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One of America's great pastimes is a daily event often referred to as happy hour. It is a time of day, usually at the end of the typical workday, between 3:00pm and 6:00pm, where you can enjoy cheap drinks. This phenomenon is enjoyed by many daily, but where did it come from and why is it popular? When you think of this particular time of day, there are many things that come to mind. If you lived in the 1980s or have watched television re-runs, you may think of the show Cheers, where people of various occupations gathered at a local bar after work where "everybody knows your name." In many ways, this is the right idea. Often, one goes there because they need to relax and vent to others who have similar workday experiences before going home to be with family. There are usually discounted drinks and salty snacks that accompany them. What we know as happy hour today actually had its start in the 1920s, when drinking in public became illegal during the Prohibition. Because of the prevalence of vehicles and drinking and driving, as well as the frequency of drunks in the streets, the Volstead Act was signed, beginning the brief era of prohibition. People responded to it by making their own alcoholic beverages or drinking at home or at speakeasies, where they could enjoy a couple drinks secretly before or after the evening meal. The terminology for this time, however, started being used during the same period by men enlisted in the United States Navy. Ships would schedule a certain time each day for entertainment in the evening, before, during, or after the mealtime. It often led to drunkenness among the Navy men. It did, however, give them a way to decompress and relax during World War II, and the wars that would come after. Happy hour became part of mainstream activities during the 1970s when drinking became more widely popular. The next decade, however, saw more laws against drunk driving, causing the enjoyment of alcoholic beverages to drop over twenty percent by the mid 2000s. This was a time when people started enjoying more mixed cocktails along with a meal. These drinks are often cheaper on certain days of the week, such as Wednesday cheap Margaritas at many Mexican restaurants, for example. This typically goes along with the relaxing lifestyle we have here in the twenty-first century. These cheap alcohol options became helpful to increase restaurant sales during the economic downturn of 2008. It became known as the "cocktail fever". There are still some states, however, that do not allow any type of happy hour due to the possibility of increased drunk driving from the easy availability of cheap drinks. Some states limit the number of drinks per person to three or four, and increase the hours of the time period. Next time you enjoy happy hour, think about the history of the event. This may make it more enjoyable and interesting for you. When you do visit and establishment for this event, do it responsibly and enjoy your after work happy hour. If you're looking for places to celebrate happy hour portland, then consider McMenamins. To learn more, head to: http://www.mcmenamins.com.
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