☀️ Sun Over the Yardarm: When It’s Cocktail O’Clock 🍸
Ahoy there! Ever wonder where us landlubbers got the idea that it’s perfectly fine to clink glasses once ’the sun is over the yardarm’? Anchors aweigh, because we’re diving deep into the gin-clear waters of this distinguished phrase. 🍹
Definition
“Sun over the yardarm” signifies that it’s an acceptable time to start drinking, usually in the late afternoon. Originating from nautical practice, the “yardarm” is a horizontal spar on a mast, and the phrase likely refers to the time when the sun crosses that spar, beckoning sailors to toast and tipple.
Similar Terms and Expressions
- Happy Hour: A modern, and very happy, equivalent often occurring between the hours of 4-6 pm.
- It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere: Thank you, Jimmy Buffett! When you just can’t wait until evening, you adopt a time zone where it’s already late enough to pour a drink.
- Time for a Tipple: A more whimsical way to suggest indulging in a drink.
- Cocktail Hour: The beloved twilight time when the world seems grouped into spirited decanters and frosty glasses.
Famous Usage
Rudyard Kipling pointed out Americans’ lack of decency for this tradition in From Sea to Sea:
“The American does not drink at meals as a sensible man should. Also, he has no decent notions about the sun being over the yardarm or below the horizon.”
Literature, Songs, and Movies
- Literature: Moby-Dick by Herman Melville – Reflect on nautical life and perhaps imagine Ishmael waiting for a glass once the sun dips!
- Songs: “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett – The anthem for justifying an early start.
- Movies: Pirates of the Caribbean – For all your swashbuckling and rum-drinking reference needs.
- Poetry: Try William Ernest Henley’s “Invictus” for its spirit of resolve—good to read with a sundowner in hand.
Humorous Quote
“Why limit happy to an hour?” —Anon
Proverbs and Related Wisdom
“A man goes to a bar, buys a drink, rises and exclaims: ‘To the sun, for its over the yardarm!’ - Predecessor to Happy Hour: proving that day drinking has been contemplated since ancient times.”
Quizzes
Until next time, matey! Remember, it’s always 5 o’clock somewhere, especially when you’re on an adventure—whether on the high seas or in the comfort of your home!
Fair winds and following seas! A. L. Ahoy
