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Blackout Wednesday

Blackout Wednesday, sometimes referred to as Drinksgiving, takes place the night before Thanksgiving Day, and in some parts of the United States is one of the biggest drinking and party nights of the year. Many college students come back to their hometown for Thanksgiving, and go to bars the night before to meet their friends whom they haven't seen while away at school. Many bars mark the occasion by having promotions and drink specials as well. Thanksgiving is usually a low stress holiday for college aged kids, where gifts don't need to be purchased, and older family members do the preparing of meals. This leaves college aged kids with more expendable cash, and the luxury of eating a big meal the day after drinking without having to prepare it.

Blackout Wednesday has been trending on Google searches since 2004, particularly during the month of November, and there seems to have been an uptick in searches for it starting around 2010. Furthermore, it seems to be most popular around the Great Lakes region. A sad consequence of the day is that a lot of drinking and driving takes place. In some locations it is the top drinking and driving night of the year, and accidents and fatalities are high. Fittingly, many police departments step up their patrols on Blackout Wednesday.

How to Observe Blackout Wednesday

Celebrate the holiday by going out to the bars with your friends. You don't even have to be college aged to participate, and it's not even required that you get blackout drunk! It is safe to say though, that many participants of this holiday will spend Thanksgiving Day hungover. The trick is to find a good balance, so both holidays can be enjoyed. Above all, don't drink and drive. If you are celebrating Blackout Wednesday to the fullest, make sure to have someone sober give you a ride home.

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