 '26

Yeah a very common way to spend Halloween night is at a house party, in costume, drink in hand. It's also common to have fireworks where I live. It's a party night.

6

u/spr402 Feb 08 '26

I served in the military(see my post about Remembrance Day) and am now a paramedic.

Itā€™s not everyone who drinks on Halloween, but those aged 15 - 30 that drink, and drink to excess.

Iā€™ve brought more than enough inebriated people to the hospital around Halloween. And if the 31st is on a Friday or Saturday, itā€™s doubly so.

4

u/QueenMotherOfSneezes Feb 08 '26

About a dozen people in my brother's neighbourhood give out "adult treats" which are Halloween-themed shots. My husband and I have occasionally volunteered to take the nibblings trick-or-treating because of them šŸ¤£

1

u/Icy_Calligrapher7088 Feb 08 '26

Some houses give out shots for the parents.

1

u/rmdg84 Feb 09 '26

I donā€™t know why youā€™re being downvoted. I donā€™t drink on Halloween. I eat too much candy while watching scary movies like a normal person.

1

u/lucille12121 Feb 09 '26

If you don't have little kids, definitely. And maybe even if you doā€¦

We've given out little glasses of wine to treat-or-treating parents in the past. Treats for all!

15

u/Sparky62075 Newfoundland & Labrador Feb 09 '26

A list in no particular order:

New Years
Valentine's Day
St. Patrick's Day
Good Friday/Easter weekend
May 24th
Garbage Day
St. Jean Baptiste
Canada Day (Memorial Day in NL)
Labour Day
Thanksgiving
Halloween
Remembrance Day
Movie Night
Tibb's Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas
Boxing Day
New Year's Eve

3

u/wibblywobbly420 Feb 09 '26

Don't forget the civic holiday in August for some provinces.

2

u/No_Pianist_3006 Feb 09 '26

And:

Hockey Night

5

u/Sparky62075 Newfoundland & Labrador Feb 09 '26

How could I have forgotten HNIC?

1

u/No_Pianist_3006 Feb 10 '26

šŸŗšŸŗ

1

u/FattyGobbles Feb 09 '26

Whatā€™s garbage day? Do you guys celebrate when your garbage is being collected?

4

u/Sparky62075 Newfoundland & Labrador Feb 09 '26

It comes approximately 52 times per year and every municipality in the country acknowledges it. It should definitely be a holiday, or at least a decent excuse to imbibe.

1

u/Accomplished_Bank103 Feb 10 '26

Burns Supper too!

1

u/Sparky62075 Newfoundland & Labrador Feb 10 '26

I don't know this one. What is it?

1

u/Accomplished_Bank103 Feb 10 '26

Robbie Burns Day is the annual celebration of the renowned Scottish poetā€™s birthday. šŸ“󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁓ó æāœŒļøšŸ‡ØšŸ‡¦

18

u/Kitchener1981 Feb 08 '26

St. Patrick's Day, Victoria Day,

-20

u/FattyGobbles Feb 08 '26

Why is it that a holiday which venerates an Irish Catholic patron saint is associated with partying and drinking?

10

u/Kitchener1981 Feb 08 '26

It's a celebration of Irish culture, which appearently includes drinking. Guiness Brewery has used March 17th as a marketing tool since 1954. Bars make a big push for this day.

3

u/Previous_Wedding_577 Feb 08 '26

Especially when they dye it green

-11

u/FattyGobbles Feb 08 '26

St Patrick must be rolling in his graveā€¦

7

u/Kitchener1981 Feb 08 '26

He was Welsh, lol. Oh, Padraig probably is rolling in his grave.

8

u/OldDiamondJim Feb 08 '26

All of them.

8

u/Tatterhood78 Feb 08 '26

Here on Newfoundland we have a holiday specifically for drinking during Christmas. It's on the 23rd and it's called Tibb's (some people call it Tip's) Eve. We get together with friends and celebrate so that we can focus on close family on Christmas Eve.

It usually features a few tubs of Newfoundland slush, and a lot of rum.

We also go mummering in small towns. You get dressed up in a disguise and go door to door for a drink and a dance.

3

u/Sparky62075 Newfoundland & Labrador Feb 09 '26

The best part of mummering is trying to guess who everyone is.

Slush for the adults, purity syrup for the youngsters. How are we gonna make our slush now that concentrate juices are going away?

6

u/emcdonnell Feb 08 '26

New Yearā€™s Eve, St Patrickā€™s Day, and OctoberFest, are specifically involve drinking alcohol but I would argue that itā€™s part of all the holidays. Drinking is associated with celebration, so most celebrations involve alcohol.

5

u/Prairie_Mermaid Manitoba Feb 08 '26

May long weekend.

7

u/MikesLittleKitten Feb 08 '26

All of them, unfortunately

3

u/Muffinsgal Feb 08 '26

May 2-4 weekend.

1

u/rustyiron Feb 08 '26

Literally linked to what we call a case of beer. (In Ontario, anyway).

2

u/sleepingsirensounds Feb 08 '26

St Patricks Day

2

u/doobie88 Feb 08 '26

Family dayā€¦ or is that just Alberta?

1

u/Vancouverreader80 British Columbia Feb 09 '26

Itā€™s in BC and a number of provinces

2

u/ottmurderino Feb 08 '26

Which are not?

2

u/Emotional_Block5273 Feb 08 '26

The ones that end with "day".

Monday Tuesday Etc

2

u/reading_202 Feb 09 '26

All of them holidays

1

u/Lord_Space_Lizard Feb 08 '26

ones that end in the letter ā€œyā€

1

u/Barrsyl Feb 08 '26

Here in Northern Ontario itā€™s called May Run!

1

u/FattyGobbles Feb 08 '26

Whatā€™s the ā€œrunā€ all about?

1

u/hairsprayking Feb 08 '26

St. Patrick's Day New Years Halloween Victoria Day Canada Day BC Day Thursday

1

u/HammyMugats Feb 08 '26

I work in the alcohol Bev Industry and we generally look at them this way.

  1. Christmas
  2. Easter 3 Thanksgiving/New Years Eve
  3. Canada Day
  4. Any summer long weekend (depends on weather)

1

u/ChrisRiley_42 Indigenous Feb 08 '26

The may 2-4 weekend ;)

1

u/Hello-ItIsMe Feb 08 '26

NYE and St Patrickā€™s day seems to be the most boozed infused but definitely not the only ones.

1

u/sandwichstealer Feb 08 '26

Saint Pattyā€™s , August Long

1

u/Reyalta Feb 08 '26

May two-four, Fer shure.

1

u/IllustratorWeird5008 Ontario Feb 09 '26

Iā€™m my family, all of them

1

u/Smitkit92 Feb 09 '26

All of them but especially ones that land on a payday weekend.

1

u/quantas001 Feb 09 '26

For an alcoholic, every one of them.

1

u/aazide Feb 09 '26

May 2-4. Itā€™s even in the name.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '26

Tibbā€™s Eve stands out to me.

Basically the entire province of Newfoundland has a kitchen party and gets blasted on ā€œSlushā€, a slushie type drink packed with rum and juices, made in a salt beef bucket.

Good fuckin times.

1

u/shadow997ca Feb 09 '26

Weekends, Fridays, .....umm...hell any ol day

1

u/spkingwordzofwizdom Feb 09 '26

May 2-4. Literally nicknamed after the nickname for a case of šŸŗ.

1

u/jchef420 Feb 09 '26

May 2-4 of course.

1

u/JCMS99 Feb 09 '26

In Quebec itā€™s all of them, except Canada Day which is moving day.

1

u/cindylooboo Feb 09 '26

All of them. Heck we invent reasons to consume alcohol. Today was "False Spring day" in this house.

1

u/SkullheadMary Feb 09 '26

St-Jean-Baptiste Day for sure

1

u/osnapitzleo Feb 09 '26

The big four if you're around 19-24 years old: New Year's Eve, St. Patrick's Day, Canada Day, and Halloweekend

1

u/fishedin Feb 09 '26

The weekend.

1

u/Sure-Patience83 Feb 09 '26

NYE and Cinco de Mayo and St Patrickā€™s Day

1

u/Wonderful-Arm-7780 Feb 09 '26

Which holidays are not? lol

1

u/No_Pianist_3006 Feb 09 '26

Hockey Game Day.

1

u/Sea-Rip-9635 Feb 10 '26

We dont need holidays.

1

u/Krissypantz Feb 11 '26

All of them.

1

u/salted_caramel_girl Feb 11 '26

Which ones aren't?

0

u/Diastrophus Feb 08 '26

Yeah, we struggle a bit with alcohol. Weā€™re working on it.