It seems we have days for everything. National Puppy Day, National Donut Day, National Sibling Day- I swear, I see this one pop up at least twice a year-, and even National Lima Bean Respect Day. {For everyone now trying to make future plans, National Lima Bean Respect Day is April 20th}.
So, today is National Margarita Day. A day, ostensibly, to enjoy the classic tequila cocktail, even though I can enjoy a margarita any day of the year. Usually, the date of a particular holiday holds some sort of significance as to why it falls on that exact day. Think Independence Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Cinco de Mayo, Juneteenth. While I could, theoretically, celebrate the 4th of July on another day, it would be weird because the Declaration of Independence was, in fact, signed on the 4th of July. So it’s hard for me to really care about most of these national “holidays”, as the dates are arbitrary and there are few traditions associated with them.
Except this one. The date itself, February 22nd, is insignificant. The famed beverage, however, is not. When I was growing up, my dad rarely drank alcohol. If he did though, it was a frozen margarita. I remember him making them, gathering the frozen lime concentrate, tequila, and triple sec, and blending it up in our old Oster blender. I always thought his drink looked so good, like a Slurpee, and I wanted to have some.
After I graduated college, I, being of the millennial generation, moved back home with my parents. Unemployed and a bit bored, I began to experiment with cooking. I took on the role of making dinner most nights. One Friday night, I decided on a Mexican theme, complete with fresh margaritas. As the Queen of Cocktails, Ina Garten was my inspiration {you may remember her sage advice in making her Cosmopolitan at the beginning of quarantine in 2020}. So I whipped up a pitcher of her margaritas.
I don’t particularly remember how the cocktail itself was. I’m sure it was tasty, but I’ve had some good, nay great, margaritas since then. What I remember most from that evening is hanging out with my dad. He is a lover of old movies, and at that time, my boyfriend {now husband} and I had been working through IMDB’s Top 250 list. Many of the top movies are classics: The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, 12 Angry Men, Schindler’s List. Some I had seen, and some I hadn’t.
As we sipped our drinks, my dad proceeded to tell me some of his favorite movies, which led to memories of why they were his favorites. He shared stories about his parents, about his childhood, about his young adult years. Many were stories I’d never heard because, like me, my dad is a quiet person. We stayed awake until almost midnight. It was the first time I remember feeling like my dad’s friend, as well as his daughter. It was one of those special, and rare, evenings of connection, brought about by a shared love of movies and, of course, tequila.
Since that night, my dad and I have enjoyed many a margarita- sometimes homemade, sometimes out on a patio. We love trying different places and judging the best margaritas offered. It’s not really about the drink though. I cherish these cocktail hours because of the time shared with my dad. These moments reaffirm the type of parent I want to be: kind, loving, steadfast. I want to be the parent ready with a glass of milk, a cup of hot chocolate, and one day, a margarita, ready and eager to listen to my children share about their lives.
Yeah, the date of National Margarita Day is arbitrary. But sometimes we need an excuse to sit back and connect with someone we love. So maybe this February 22nd, grab a friend, a parent, or a grown-up child, and enjoy a margarita or two. You’ll find me sipping on one and enjoying time with my dad.
Happy National Margarita Day!
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