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Although today known as a quiet, sedate gathering of friends, the Cocktail Party actually has some notorious origins.
Historically, people usually enjoyed their alcoholic refreshments in the halls of bars, taverns, and nightclubs. With the onset of prohibition in the 1920s, however, alcohol consumption was driven underground. People planned speakeasy parties in the comfort and confidentialty of their own homes, enjoying various varieties of booze along with healthy doses of conversation and camaraderie. And so an early form of the Cocktail Party was born.
Even after the defeat of prohibition, people continued to enjoy cocktail parties in the privacy of their residences, where they can enjoy wine, cognac, bourbon, gin, schnapps, and other liquid refreshments (though the serving of beer is usually avoided) while chatting with friends and business associates.
Indeed, especially in the Let’s Do Lunch eras of the ‘80s and ‘90s, the Cocktail Party has become a networking tool. People invite their co-workers and even their employers to break bread (or, as is more likely the case, hors d’oeuvres, finger sandwiches, candies, etc.) and sip wine as they broker business deals and make future plans for their companies.
People even have taken cocktail parties outside the home, making them a part of art gallery exhibits, book signings, corporate ribbon cuttings, awards ceremonies, etc.
Despite its somewhat notorious beginnings, the Cocktail Party has earned a recent reputation as a sedate, tasteful but very productive festivity where friendships are sealed and business deals are made. Plan a Cocktail Party today!
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the Cocktail
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