What Is Skanksgiving?
To get everyone on the same page, Skanksgiving is a term used for Thanksgiving Eve or the night before Thanksgiving. (More on how it got this name in a second.)
Skanksgiving is the busiest bar night of the year. Yes, it beats St. Patrick’s Day and all national sporting events.
School-Year Effect
A quick look at why this is true. Thanksgiving is uniquely positioned as the first go-back-home holiday after a fresh school year begins. This leads to a lot of college students making their first trip back home. And, obviously, the first thing want to do is hang out with their family…orrr connect with their friends that are back in town or still live there. It is a true homecoming of sorts.
Homecoming For All
Thanksgiving is also a unique holiday because it is not based on any religious tradition. It is a traditional family holiday on a Thursday, giving a lot of people an extended weekend allowing for easier travel. Unlike Christmas or Easter, Thanksgiving is celebrated by almost all Americans.
Building On Itself
Like all great things in society, Skanksgiving has been going viral. Not social-media viral, but more grassroots viral. It has been taking hold and gaining acceptance graduating class after graduating class. Like all great ideas and concepts, it is like a snowball rolling down a hill. Its draw and allure make it a must-attend event…no matter what city you are in.
Allure of Skanksgiving
Why is Skanksgiving so appealing to so many people?
The initial appeal is simply a very convenient and practical time to reconnect with your friends when geography normally prevents in-person interaction. The holiday provides a reason for physical proximity that should be taken advantage of.
The latent appeal is the name. When you hear Skanksgiving, you probably immediately think of easy hook-ups. When you realize all of the people you want to see are going to the same bar…all the sudden you are part of Skanksgiving.
Naming of Skanksgiving
It is a widely held belief that a lot of hook-ups occur on the Eve of Thanksgiving. Where there is smoke, there is fire, after all. So, it is probably true that more hook-ups occur on Skanksgiving than on most other nights. It is not hard to believe that the busiest bar night would also be the busiest hook-up night.
This phenomenon of Skanksgiving probably started with people reconnecting with past lovers, flings, and near-miss relationships. After all, it makes sense that especially young people reconnecting with high school friends can lead to sparking old flames. Thus, Skanksgiving was born out of natural human tendencies. However, it grows with the allure of the random hook-up.
PSA: If you celebrate Skanksgiving, please use discretion with your potential partner and keep yourself protected. However, if you do find yourself Thanksgiving morning regretting the decisions of Skanksgiving, get tested early to head off any potential health issues.
