So You Have To Drink Before Eating Turkey?

I heard several media reports (radio, Baltimore Sun, et al) reporting--for the first time that I've ever heard it--that the day before Thanksgiving is either THE busiest/biggest drinking day of the year or one of the top drinking days.

HUH?!?!?!?

Excuse me, but: wotthehell? How come nobody gave ME this memo?

You can't be serious. Bigger than Christmas? Bigger than New Year's Eve? Bigger than Stupor Bowl Sunday? Bigger than Amateur Drunken Irish Idiot Day, or the day of the parade for that occasion?

Sorry, folks, I need convincing. Methinks the news media was the victim of yet another scare-mongering press release from Mothers Against All Drinking--err, Against Drunk Driving.

Although, truth be told, in my driving on Turkey Day, I was positively stunned at the number of liquor stores I saw open late into the night in southern Maryland. And I did speak with a relative who is better in touch with a younger demographic than I am. She said, "Makes sense..... you have a whole bunch of young people,freshly 21, home from college or wherever else for the holiday, in town early on Wednesday night, nothing to do but go out with their high school buddies and catch up. And, you know, some people just may need a couple drinks to be able to deal with their parents or other relatives...."

Okay, maybe if we count drinking at home. But out at bars?

Any others out there that can come up with statistics--or the MADD press release? Tom? Lew? Greg? Anyone?

Online search uncovers a debate last year on the topic.

Thoughts?