Christmas Spirits
She was not known to be one to imbibe...yet.
In the early 1970’s, there was a a new mixed drink on the scene. The “Harvey Wallbanger”, a drink made with vodka, orange juice and Golliano (a liquor similar to anisette, but with a a sweet vanilla top note). It was delicious, tasting like an innocent fruit juice, but packing a sneaky wallop!
One Christmas, when my sister and brother-in-law joined us for the family Christmas gathering, she brought the ingredients, to introduce the relatives to this drink. It was well-received, especially by one relative.
My grandmother, on my dad’s side, decided to have a cocktail. She was normally a larger than life character, as it was. But she was not known to be one to imbibe….yet.
During appetizers, she tasted her first drink. I think she was a little bit thirsty, and it went down easy.
As the festivities continued, she asked my sister for another “Harvey Wallknocker.” Her cheeks were a bit pink, and she was becoming the life of the party.
Before the evening wrapped up, she had asked my sister for one more “Harvey Wingdinger.” At that point, my father quietly suggested that we should call it a night, and he would give my grandmother a ride home. She was quite jolly that evening, and it has given us a laugh, when we recall our Christmas get-togethers.
You are such a wingdinger! And a Walkerbacker without a football!
Write on!
Oh this is beautiful! So darned funny. I can see this as an episode of Golden Girls. I think it is something Rose would have said. Thanks for sharing this wonderful memory. You wrote it with real style.