Every year, we're tasked with challenges like Sober October, Dry January, Stoptober and Veganuary, but now there's a new kid on the block.
If you’ve come across mentions of 'Come Over October' recently, you might assume the latest trend is on that's very much NSFW.
It sounds like the sort of trend that's encouraging you to send sneaky 3am 'You up?' messages, but actually it's a whole lot more wholesome than that.
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Launched last year by wine writer Karen MacNeil and friends, it takes a slightly different approach to seasonal challenges that often make us go without. Instead of giving something up, people are being encouraged to reach out to their friends and ask them to come over for a drink together.
Simply open your doors, pour a glass, and reconnect with one another over wine.
According to its official website, the campaign known by its neat acronym 'COO', has one simple mission.
It states: "Created by wine journalist Karen MacNeil - and public relations and communications veterans Gino Colangelo and Kimberly Noelle Charles DipWSET - Come Over October (a campaign under the trio’s mission-driven company, Come Together - A Community for Wine Inc.) encourages friends, family, and colleagues to 'come over' during the month of October. Focusing on sharing wine, celebrate friendship and in-person connection."
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With a strong message of community behind it, the idea was actually coming from a reaction to support the wine industry in the US.
The website continued: "Over time, the wine industry in the United States has experienced ebbs and flows and has met numerous societal and generational challenges. But the industry has taken those challenges in stride, as wine has often been the preferred beverage when people gather.
"To wit, recently, a restaurant in the most wine-centric town of Italy, Verona, called Il Condominio, offered its clientele a free bottle of wine if customers agreed to relinquish their phones for the period of a meal. This is so that they might get back to the art of conversation at the table."
Karen MacNeil, the founder behind it, explained: "We all know that good company, good conversation, laughter, and conviviality contribute to an enhanced lifestyle. We want to encourage people to put down their devices and share in each other’s company."
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Adding to that is Kimberly Noelle Charles, who said: "One rainy night in February I received a call from long-time friend and colleague Karen MacNeil… she said it was time to remind people of wine’s significance in so many of life’s rituals, full circle. Those of us who fell in love with wine, often did so for the big hearts of the hospitality industry, the opportunity to have great conversation over a meal, sometimes about the wine itself, and the embracing of an art de vivre… an art of living."
Gino Colangelo shared, "I had been speaking to industry leaders for months about how to advocate for wine, and working on various ideas. One conversation with Karen turned into a simple, yet big idea that we believe everybody can rally around."
Niamh Spence