Christmas Bars Make the Spirits Bright
Lights, ugly sweater contests, and festive drinks pop-up across the country
Once upon a time, Christmas was a holiday centered around Santa bringing presents for children (we’re talking about secular Christmas in this story).
Now, adults are having more fun at Christmastime, and we are here for it.
Instead of spending our time shopping in the toy department, we’re watching cheesy Hallmark movies, wearing ugly Christmas sweaters, running 5Ks in cheap Santa suits, shopping for candles at Christmas Markets, and getting crunk on Christmapolitans and mulled wine at Christmas pop-up bars.
While having bars and restaurants decorate for the holidays has been a decades (even centuries) old tradition (take, for example, Philadelphia’s McGillin’s Old Ale House, which has been open since 1860 and is permanently festooned in tinsel and lights), the tides really turned in 2014, when bar professional Greg Boehm decided to turn his not-yet-open bar into a holiday pop-up. The concept was a hit and a decade later, 140 bars worldwide transform into Miracle Bars for the holiday season, making cocktails such as the Snowball Old-Fashioned and Jingle Balls Nog.
In addition, Boehm partnered with tiki cocktail icon, Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, to create Sippin’ Santa, a “Santa-goes-tropical” twist on the holiday theme. The bar, which started at Berry’s Latitude 29 bar in New Orleans (and continues there today), now has more than 65 bars serving up holiday tiki libations such as the Sugar Plum Mai Tai and Frosty the Merman.
The holiday pop-up theme has spread throughout the land to become a cherished annual tradition.
In Chicago’s Wrigleyville neighborhood, every local bar turns into a themed Christmas pop-up: I challenged myself to drink in as many as I could one evening and made it to more than a dozen with themes like the Grinch, Rudolph, Hanukkah, and even one fashioned after Nakatomi Plaza (because Die Hard is a Christmas movie).
In New York, there’s a Christmas bar for every taste. If you like your holidays with a spectacular view, the One World Observatory transforms into ONEDerland, a “snow globe in the sky” filled with Instagrammable moments and stunning views of Manhattan.
And, Krampus, the mythical creature that kidnaps bad children during the holidays (think of him as the Yin to Santa’s Yang), is having a moment this year, thanks to the new Rock movie, Red One. In addition to many traditional Krampusnacht parades, if you’re in New York, you can enjoy an entire Krampus-themed bar inside the Back Room, one of only two Prohibition-era speakeasies still standing in NYC, a lasting relic of the city's hidden past. And, of course, Miracle Bar’s flagship, Miracle on 9th Street, is located in New York.
In Miami, it’s all about the Christmas speakeasy. You’ll have to ask someone for directions to Frosty’s Hideaway, a secret Santa speakeasy inside the Intercontinental Hotel in Downtown Miami. This intimate affair serves holiday renditions of Old Fashioneds and freezer martinis with a Bing Crosby vibe. At the Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood, the Sip & Snow Lodge Speakeasy blends 80s nostalgia with its snow bunny theme, offering holiday drinks, chili served in a porcelain hot tub, and an 80s cover band on the weekends. If you’re looking for something a little less chill and more “Miami”, check out MIracle on 8th Street, a Miracle Bar located in the middle of the city’s Calle Ocho neighborhood.
Wherever you celebrate, there’s bound to be a holiday bar where you can gather with friends, wear your ugliest sweater and reindeer antlers, and enjoy festive drinks with friends. For a complete list of Miracle Bars, visit miraclepopup.com.