Why are Bloody Marys only for the morning?

January 1 is usually one of the busiest days of the year at the Hi-Lo Diner here.

January 1 is usually one of the busiest days of the year at the Hi-Lo Diner here. Patrons — some still in a state of revelry from the night before — pack the booths and order up from the menu of American classics, including the brunch staple: the Hi-Lo Bloody, which comes with a “snit” (chaser) of a 7-ounce Miller High Life beer. The Bloody Mary, a viscous, vegetable- and vodka-filled garnished cocktail, often serves as a refuge for those hoping to subdue the ringing remnants of the prior eve’s overindulgences. “It associates itself with a restorative property,” said Brian Bartels, restaurateur, longtime bartender and author of “The Bloody Mary: The Lore and Legend of a Cocktail Classic,” in an interview with CNN. “I have friends who call it ‘soup’ or ‘cocktail soup’ sometimes,” he said. “What do we think of when we think of soup? That usually means we’re sick and we need to have some soup, because it makes us feel better.” Fittingly enough, January 1 is National Bloody Mary Day.