Consider it the “giving tree” for booze hounds who’ll be forgiven for drinking their way through the 2020 holiday season.
Jameson Irish Whiskey is giving away green-tinted structures of bottles that approximate glass Christmas trees. This monument to indulgence comes at a time when getting drunk seems to have surpassed bread-making as our pandemic pastime of choice: As reported by Jama Network, consumption of alcohol is 14% higher this year, compared to last, for those who are 30 or older.
While the bottles arrive empty — yes, a bit of a buzzkill — Jameson sends along a couple of technicians who fashion the 130 or so hooch vessels into a “tree.” It’s augmented by a $45 gift-card for the purchase of a bottle that actually is filled with whiskey. Even empty, though, the 8 1/2-foot-tall tree, which Jameson values at $5,000, makes a buzzy statement.
Winning one of the seven on offer might require a dram or three of liquid inspiration. Contestants need to go to the Jameson website and write, in 200 words or less, why they are worthy of the branded and bottled structure.
As to why Jameson is giving these away in the first place, brand director Angelica Scibilio said in a statement, “We understand the holidays are different this year, and we hope our legendary trees will give a few lucky consumers some extraordinary holiday memories with friends and family.”
We’ll drink to that.