The Hilarious Origin Of Smirnoff Icing

Picture this: You're opening birthday presents on your special day, surrounded by your closest friends. You unwrap and reach into a large box filled with mounds of tissue paper. You obviously have no idea what's inside. Then, you feel something glacially cold. You pull the mystery "gift" out of the packaging and realize it's a bottle of Smirnoff Ice. All of a sudden, you're down on one knee, chugging the frosted malt beverage while your friends are laughing hysterically, cheering you on, and capturing the harmless prank on their cell phones for all to see. You've fallen victim to one of the most viral practical jokes of the millennial generation. You just got "Iced."

Most of us have likely been Iced ourselves, Iced a loved one, or witnessed the hilarity unfold at the most inopportune moment for the target. According to The Takeout, the Smirnoff Icing tradition started in 2010 and has (somehow) lived on, whether in infamy or pure joy. And the boozy prank's birthplace is perhaps unsurprising to most.

Smirnoff Icing first took place at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. A group of brothers of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity emailed the game's instructions to BroBible.com, a website dedicated to fraternity culture, according to The Takeout. Then, they launched their own domain, BrosIcingBros.com, which was essentially a photo and video gallery of – you guessed it! – bros icing bros.

One of the most epic Icing attempts happened at the 2010 Webby Awards, when Foursquare co-founder Naveen Selvadurai embarked on an unsuccessful mission to Ice world-famous Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, according to Village Voice. Let's just say Buzz, a recovering alcoholic, did not get buzzed.

The Smirnoff brand is adamant about having no affiliation with the trend, although it's probably safe to assume that sales of the citrus-flavored libation have grown. Over the years, some people have proven to be extremely creative with their Smirnoff Ice hiding spots. A few of the most iconic deliveries include tucking an Ice into a newly wedded bride's garter, laying them under pillows during camping trips, concealing them in backpacks before important exams, and more (via Thrillist).