Name Your Poison Day 🍸

Overview

Name Your Poison Day, observed annually on June 8th, is an unofficial and lighthearted holiday that encourages individuals to make a choice. The phrase "name your poison" colloquially invites someone to state their preferred drink, often in a social setting, but on this day, it can also extend to any personal decision or preference, celebrating the freedom to choose what one desires, be it a beverage, an activity, or a direction for the day.

Origin and story

The idiom "name your poison" is a colloquial invitation to choose a drink, most commonly used in a bar setting.

Despite the word "poison," the day is not exclusively about alcoholic beverages and can refer to choosing any preferred drink, including non-alcoholic options, or even a preferred activity.

Quick facts

• DateJune 8
• TypeCultural / community observance
• Great forFriends, Families, Classrooms, Teams

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Ways to celebrate

Calling liquor "poison" wasn't always a joke — during Prohibition, badly made bootleg liquor genuinely could hurt you, which is part of why the phrase stuck around long after it started as 19th-century bar slang.

Pick your drink

Celebrate by:

• Trying a drink you don't normally order, alcoholic or not.
• Asking a friend to "name their poison" the old-fashioned way and making them a drink to match.

See where the phrase actually comes from

Helpful resources:

• Poison, n. (Oxford English Dictionary)

Did you know?

The Oxford English Dictionary traces the slang use of "poison" for liquor back to 1805 in the U.S., while the specific phrasing "name your poison" shows up in print by the 1870s, often tied to the exact same joke: drink at your own risk.

Fun facts

• The idiom "name your poison" is a colloquial invitation to choose a drink, most commonly used in a bar setting.
• Despite the word "poison," the day is not exclusively about alcoholic beverages and can refer to choosing any preferred drink, including non-alcoholic options, or even a preferred activity.
• "Name Your Poison Day" is an unofficial holiday with no widely recognized historical origin or creator, likely originating as a modern, whimsical observance.

Sources and attribution

Poison, n. (Oxford English Dictionary)

External links may lead to third-party websites.

Continue your streak

Open one more holiday before you go to build daily momentum.

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FAQ

When is Name Your Poison Day?

It is observed on June 8 each year.

What is Name Your Poison Day?

Name Your Poison Day, observed annually on June 8th, is an unofficial and lighthearted holiday that encourages individuals to make a choice. The phrase "name your poison" colloquially invites someone to state their preferred drink, often in a social setting, but on this day, it can also extend to any personal decision or preference, celebrating the freedom to choose what one desires, be it a beverage, an activity, or a direction for the day.

How do people celebrate Name Your Poison Day?

Try a drink you don't normally order, and consider that the phrase goes back to 19th-century bar slang for liquor.

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