North Dakota Christmas Eve Drinking Bill DENIED!

Christmas cheer will continue to be less cheerful on Christmas Eve. Families and friends here in North Dakota, who will be out and about enjoying the holidays this year was denied the chance to have a cocktail after 6 pm the night before Santa comes down the chimney. According to KXNET North Dakota Senators pulled a grinch move and killed the bill that would have allowed alcohol to be sold after 6 pm - The proposed bill had it passed, would have been a comforting thing for servers in restaurants - for example, the boiling awkward moment of having to swoop in at 5:59:59 pm and taking all the drinks off the table would no longer have been an issue. The vote was 20-27 opposing the legislation.

      Fargo Democratic Sen. Merrill Piepkorn’s bill would keep other alcohol sales restrictions in place, like on Christmas for instance, but permit the sale the night before. Piepkorn says he himself doesn’t even drink, and the bill was never meant to encourage drinking.

Obviously, restaurant managers supported the bill and were hoping it would move forward. If you are curious, there are 24 States that ban alcohol sales on Christmas Day. Here is a part of what pertains to North Dakota:

CHAPTER 5-02 RETAIL LICENSING   

   5-02-05. Dispensing prohibited on certain days - Penalty. A person may not dispense or permit the consumption of alcoholic beverages on a licensed premises between two a.m. and eleven a.m. on Sundays, between the hours of two a.m. and eight a.m. on all other days of the week, or on Christmas Day or after six p.m. on Christmas Eve. In addition, a person may not provide off sale after two a.m. on Thanksgiving Day or between two a.m. and noon on Sundays. A person that violates this section is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

Lastly, in a related manner, please refrain from spiking Santa's milk.