How did the tradition of Santa Boz begin?
For many years one of of Santa's helpers has been keeping his own Wine Shop in the Greater Cincinnati area. Known and loved by many in Santa Boz is Old Saint Nick's favorite North American Bartender situated in the heart of Santa's toy distribution route in the great fly-over zone known as the Midwest. Given the breadth and scope of our country it is the Midwest after all where the majority of Santa Claus' Christmas Eve action takes place and here also is where Santa Boz has been personally serving up his immortal Bozmopolitan Cocktail after a hard night of Kris Kringle and the Elves driving the reindeer and swooping down over countless rooftops to deliver their parcels of goodies to all the good little boys and girls of the Queen City. Such a miracuous feat afterall is bound to make a big fellow thirsty
So on or about the mid-1980's, it was probably a culinary destiny of sorts that influenced Santa to eventually get tired of all the milk and cookies being served to him and to step inside a bar. What we now recall as decade of decadence is also the time and place where a new Christmas tradition and holiday cocktail was born. One of the great unknown pastimes of Santa's "midnight run" is the habit he got into of dropping into the Cricket Lounge to say hello to one of Santa's favorite helpers and surrogate Bartender "Santa Boz" for his annual Christmas morning nightcap. It is an indulgence that Mrs. Claus has overlooked for years, ever since Santa Claus happened in on Boz one night as we closing down the Maisonette. From there Santa Boz migrated to The Cincinnatian Hotel's Cricket Lounge and Santa Claus had to find a new Cincinnati watering hole. While the Reindeer take a quick power nap on the roof, Santa is able to take a quick power nip from his Cocktail.
And what better Cocktail to partake off than the magical essence that is the Bozmopolitan. The story goes, in fact, that Santa used this elixer to power him home to the Northpole after dropping off his last bundle of toys in Cincinnati. If it was Rudolph's famous and bedazzling nose that allowed Santa to journey through the snowstorm, then certainly it was Santa Boz's nightcap that allowed him stay awake at the sleigh. But lest you good boys and girl think Santa is setting a bad example, let it be known that Santa only partakes of a single adult beverage before again taking up the reigns and heading home. From thenceforth, grateful to the Bartender and now friend who revived his "spirits" and gave a tired old Claus the wherewithal to find his way back home after the long hard-sleigh slog over the world, the longtime celebrated bartender of the Cincinnatian Hotel - Boz Haller - was ever known and lauded by Santa Claus during the holiday season as "Santa Boz."
This year Santa Boz not only is serving half-price Bozmopolitans all-night long but he has cleared out his wine shop and is offering to the good guys and gals of The Cricket Lounge, Palace Restaurant and Cincinnatian Hotel some spectacular last-minute wine deals. Come for a Bozmopolitan and leave with a fantastic and inexpensive bottle of wine. Last time he checked none of the Wine-pricing websites such as winezap.com included the North Pole in any of its wine shop-listings, but The Cincinnatian Hotel has something better, Santa's own hand-picked vintner of the sleighride, Boz Haller.
Many style and varietals are available from Santa Boz's wine shop so stop-in to Cricket, say hello to Santa Boz on the 22nd and 23rd of December, express your Merry Christmas wishes and take home the kind of deal that only a combination of Boz and Claus can deliver.
