Holiday spirit: New Jersey ranks 2nd in drinking over holiday season

Nobody can say we don’t get into the holiday spirit.

Especially the spirits part.

According to a survey by Wealth of Geeks, New Jersey will be the second drunkest state during the holiday season.

Garden State residents will consume about six drinks a day during the holidays, which is two drinks less than the drunkest state, North Dakota, where residents drink about eight per day.

Montana, Nebraska and Wisconsin tied for third at five drinks apiece.

Maybe it’s because I’m living in New Jersey, but a six pack a day doesn’t seem like overdoing it. It’s the holiday season.

But if you do imbibe this holiday season, have fun but don’t overdo it. Nothing worse than dealing with extended family and hangovers, and according to the Wealth of Geeks’ study, some of the worst hangover days are on deck.

While July 5 is typically the worst hangover day of the year, Dec. 26 comes in as the second worst hangover day, followed by Christmas (after a festive Christmas Eve). Perhaps we should drink more milk with Santa on those evenings. Rounding out the top five worst days for hangovers are: the day after St. Patty’s Day and Black Friday after Thanksgiving celebrations.

Shockingly, or maybe not, Thanksgiving morning isn’t a bad hangover day. Of course most of the people who go out on the town the night before are younger, so maybe they don’t deal with the dreaded hangover. Yet.

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Also, where is the day after the Super Bowl? Depending on who is playing, I typically need a few to calm me down from knowing I won’t see another meaningful football game for seven months.

What time is beer o’clock?

One question that has never been truly answered is when is a good time to start drinking? Some say anytime.

I live under the rule that with the exception of St. Patrick’s Day or tailgating, you really shouldn’t start drinking until noon. Others feel differently.

The Wealth of Geeks survey said 2:42 p.m. is considered an acceptable time to begin drinking over the holidays, but nearly 20 percent of people said they will have a drink before lunchtime. But these people didn't seem to be pounding beers. Most were drinking breakfast beverages, such as Bloody Marys and Tequila Sunrises. Makes sense.

Eggnog, the unofficial drink of the holidays

Finally, the unofficial drink of the holidays is eggnog, and it’s amazing how many people drink the milky beverage.

According to the survey, people in New Jersey are going to drink 37.3 million eggnogs this year. Nationally, the number is 1.6 billion eggnogs. Most have the drink spiked with bourbon.

It's also responsible for the best line in any holiday movie when Clark W. Griswold offers this gem to Cousin Eddie in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation": "Can I refill your eggnog? Get you something to eat? Drive you out to the middle of nowhere, leave you for dead?"

Of course, eggnog is a lot of work. My favorite holiday beverage is a shot of peppermint schnapps. It’s like eating a candy cane that gets you drunk. What’s more festive than that?

On second thought, maybe that’s why New Jersey people are among the drunkest.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Eggnog cocktail? Here's what NJ residents drink over the holidays