DOTD For Tuesday, February 10, 2026
A Bit Of Shade To Hold Over You, Whilst You Drink...
Today’s DOTD - Drink Of The Day - is a Damn The Weather Cocktail inspired by National Umbrella Day!
National Umbrella Day casts a little shade on February 10th. The day honors one of the world's most useful inventions, the umbrella!
Not only does the umbrella help keep us dry from the rain, but it also protects us from the heat of the sun. Umbrellas have also found their way into the art world, where their color and shape make sharp silhouettes. And speaking of silhouettes, umbrellas have also been widely used as fashion accessories.
Umbrellas are also found in entertainment. In music, one of pop star Rihanna’s most famous songs is literally titled “Umbrella.” In movies & TV, umbrellas play a role, too. For example, they played vital parts in Singing in the Rain in 1952 and Mary Poppins in 1964. And more recently, they were literally part of the title of The Umbrella Academy TV series in 2019.
The word umbrella comes from the Latin word umbra, meaning shade or shadow - but it’s not the only word for these unique tools. Brolly is a slang word for umbrella, often used in Britain, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. Bumbershoot is a fanciful Americanism for an umbrella from the late 19th century.
The basic umbrella was invented over four thousand years ago, in ancient civilizations like Egypt, China, Greece, and Assyria, Umbrellas initially served as sun protection for royalty and nobility, not to keep the rain off of a person. These early, often heavy devices were made of palm leaves, feathers, or papyrus, with the Chinese later developing waterproof, oiled-paper versions, sealed with a lacquer that could be used for rain or ‘shine.
One of the first known umbrella shops in the world opened in 1830 at 53 New Oxford Street in London, England. The shop, operated by James Smith and Sons, still operates regular hours at the same location today. go ahead - click the link and you can see for yourself.
In 1928, Hans Haupt’s pocket umbrellas appeared. Then, in 1969, Bradford E. Phillips, the owner of Totes Incorporated of Loveland, Ohio, obtained a patent for the first “working folding umbrella.” Umbrellas have also been fashioned into hats as early as 1880 and as recently as 1987.
Umbrellas aren’t just to keep the rain or sunshine off of a person.
Photographers also use umbrellas with a reflective inside as a diffusion device when employing artificial lighting, and as a glare shield and shade, most often in portrait situations.
While the umbrella is primarily practical, they also also have more frivolous uses - for example, to decorate cocktails. Brightly colored paper umbrellas can make fun party favors, especially when a drink has fruit as a garnish. While today’s Drink Of The Day, the Damn The Weather Cocktail doesn’t have full fruit pieces, if you want to use a cocktail umbrella, you absolutely can.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’re going to need for this drink:
