National Eggnog Day 2015 – 24/12/2015

It’s almost Christmas! Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose. Every year it seems like Christmas starts earlier and earlier (Fortnum and Mason started stocking their Christmas decorations in August this year!) but now Christmas really is just one sleep away.

There seem to be celebrations of everything these days, and that ubiquitous American Christmas drink Eggnog is no different. Also known by its much less glamorous name of egg milk punch, 24 December 2015 marks National Eggnog Day, albeit an ‘unofficial’ national holiday. Its origins seem to be rather mysterious, although we suspect it is a marketing gimmick. Eggnog is a big deal in the States, normally appearing just before Thanksgiving, consumption then dipping for a little while and picking up again during December and the Christmas holidays before disappearing back into obscurity in the new year. This enhanced dairy beverage consists of milk, cream, sugar, beaten eggs, spices, and sometimes alcohol. Germans tend to add beer, other European countries add white wine, and Americans normally add whisky, brandy or rum. To make the drink look prettier, the filled glass is often garnished with a sprinkling of cinnamon, nutmeg or pumpkin spice. Eggnog is very versatile, and can apparently be refrigerated if it has a particularly strong alcohol content. It can be added as a flavouring to food or other drinks such as coffee, tea, breads, pies, cakes and ice creams.

The origins of the eggnog drink, just like the holiday, are not entirely clear and there are a number of theories. Some believe that the drink was originally developed in East Anglia, while others believe it originated as a medieval ‘posset,’ a beverage made with hot milk. It’s not all rosy though. According to Wikipedia there was an Eggnog Riot, sometimes known as the Grog Mutiny, which took place at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, on 24–25 December 1826. It was caused by a drunken Christmas Day party in the North Barracks of the academy.

As well as the origins of the drink itself, there is a similar level of uncertainty about the origins of the name. Anecdotal evidence suggest that eggnog might have first been called ‘egg n’ grog,’ which was eventually shortened to eggnog. Other sources contest that the name comes from the Old English word for strong ale, ‘nog.’ This would suggest that the combination of the words ‘egg’ and ‘nog’ refers to any drink that contains both eggs and strong alcohol.

If you fancy whipping up a batch of your own eggnog this Christmas, why not try out this recipe: https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/eggnog-day/ for some sweet, creamy goodness. While you’re at it, why not share the dairy love on social media with the hashtag #NationalEggnogDay.

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas from the team at Geoffrey Miller Solicitors! Don’t forget that we are open 365 days a year for free advice, so if you’ve got a motoring query over the festive period, please get in touch on 0800 1389 123 or contact us through our website: Submit Your Case.