When did "12 Pubs Of Christmas" become popular?

The Scientician

I recall first hearing about it from some corporate, working in bank type friends around about the year 2000. They acted as if it was a normal, traditional thing to do. In the years since it seems to have sky rocketed in popularity but I am really curious how old a tradition it is? Does it owe its origins to the Celtic Tiger years?

Bonus question: Is it done in other countries?

me_irl

Idiocy + repetition = tradition.

smash

It was always a thing. But now you have to wear a Christmas jumper.

Kylo Ren

It became very popular around Christmas time.

c_man

I did my first one in 2003. Seem to remember it was "well known" at the time. Good craic.

MLC_biker

More Dublin pubs join the ban ... http://www.irishmirror.ie/whats-on/bah-humbug-therell-no-room-6971228

brevity

I like the 12 pubs thing, although these days its more like "Lets just stay here, we have good seats"...

I hate the stupid ****ing "You can't say beer","You have to stand on one leg" rules and games thing though.

Gandhi

The Scientician wrote: »

Bonus question: Is it done in other countries?

I know guys who do it here (in the US). Though they call it "12 beers of Christmas" and it has to be a different beer in each pub.

The Scientician

The Scientician wrote: »

I recall first hearing about it from some corporate, working in bank type friends around about the year 2000. They acted as if it was a normal, traditional thing to do. In the years since it seems to have sky rocketed in popularity but I am really curious how old a tradition it is? Does it owe its origins to the Celtic Tiger years?

Bonus question: Is it done in other countries?

Some say there is evidence that it predates Movember. But post dates Christmas jumpers. However, as the unfunny is great in all 3, historians lump them together.

smash

MLC_biker wrote: »

More Dublin pubs join the ban ... http://www.irishmirror.ie/whats-on/bah-humbug-therell-no-room-6971228

In a time when pubs are crying for customers and demanding minimum pricing for alcohol in shops and off-licences, this is such a dumb move.

Kerplunk124

brevity wrote: »

although these days its more like "Lets just stay here, we have good seats"...

Indeed. Hate when people don't even play it properly

The_Valeyard

twelve pubs were created, so were the twelve pubs of Christmas.

valoren

I love the 12 pubs at Christmas. Makes my alcoholism look normal.

kfallon

smash wrote: »

It was always a thing. But now you have to wear a Christmas jumper and be a tit.

The Sidewards Man

There will be an explosion of them this year thanks to the rock and roll bonus.

The Backwards Man

The same time banter and getting blindo were created to annoy us regular pubgoers enjoying our quiet pint.

lertsnim

The sight of gob****es dressed up in Christmas jumpers roaring and shouting their rules having a mad time while not being able to handle the drink. Great craic altogether. The more pubs that ban them the merrier.

kylith

smash wrote: »

In a time when pubs are crying for customers and demanding minimum pricing for alcohol in shops and off-licences, this is such a dumb move.

I disagree. Pubs around Dublin don't seem to be struggling too much and any pubs known to ban the 12 Pubs drunkards will see a rise in punters.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Some say there is evidence that it predates Movember. But post dates Christmas jumpers. However, as the unfunny is great in all 3, historians lump them together.

There's also homogeneity regarding participants in these events.

Typically they are great craic, gas, and "here for a good time, not a long time"

smash

kylith wrote: »

I disagree. Pubs around Dublin don't seem to be struggling too much and any pubs known to ban the 12 Pubs drunkards will see a rise in punters.

Probably just a rise in 12 pub goers who aren't dressed like Christmas trees. :pac:

Diabhal Beag

Twelve pubs is a crucial tradition to the Irish pub trade. It makes the boring tit nursing the humble pint of Smithwicks appreciate the other 11 months of the year when he can drown his sorrows sans Barry getting sick all over himself at 8 in the evening and being proclaimed "king buzzer" by his fellow engineering students.

Zebra3

Xmas jumpers.

12 pubs of Xmas.

Mongorific nonsense.

jamesbere

Its one of those things you'll do once and never do again, I use to be a fast drinker. I was having 2 pints in some pubs waiting for someone who's sipping there pint (you don't sip a pint).

Richard Hillman

I don't think it is a trendy thing anymore and hasn't been for 2-3 years. A lot of people are still doing it but a lot of people are still wearing sandals & socks or tucking their tracksuit bottoms into their socks.

cowboyjoe

The 12 pubs of Christmas was a great craic at first, but like most fads, the novelty (jumpers) wore off after a few years. Became popular mid 00's until the last year or two. No real talk of them anymore. Bit like the movember fad (not the charity part) and Christmas jumpers - they've have their day. Wonder what the next big fun event thing will be.

Shedite27

Load of pints and a bit of fun with your mates, yeah, sounds awful.

jacknife

I think Ericsson employees did something similar 20 years ago with an official rule book.

c_meth

I remember doing it during my college days (mid 90s). No hilarious jumpers though. It was all about the drink in them days.

Cienciano

Shedite27 wrote: »

Load of pints and a bit of fun with your mates, yeah, sounds awful.

There's some miserable bastards on boards.

Stojkovic

Yeah its called a pub crawl every other night of the year.

Stojkovic

Yeah its called a pub crawl every other night of the year.

SEPT 23 1989

I was alive in the 90's and never heard of such twaddle

MarkY91

I only did it pace but it was good fun. I never heard of it until 3-4 years ago..I'm surprised people say it's a thing for beyond 20 years now tbh.

Not sure what the problem with it is with a few people here. Maybe you need to get out more?

SEPT 23 1989

MarkY91 wrote: »

I only did it pace but it was good fun. I never heard of it until 3-4 years ago..I'm surprised people say it's a thing for beyond 20 years now tbh.

Not sure what the problem with it is with a few people here. Maybe you need to get out more?

The heavy drinkers take their drinking very seriously it's week in week out all year long not some jumpered up one pint selfie shambles cluttering up bars across the towns and cities of the country

kfallon

MarkY91 wrote: »

Not sure what the problem with it is with a few people here. Maybe you need to get out more?

It's usually the tits that go on 12 pubs that need to get out more, the people who are out most weekends of the year, who don't like 12 pubs, are out quite a lot!

RayM

MarkY91 wrote: »

Not sure what the problem with it is with a few people here. Maybe you need to get out more?

Stuff like 'the 12 pubs of Christmas' makes me want to stay in (even) more, drinking tea and eating mince pies with a nice book. Even if I was a drinker, a herd of wild horses couldn't drag me anywhere near a pub in December.

alias no.9

It's been around a long time, it used be something you did with your friends, without the bull**** rules, the having to talk to people outside your group in every pub which loosely translates into obnoxiously telling everyone in sight that you're doing the 12 pubs of Christmas and expecting them to care.

cowboyjoe

RayM wrote: »

Stuff like 'the 12 pubs of Christmas' makes me want to stay in (even) more, drinking tea and eating mince pies with a nice book. Even if I was a drinker, a herd of wild horses couldn't drag me anywhere near a pub in December.

You must be the life and soul of your work Christmas do!

Sam Kade

smash wrote: »

It was always a thing. But now you have to wear a Christmas jumper.

Really, I never heard of it in the 80's or 90's.

RayM

cowboyjoe wrote: »

You must be the life and soul of your work Christmas do!

I can think of few things I would hate more than to be described as 'the life and soul' of anything.

The King of Moo

Sure what's wrong with saying "banter" and "mate," being unable to pretend to enjoy yourself without excessive drinking and little rules, and wearing ugly jumpers because your friends are all also wearing them at a specific time!?

Buncha dry ****es on here, bitta craic and banter with your mates shure :rolleyes:.

Paramite Pie

I did this with my friends every year for a bit -- no games, no shots, jumpers encouraged but no selfies. (no-one was that fb obsessed).

We'd start at 2pm and take our time -- 30mins per pub. I'm a fast drinker so making a pint last 30mins was rough! It was spaced out enough that I'd remember most of the night until the final pub which would be hazy. No one got sick and no-one had to be carried.

Fun tradition but ruined by the masses.