Booze It Up Twenty Two Times

Holidays and booze go together like Abbott & Costello, Batman & Robin, or Cheech & Chong. If you have one, you really need the other to make it better. On my most recent trip to California I realized they must really celebrate Christmas big time, because I saw a liquor store on every block. Spiked eggnog anyone?

In Canada, the liquor stores got creative for the holidays:

Those who need a little liquid fortification this Christmas are finding a new source of financing it-in their junk drawers and glove compartments.

A west Edmonton liquor store is accepting Canadian Tire money at par as a form of payment-and its owners say the program is a hit with shoppers.

"There’s a liquor store on every corner nowadays, so you need to have a bit of an edge to get someone to stop by your liquor store," said Don Calder, a part owner of Liquor International.

Yes, Canadian Tire money:

Canadian Tire money is given out for purchases paid for by cash or debit, usually at a rate of 1.5% of the pre-tax total. This is much less than in years past, when the pay-out rate was 3, 4 or 5%, depending on the market size of the store. Customers can use Canadian Tire money to buy anything in the store. (Older CTM coupons state that they are redeemable at Canadian Tire stores and gas stations, however CTM coupons produced during at least the last 15 years lack this wording and are therefore redeemable in the stores only.)

Yeah, but:

Culturally, Canadian Tire money is sometimes referenced by comedians: perhaps as a national version of "Monopoly money", perhaps invoking a pejorative comparison of the value of Canadian dollars against U.S. dollars (currency of a dominant Canadian trading partner), or perhaps as a misunderstood exotic element of Canadian society (cf. Ron James' comedic reference to the person depicted on the bill as "our king").

So, in Canada at this liquor store you can buy your booze with funny money. Sounds like a good thing to me.

Calder said everyone wants to know what a liquor store could possibly use from the retail giant. Well, he also co-owns a property management business, which buys a lot of the coupons from the liquor store.

And liquor store workers who want to shop at Canadian Tire also buy them.

Of course, don't try curing the holiday blues with booze. Oh wait, this article comes out of Canada as well:

It should be the happiest time of the year, but for many Canadians, Christmas is just plain depressing.

Combine financial stress, social pressure and increased family time with some of the darkest, dreariest days of the year, and you're bound to feel a little glum.

Very true, the dark and dreamy days can bum you out. I'll drink to that. But seriously folks, on a cold winters day, a nice fire and a nice warm cup of spiced cider hits the spot. Yep, booze up the cider for an even better time. Wait, no booze? Damn, that is a depressing thought. Hmmmmmm... Maybe you can't win.

Cheers.

keeneye said:
strauss said: