Holiday Thread

##May 19th is…

###National Devil’s Food Cake Day

Observed annually on May 19, National Devil’s Food Cake Day is enjoyed by chocolate cake lovers throughout the country and around the world.

Devil’s Food cake is a divine chocolate cake. It differs from a regular chocolate cake by its darker color and tends to be more moist and airy. Devil’s Food cake recipes use hot or boiling water as the primary liquid. Cocoa is typically used in the batter, as opposed to chocolate, and coffee can be added for a distinctive flavor. A delicious chocolate frosting usually accompanies the cake.

Recipes for Devil’s Food cakes often appeared alongside recipes for Angel Food cakes. One of the earliest recipes appeared in the August 10, 1898, edition of the Hagerstown Exponent of Hagerstown, Indiana.


###National May Ray Day

Observed each year on May 19 is May Ray Day. Outside, enjoying the sunshine and soaking up some rays is where this celebration takes place!

There are many ways to enjoy the outdoors and the warmer days as summer approaches. Whether your place under the sun is at the park, a rooftop or your own back yard find a way to enjoy the nicer weather. If mother nature isn’t cooperating, there are several days in May remaining. National May Ray Day can be used to plan a day outside.

Source for these holidays -

http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/


###Circus Day

Circus Day is a day of fun and adventure. Celebrate this day by visiting the circus and enjoying all the acts and people who work so hard to entertain you. From the acrobats to the clowns, a day at the circus is a day full of excitement.

This holiday marks the anniversary of when the Ringling Brothers opened their first circus on May 19th, 1884. In 1919, the Ringling Brothers Circus was merged with the PT Barnum & Bailey Circus to form the now famous Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Source for this holiday -

http://www.giftypedia.com/May_Holidays


###Boys Club and Girls Club Day

Boys and Girls Club Day celebrates the invaluable Boys Clubs and Girls Clubs around the country. There are clubs all over America providing safe recreational activities for our youth. They teach values and citizenship. They help to keep kids out of trouble and off of the street.

Today is a day to recognize the importance of these groups for our children and to the community. With more and more parents at work, and broken families, these groups take on added importance.

You can celebrate Boys Club and Girls Club Day in a variety of ways:
Learn about your local Boys and Girls clubs
Encourage your children to join them
As parents and adults, volunteer your time
Make a donation
If there is no club in your area, play a role in starting one.

Source for this holiday -

http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/may.htm


###Notebook Day

There’s a holiday coming to town, and its one that will definitely be one to take note of, as it strives to fill the world with anecdotes and commentaries and memoirs. There likely isn’t a one of us that hasn’t tried journaling at some point in their lives, especially as teenagers. Remember all that cringe worthy poetry? Yep, probably still moldering away in a journal somewhere, just waiting to embarrass you with the soppy angst-ridden days of youth.

2016 is the inauguration of Notebook day, and seeks to speak to the world about the importance of journaling and what it can do to help us. As we’ve mentioned, we know all the things we journaled about before, most of us kept one as a kid, and all the poetry we read in English class often filled us with inspiration to write our own. As we encountered the challenges of youth, especially first love, the journal began being filled with angry thoughts, deep emotions, and the general process of trying to figure out who we were and what the world would make of us. Time has come to reveal that journaling is a vitally important process that can have profound psychological effects on the one keeping it.

“The notebook and planner community is so vibrant and alive,” said Mica May, CEO of custom notebook company May Designs. “If anything, our customers have become even more dedicated to paper over the past few years. There’s this amazing connection between writing something down that you can’t get typing it into your phone or laptop.” The power of paper has yet to decline, and in certain circles is being raised in unexpected ways. CEO’s in technology driven Silicon Valley are jumping on the cellulose bandwagon, choosing paper notes over digital apps. There’s just something that comes into perspective when you see it down on paper.

Grab yourself a notebook and bust it open, start writing down all the thoughts and worries of your day and see them put into a form that makes them manageable. Got an idea forming? Jot it in the corners or write it out in complete detail so that you never miss a beat. Idle and bored? Let your hands do the walking and doodle on the page, psychologists reveal that a lot can be shown by what a person chooses to doodle. Whatever you do, Notebook Day is the best day to open up those old journals, read our old thoughts and see how we changed, and open up a new page in our lives by starting a new one!

Source for this holiday -

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/

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##May 22nd is…

###National Buy a Musical Instrument Day

Each year on May 22 we observe National Buy a Musical Instrument Day. The day is all about playing music. If you are a musician, it might be time for a new instrument. Maybe you can learn to play a second or third one. If you have never played an instrument before, National Buy A Musical Instrument Day might be the motivation you need to start.

National Buy a Musical Instrument Day is not just for school-aged children. This observation is for people of all ages. Grandpa can play his ukelele while the grandkids play the drums, trombone, and flute. Together they can all make terrific music!


###National Maritime Day

National Maritime Day is observed annually in the United States on May 22. Created to recognize the maritime industry National Maritime Day also honors America’s Merchant Marines for their contributions and sacrifices for our country. Special acknowledgment is given to ships and seafarers that have held a prominent place in our nation’s history.

As one of the oldest industries, it has time-honored traditions and a rich and full history. Celebrations and ceremonies around the country will recognize the people our maritime nation depends on. Each year the Department of Transporation holds a national ceremony in Washinton D.C. There is a national ceremony in Washington D.C. at the Department of Transportation headquarters.


###National Vanilla Pudding Day

May 22nd is the day we recognize National Vanilla Pudding Day. Enjoy it with a delicious dish of cold, creamy vanilla pudding.

The puddings we enjoy as desserts today are not what was commonly known as pudding at ancient dinner tables. Most medieval puddings were meat based and seasoned with herbs and spices. Even sweetened, they were usually served hot. Toward the end of the 18th century, puddings were more likely made from a grains or day old bread with nuts, fruit or meats. These puddings were used to stretch meals for a large family.

The creamy pudding we are more familiar with today is related to the custard, minus the eggs.

Necessity may be the mother of invention, but spouses who are chemists are the inventor. When you are Alfred Bird and your wife is allergic to eggs, that is very true. In 1837, Bird invented an egg-free custard powder using flavored cornstarch.

The earliest packaged pudding in the United States was marketed by My-T-Fine in 1918. This and other puddings like them still required cooking on the stove. The instant version came along in the mid-1940s. On its own or as an ingredient in a larger recipe, pudding can be enjoyed in a variety of flavors.

Source for these holidays -

http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/


###World Goth Day

This is a great day! It’s World Goth Day.

As it should be, everyone who is into the Goth sub-culture, now has a day to celebrate who they are. Go out and embrace your inner and your outer Goth today.

Today, you should celebrate who you are and your uniqueness. Find a Goth band, and enjoy the music.

It’s not just wearing black that makes you Goth. The Goth culture is expressed in fashion, music art, and to some degree, behaviors.

World Goth Day originated in the United Kingdom in 2009. It quickly spread, and is now celebrated in many countries around the world.

Source for this holiday -

http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/may.htm


###Sherlock Holmes Day

World-renowned detective. Most portrayed character in history. Icon. Who are we speaking of? Why, Sherlock Holmes, of course! Any self-respecting amateur detective would guess that! The ultimate detective archetype, the character of Sherlock Holmes has been a hero millions since his creation well over a century ago. So can all agree he more than deserves his very own day? Of course, elementary my dear Watson!

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author of the Sherlock Holmes stories, says the character was originally inspired by Joseph Bell, a surgeon at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for whom Doyle had worked as an assistant. Like Holmes, Bell was famous for his ability to draw broad conclusions from minute observations. Francis “Tanky” Smith, a policeman and master of disguise who was Leicester’s first private detective, is also thought to have influenced the character.

Doyle’s first Sherlock Holmes story first appeared in print in 1887 and continued to be published for the next forty years, until shortly before the author’s death. During this time, the detective had countless adventures, usually accompanied by his loyal friend and assistant, Dr. Watson.
Sherlock Holmes Day was first created in 2013 as a mini event by Gaia Online, a forum and games site.

With there being so very many different versions of the iconic character, the ways of celebrating this day are virtually unlimited. If you enjoy reading and have somehow never read these wonderful stories (gasp!) it is high time you did. The weather in May in Most parts of the world is quite nice, so an afternoon lounging lazily in the shade of a tree and getting lost in the world created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is one great idea. If you’ve already read them or feel like giving your eyes a bit of a break, how about watching one of the many shows or movies made about Holmes?

Regardless of who your favorite Hollywood celebrities are, you are sure to find someone you love breathing new life into the Sherlock Holmes character. From Sir Ian McKellen to Robert Downey Jr., to Christopher Lee, Benedict Cumberbatch and dozens of others, there are more than enough versions of Sherlock Holmes to choose from.

If you feel like being a bit more active, Sherlock Holmes Day might be the perfect time to play a little detective, yourself. Do you have a feeling there might be something up at work that you’ve been dying to find out about but that none of the managers seem to want to talk too much about? Has someone been stealing your sandwiches out of the refrigerator? Or maybe you’ve been getting some enamoured texts from an unknown number and would love to know who’s sending them? Whatever little mystery is keeping you awake at night, let today be the day you decide to find out what’s up!

And if you have children, Sherlock Holmes Day is the perfect day to get them interested in a real literary classic that never gets old, and maybe get them into reading as a whole in the process. How you end up celebrating Sherlock Holmes Day is a mystery to us, and one that’s up to you to solve!


###Harvey Milk Day

On Harvey Milk Day, people celebrate the life and achievements of Harvey Milk, a gay rights activist who was the first openly gay politician to be elected to public office in California. Tragically, Harvey Milk served as city supervisor in San Francisco for only a little less than a year before he was murdered by Dan White, a rival politician. During his time in office, he was responsible for championing a civil rights bill that outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Harvey Milk led an unremarkable life until he found his calling as a leader of the gay rights movement in the famous Castro District of San Francisco. He was naturally charismatic, and deeply concerned with social issues. His successful campaign was a landmark in American political history. On Harvey Milk Day, people around the world celebrate the achievements of the international gay rights movement, and reflect on the work that still remains to be done.

Source for these holidays -

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/

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##HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

And, the completed picture:

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Time to get those radios, websites and apps running all day. :relaxed:

##July is…

###Month:
National Blueberry Month
National Anti-Boredom Month
Unlucky Month for weddings
National Cell Phone Courtesy Month
National Hot Dog Month
National Ice Cream Month

###Week Event:
Week 2: Nude Recreation Week

Source

http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/july.htm

###July
is the seventh month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of seven months with the length of 31 days. It was named by the Roman Senate in honor of the Roman general, Julius Caesar, it being the month of his birth. Prior to that, it was called Quintilis.

July is, on average, the warmest month in most of the Northern hemisphere (where it is the second month of summer) and the coldest month in much of the Southern hemisphere (where it is the second month of winter). The second half of the year commences in July. In the Southern hemisphere, July is the seasonal equivalent of January in the Northern hemisphere.

July starts on the same day of the week as April in a common year, and January in leap years. In a common year no other month ends on the same day as July, while in a leap year July ends on the same day of the week as January.

###In the Northern Hemisphere:
Dog days begin in early July, when the hot sultry weather of summer usually starts.

Summer school is under way for many students in the USA.

Spring lambs, born in late winter or early spring, are usually sold before July 1.

###Events in July
Tanabata, a Japanese traditional seasonal “make-a-wish” celebration, July 7

The traditional period known as “fence month” (the closed season for deer in England) ended July 9 (date varied)

End of the Trinity term (sitting of the High Court of Justice of England) July 31

Elections of Japanese House of Councillors, replacing half of its seats, held every three years.

###Observations
Captive Nations Week is the third week of July in the United States. It is aimed at raising public awareness of the oppression of nations under the control of Communist and other non-capitalist government systems, an attempt at dislodging the U.S.S.R.

###July symbols:
Its "birth flowers are the Larkspur or the Water Lily.

Its birthstone is the ruby, which symbolizes contentment…

Its Zodiac signs for the month of July include Cancer (astrology) (until July 21) and Leo (astrology) July 22 onward).

###The color for July is “RED”
and red is Tuesday’s color. It’s not uncommon for red theme parties to take place in the month of July. Red party foods could be apples, red jello, tomato dishes (tomato casserole), tomato soup, lasagna, strawberries, watermelon, pizza topped wih red bell peppers, red velvet cake, red beans, chili, beet salad & we can’t leave out salsa! - etc.

Source

http://www.gone-ta-pott.com/facts-about-the-month-of-july.html

###July Monthly Observations
World Watercolor Month
National Anti-Boredom Month
National Baked Bean Month
National Cell Phone Courtesy Month
National Culinary Arts Month
National Grilling Month
National Horseradish Month
National Hot Dog Month
National Ice Cream Month
National Independent Retailer Month
National July Belongs to Blueberries Month
National Picnic Month
Unlucky Month for Weddings

###July Weekly Observations
Be Nice to Jersey Week – July 3- 9
Nude Recreation Week – July 4-10
Creative Maladjustment Week – July 7 – 14
National Farriers Week – July 10 – 16
Everybody Deserves A Massage Week – July 10 – 16
Week of Major League All Star Baseball Game – July 12
Captive Nations Week – 3rd week in July
National Zoo Keeper Week – 3rd week in July
National Parenting Gifted Children Week – 3rd week in July

Source

http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/july-overview/

##July 1st is…

###National Postal Worker Day

National Postal Worker Day is observed annually on July 1st. This is a day to appreciate and thank the numerous men and women who work consistently and diligently deliver all of our mail and packages. These employees suffer some of the harshest working conditions, yet continue to persevere six days a week.

Across the United States, postal workers walk an average of 4 to 8 miles carrying a full load of letters and packages and delivering them promptly to each of our doorsteps. There are approximately 490,000 postal workers across the United States. They work in all kinds of weather including extreme heat and cold, rain and sleet and blizzards, too.

Besides severe weather, they have also dealt with unusual packages. In 1913 the postal service started delivering packages up to a maximum 11 pounds. The most surprising package to arrive for delivery was a small child. Barely under the weight limit, James Beagle was mailed at a cost of 15 cents to his grandmother just a few miles away. This practice continued for just over a year until the postmaster general was able to put regulations in place prohibiting it.


###National U.S. Postage Stamp Day

On July 1, National U.S. Postage Stamp Day recognizes the ease and simplicity with which we can send and receive mail. A stamp represents payment for the delivery of a letter or a package.

A stamp represents payment for the delivery of a letter or a package. The first postage stamp in the United States was issued on July 1, 1847. At that time, stamps were not required. A letter could be mailed without a stamp and delivery paid for by the recipient. In 1855, the postage stamp became mandatory.

Philately is the study of stamps and postal history. Stamps often have a fascinating history. Everything from the inspiration and the artist to the postal rate in a given year affects the value of a stamp. Collectors look at quality and rarity as well. When we consider how few letters are mailed in this technological era, modern stamps may be the most collectable stamp of the future.


###National Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! July 1st marks National Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day, a day to sample or wonder about the awkward or just plain silly kinds of ice cream flavors. It is meant for more than the love of the traditional vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream.

Mitchell’s Ice Cream in downtown Cleveland is known to mix up some seasonal flavors that to some might seem funky and to others are well worth the wait. Their salted butter sweet corn layers the flavors on your tongue making you wonder why every bothered trying to pick the perfect cob in the first place. And their jalapeno strawberry has just the right combo of heat and sweet.

Another great shop churning out wacky flavors is Ample Hills Creamery in New York City. With two locations plus season kiosks, they are sure to satisfy some flavor-seeking tastebuds.

From the savory and smokey to the sweet and surprising, LICK Pure Cream in Seattle offers curiosity and thrill seekers a chance to test those boundaries, too. Flavors like pork-belly pecan can’t go wrong, right?


###National Gingersnap Day

Mmmmmm, hungry? Join in National Gingersnap Day on July 1st by enjoying this sweet and savory treat. Gingersnaps are cookies typically made from molasses, cloves, ginger, cinnamon and brown sugar. They are a combination of sweet and spicy and have long been enjoyed for generations.

Gingersnaps are a healthier alternative to other cookies since they are generally lower in calories than other cookies and have additional benefits. For example, ginger, cinnamon and clove all have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties and may help fight heart disease. Cinnamon is known to lower the amount of glucose in the bloodstream, ginger helps aid digestion and cloves also help prevent oral diseases and headaches.

Around the world, gingersnaps come in different shapes and sizes. In America, it’s much like a sugar cookie but in Scandinavia, it’s more like a wafer.

The American version of the gingersnap is a little more like a sugar cookie, while other versions, such as the Scandinavian one, is a small, thin cookie.

Source for these holidays -

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/


###International Joke Day

International Joke Day is a holiday to celebrate the benefit that good humor brings to our lives. The first semblances of jokes is said to have originated in ancient Greece around 1200 BC where Palamedes legendarily outwitted Odysseus before the Trojan War. Numerous studies have shown that laughter reduces stress, increases immunity to illness, and increases the quality of life. Celebrate this holiday by telling a joke to someone laugh.

Source for this holiday -

http://www.giftypedia.com/Fun_and_Unique_Holidays


###Canada (Dominion) Day

Canada Day is a celebration of Canadian nationalism, heritage and pride. Canada became self-governing on July 1st, 1867, with the passage of the British North America Act (BNA Act) in the British Parliament. The holiday was originally known as “Dominion Day”. It was changed to Canada Day by the Canadian Parliament on October 27, 1982.

Did you know? The U.S. and Canada share the largest un-defended border in the world.

Source for this holiday -

http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/index.htm


###Second Half of the Year Day

July 1st (the 182nd Day of the Year) marks Second Second Half of the Year Day – a chance to step back, evaluate your year so far with your goals and objectives (never mind the new year’s resolutions which likely didn’t last until February…) and to take action to get back on track if nescessary. It’s a great opportunity to do some hard thinking over your finances, your diet, your career and other aspects of your life that you might want to improve. Make the second half of the year count!


###Zip Code Day

No matter where you’re from, you’re likely familiar with the concept of a postal code. That string of numbers and/or letters at the end of your address that designates just where in the heck your address actually is. The origin of Zip Codes actually came from postal district numbers or postal zone numbers that helped mail carriers find their way within larger municipalities.

London and Liverpool were among the first cities to be divided into these designated sectors, but by the end of World War I they were spread throughout the world, coming to the US in the 1920’s, and eventually used in all major cities by the end of World War II. It was somewhere around this time that the concept of a ZIP code came into existence.

Ever wondered exactly what the ZIP in ZIP code stood for? (You did notice it was all capitalized right? That means it’s an acronym. No? Well, it is! Happy ‘I learned something new today’ day!) ZIP code stands for ‘Zone Improvement Plan’ and was brought into existence. While they do vary from place to place, how they’re utilized is incredibly standard. They started out just being used to make sure mail was sent to the right place and keep things flowing smoothly. Since then they’ve been utilized in a lot of different ways, including emergency services direction.

Source for these holidays -

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/

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##July 3rd is…

###National Fried Clam Day

National Fried Clam Day is observed annually on July 3rd. Fried clams are an iconic food in the New England states. They tend to be served at seaside clam shacks or roadside restaurants. The clams are dipped in milk and coated with a combination of regular, corn, and/or pastry flour. Then the coated clams are fried in oil. They can be “clam strips” (sliced parts of hard-shell clams) or whole soft-shell clams. Whole soft-shell clams impart a fuller flavor. However, some restaurants remove the clam’s neck.

In 1914, Lawrence Henry “Chubby” Woodman and his wife Bessie opened a small concession stand on Main Street in Essex, Massachusetts. On weekends they sold small grocery items, homemade potato chips and fresh clams that Chubby dug himself. At first, business was slow but on July 3, 1916, things began to change.

It was on that day a local fisherman named Tarr was visiting the stand, and Chubby complained, “Business was slower than a couple of snails headed uphill.” Tarr, while nibbling on the tasty homemade potato chips, noticed a bucket of clams nearby and jokingly said, “Why don’t you fry up some of your clams? If they’re as tasty as those potato chips of yours, you’ll never have to worry about having enough customers.” Fried clams were unheard of, and Tarr’s comment was rewarded with cold stares from two other customers. “That’s ridiculous!” said one. The other one remarked, “Clams have shells.” The poor fisherman muttered, “I wasn’t serious. It was a joke. I know you can’t fry clams like chips!”

However, when the three men left, Chubby and Bessie started to think about it. What if they did fry up some of the clams and sold them? If they tasted good, they would have created a way to increase the demand for their own shucked clams. “Let’s try it,” Bessie said as she tossed a slab of lard into the fry pot usually used to make potato chips. They shucked some clams and experimented with different batters, having some locals try them out. When the overall verdict was “delicious!” they knew they were on to something big.

The next day, during the 4th of July parade, Chubby and Bessie presented the first fried clams to the citizens of Essex, and the Yankee appetite has never been the same since. A year later a Boston fish market advertised that it was “now equipped to serve the new tasty treat – fried clams.” And Howard Johnson, owner of a chain of restaurants on the East Coast, came himself to learn how to make fried clams from Chubby.

On the backside of their wedding certificate, Lawrence and Bessie wrote what they considered to be important family events. The first two lines were the birth dates of their two oldest sons, Wilbur and Henry. The third line was the other important birth date in the family. It read: “We fried the first fried clam—in the town of Essex, July 3, 1916.”

Now, 102 years and six generations later clams are still frying at Woodman’s, where it all began.


###National Eat Your Beans Day

National Eat Your Beans Day is a “live healthy” holiday observed every year on July 3. This day celebrates the bean vegetable in all sizes, shapes and colors. Beans (legumes) are one of the longest-cultivated plants dating back to the early seventh millennium BCE.

Now, just as throughout the Old and New World history, beans are a major source of protein. A very healthy choice for any meal or snack, they are also an excellent source of fiber, low in fat and high in complex carbohydrates, folate and iron.

There are approximately 40,000 bean varieties in the world.

Only a fraction of these varieties are mass-produced for regular consumption.


###National Chocolate Wafer Day

National Chocolate Wafer Day is observed each year on July 3rd. Once again, chocolate lovers across the country have a reason to enjoy their favorite flavor for breakfast, lunch and supper and as snacks in between.

These crispy snacks are an American favorite. With their waffle surface pattern and thin layers, they make an excellent addition to ice cream. They are a popular ingredient in cakes and cheesecakes. Chocolate wafers can be crushed to make a delicious pie crust.

No matter where or how you are eating your wafers, these delicious treats are truly worth celebrating!

Source for these holidays -

http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/


###Stay Out of the Sun Day

Stay Out of the Sun Day is a day to give your skin a break and enjoy the shade. Today is a great day to stay in the shade since tomorrow is Independence Day and many of us will be outside soaking in the sun for hours, so celebrate this day by relaxing in the shade.


###Compliment Your Mirror Day

Who is that great looking person over there? Oh wait, it’s me! Mirror, mirror on the wall… you are the awesomest of them all. You get the idea. On Compliment Your Mirror Day, we give thanks to item that makes all that great scenery possible.


###Disobedience Day

Sometimes it’s proper to be disobedient – not doing something you know is wrong, standing up to injustice, etc. We’re assuming that Disobedience Day is paying tribute to the proper instances of disobedience that change the world for the better. The civil disobedience protests led by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. are textbook examples of how peaceful disobedience can be used to gain independence or fairness.


###Build a Scarecrow Day

Build a Scarecrow Day is a day to do just that, build a scarecrow. A scarecrow is used in gardens to discourage birds, like crows, from destroying the crop. Celebrate today by getting everyone involved in making a homemade scarecrow, the kids are sure to have fun. Even if you do not have a garden, you probably know someone who does, and if not, your scarecrow will make for a great yard decoration come Fall.

Source for this holiday -

http://www.giftypedia.com/Fun_and_Unique_Holidays


###International Plastic Bag Free Day

Most of us use them every day, the thin plastic bags used by almost every retailer we visit. Whether we’re shopping for groceries or the newest Prada, you can almost guarantee that you’ll be leaving the store with a plastic bag stuffed full of your new goodies. Then, when you arrive home, you’ll quickly remove them like a kid opening Christmas presents, tossing aside the wrapping with thoughtless abandon. Have you ever stopped to consider what happens to those plastic bags? Has it ever occurred to you just how many of them we go through, individually, in a year?

International Plastic Bag Free Day is dedicated to heightening awareness about these and very real and pressing issues brought about by this most popular of disposable carrying devices. We are reminded that those bags we pick up from the retailers are used for an incredibly short time, usually under 25 minutes, and are then disposed of. They may pass out of our thinking then, but they do not pass out of our world. Plastic bags remain in the world for anywhere from 100-500 years before finally decaying completely, and have a profound impact upon our environment as a result.

Out in the great reaches of the ocean are massive reefs made up of all sorts of plastic waste, and plastic bags play heavily among them. Such is the magnitude of the problem that these great floating islands reach hundreds of miles, like great monuments to mankind’s wastefulness, and disregard for the world upon which we live. International Plastic Bag Free Day gives us an opportunity to remind ourselves, and others, that every action we take, and every bag we dispose of, effects the lives of everyone in the world for generations to come.

Source for this holiday -

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/

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##July 8th is…

###National Chocolate with Almonds Day

National Chocolate with Almonds Day is observed annually on July 8th. What a great combination to enjoy. It is also filled with added health benefits!

When it comes to adding almonds to chocolate, the options are plentiful. From cakes to chocolate bars, puddings to cookies we can celebrate National Chocolate with Almonds Day with snacks and desserts galore!

Health Benefits of Almonds:
reduce the risk of heart attack
lower ‘bad’ cholesterol
protects artery walls from damage
help build healthy bones and teeth
provide healthy fats and aid in weight loss
lower the rise in blood sugar and insulin after meals
help provide good brain function
nourish the nervous system
alkalize the body


###Collector Car Appreciation Day

On July 8, 2016, the 8th anniversary of Collector Car Appreciation Day will be observed.

This day is set aside each year to raise awareness of the vital role automotive restoration and collection plays in American society. American’s have had a fascination with the automobile since the first U.S. horseless carriage was demonstrated in 1893 by the Duryea Motor Wagon Company.

The automobile appeals to American’s sense of adventure, nostalgia, perseverance and exploration. The motor companies tailored their designs to a public that demanded a particular style. With the Ford assembly line came affordability. We associate each era with a certain car. Whether it’s a Prohibition-era Cadillac Sedans, 1950s era muscle cars, our grandfather’s pickup trucks, they take us back.

Source for these holidays -

http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/


###Video Games Day

Today is Video Games Day a holiday when it’s okay if you play video games all day. Today is a day for gaming, and guess what there is also a National version which is always celebrated on September 12th. So, hardcore gamers and casual gamers today is a day to celebrate by playing all your favorite video games.


###Ice Cream Sundae Day

Ice Cream Sundae Day pays tribute to the first Ice Cream Sundae served in Two Rivers Wisconsin in 1881. There are a few cities that claim to be the originator of the first ice cream sundae (Ithaca, NY, Ann Arbor MI, Norfolk VA and Washington D.C.), though, it was researched by language expert H.L. Mencken who was tracing the origin of the word sundae and he concluded that the Two Rivers Story to be the real story.


###SCUD Day

SCUD Day, or also known as Savor the Comic, Unplug the Drama Day, is a day for you to ditch the drama in your life and instead appreciate comedic value that life’s issues bring. Life is only as serious as you make it and life is too short to go around stressed and downtrodden. Find the humorous side of what is creating your commotion and have a good laugh. You’ll thank yourself later!

Source for these holidays -

http://www.giftypedia.com/Fun_and_Unique_Holidays


###National Blueberry Day

Today is National Blueberry Day. Just about every other fruit has its day of recognition. Yet, somehow Blueberries have not had a day designated in its honor… up until now.

We think it is bizarre, that Blueberries have just now received its fair and just recognition with a special day. In addition to tasting great, Blueberries are loaded with fiber and rich in antioxidants. Blueberries are one of the healthiest fruits you can eat. The most notable health benefits of blueberries include: helps lower cholesterol to promote heart health, reduces the risk of cancer, and can even help to slow the aging process.

Celebrate this very special day, by eating blueberries for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Make plans to incorporate blueberries into your regular menu planning. You can also celebrate National Blueberry day by planting a couple of blueberry bushes in your yard.

Did You Know? Most blueberry bushes require at least two bushes of different varieties, to pollinate and produce berries.

Happy National Blueberry Day!

Source for this holiday -

http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/index.htm

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##July 16th is…

###National Strawberry Rhubarb Wine Day

Summer days are as sweet as strawberries and wine. That’s why the third Saturday in July is an excellent day to commemorate National Strawberry Rhubarb Wine Day. This day celebrates the smooth and fruity taste found in a glass full of some delicious, chilled, Strawberry Rhubarb Wine.

In July of 2010, Maple River Winery in historic downtown Casselton, North Dakota, proudly accepted the Double Gold Award at the Indy International Wine Competition for its Strawberry Rhubarb Wine.

Rhubarb, a tart perennial vegetable, but when combined with strawberries has a unique flavor that some consider the perfect balance of tartness and sweetness. A New York court decided in 1947 that since rhubarb was used in the United States as a fruit, that for the purposes of regulation and duties, it was to be counted as a fruit.


###National Corn Fritters Day

July 16 is National Corn Fritters Day! Corn fritters are tasty bites of fried or baked corn batter.

These bright crispy morsels make great additions to summer barbeques and backyard gatherings. The main ingredients include corn, meal, egg, milk, and butter. While they may have originated in the south, corn fritters can easily be changed up with peppers, onions or herbs to give them regional and seasonal flair.

Paired with other vegetables and a pan-fried fish filet, these versatile cakes can be added to a lightly toasted bun for a unique fish sandwich. Don’t look at this dish as just a side, but a functional part of a complete dish.


###National Personal Chef Day

Each year on July 16th, National Personal Chef Day is observed. This day celebrates the dedication and hard work of personal chefs across the United States who prepare delicious meals for households, seniors and in many other settings.

A personal chef prepares meals in clients’ home kitchens, based on the client’s needs and preferences. A personal chef may also prepare dinner parties and other special events.

A personal chef differs from a private chef in that the private chef is employed exclusively by one client and may even live in the clients home.

National Personal Chef Day is celebrated by some in February of each year.


###Toss Away the “Could Haves” and “Should Haves” Day

Across the United States, the third Saturday in July recognizes Toss Away the “Could Haves” and “Should Haves” Day.

Created by author and motivational speaker Martha J. Ross-Rodgers, this day is intended for all to let go of the past and live for the present. To help with this venture, find a paper and pen, write down your “could haves” and “should haves” and then throw it away.

Once you have thrown your “could haves” and “should haves” in the trash, make the following resolution:

“From this day forward, I choose not to live in the past. The past is history that I can not change. I can do something about the present; I choose to live in the present.”

Now, take care of yourself and your health by living for now. Do your best and make the best of each and every day!

Source for these holidays -

http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/


###Atomic Bomb Day

Atomic Bomb Day marks the observance of the first test of technology of a nuclear weapon, which took place at the Trinity test site in Los Alamos, New Mexico on this day in 1945. The Trinity test was part of the Manhattan Project, the codename for the World War II effort, conducted primarily by the United States, to develop the first atomic bomb.


###Talk to a Telemarketer Day

At first glance Talk to a Telemarketer Day doesn’t seem like much of a holiday, though, in the right frame of mind it could actually prove quite entertaining. Have some fun with it and see how long it takes before you can get them to hang up on you. Here’s a few things that you can do/say to get things going…

Be really interested in their offering, but never buy. Just keep asking more questions and telling them how amazing it is.

Pretend that you can’t understand what it is they are talking about. Ask questions about the product that totally misinterpret the meaning of their offering.

Keep changing the subject to something off-topic like weather, sports, politics, religion, family.

Tell them a long pointless story about your job or your childhood.

Ask them in a provocative voice, “What are you wearing?”

Ask them to buy something from you.


###National Woodie Wagon Day

With nostalgic thoughts of yesteryear, family vacations and surfing, we celebrate National Woodie Wagon Day. This iconic style for vehicles grew in popularity during the 1940s. Steel was being salvaged for the war effort, so car manufacturers turned to wood as a replacement. Placed along the sides of the “wagon”, the Woodie was seen carrying families throughout the 40s and 50s. As the cars’ popularity subsided and prices dropped, California surfers began picking up these inexpensive modes of transportation that could easily carry their boards. The Woodie revival was subsequently born - and now the car’s legend continues to live on.

Source for these holidays -

http://www.giftypedia.com/Fun_and_Unique_Holidays


###Fresh Spinach Day

Fresh Spinach Day is our opportunity to put healthier food into our diets.

Popeye the Sailor is right. Spinach is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. It tastes good, and there are many recipes. Many people turn up their nose to it, without even trying it.

The reason for eating fresh spinach, is the nutritional value is highest, when it is fresh and uncooked.

Celebrate this day by introducing some fresh spinach to your meals today. You could start by mixing in some spinach into your garden salad. Your family may not even notice, but by doing so, you are making them healthier!

Gardeners know that spinach is easy to grow. And, it’s hardy. You can plant it as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring. Why, that’s today in many parts of the country!

There is another day that we celebrate this healthy vegetable. It’s National Spinach Day, celebrated on March 26th. We think it is great that there are two days to celebrate this wonderful vegetable, and to encourage people to eat healthier.

Did You Know? V-8 Vegetable Juice is not just tomato juice. It includes 8 vegetables. One of them is Spinach.

Source for this holiday -

http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/index.htm


###World Snake Day

Snakes have gotten something of a bad rap over the past few thousand years. What with that one snake tricking that nice lady nice lady into eating an apple way back when, thus condemning the entire human race to mortality, snakes have been mistrusted if not flat-out feared. And while it is understandable that people may fear an animal that can easily kill them, we think these fascinating, diverse creatures that range from several inches to 30 feet long, and from friendly and docile to aggressive and deadly, deserve for people to find out more about them.

The snake is one of the oldest mythological characters and has been revered by civilizations the world over. There are about 3,458 species of snakes known so far, ranging from the semi-frozen tundra of northern Canada to the steamy jungles of the equator and most of the world’s oceans. Snakes are highly effective predators and play a vital role in maintaining the balance of nature in each of these realms. Snakes are also fascinating in that they have a prehistoric lineage, thus giving us a glimpse back to a prehistoric time when the earth was ruled by reptiles—many people have no idea that modern reptiles are literally the living, breathing cousins of dinosaurs.

The species that seem to fascinate people the most are the King Cobra, the largest venomous snake in the world most people have seen in movies being coaxed out of a basket by a snake charmer; the Rattlesnake, that has forced countless people to suck its poison out of the bite before it’s too late; and the Reticulated Python, the world’s longest snake that kills its prey by strangling it.

World Snake Day was created to help people learn more about these animals and how much they contribute to the world as we know it.


###Guinea Pig Appreciation Day

They’re some of America’s favorite pets, those small and fuzzy animals that are known as the guinea pig. The Guinea Pig stands as one of the world’s longest domesticated animals, having been domesticated in South America for up to 5000 years. While most of the world may think of them as an adorable pet along the lines of a rat, they have far more in common with the bunny rabbit. You see, in Peru, they’re a staple of their diet, and have been since time out of mind.

“What’s that?” I hear you ask. “They EAT them?” Certainly they do, and they’re considered a very traditional and popular food in their Peruvian home. In Peru they’re called Cuy, and 11 tons of them were consumed in 2014, with fully 90% of them being sent to the United States for consumption. The Peruvian Andes have been the home of this cuisine, and it holds much the same place as Filet Mignon or Lobster in the United States, the perfect special meal for birthdays and celebrations. We mentioned rabbit earlier? Well, it just so happens they’re often compared to them in flavor.

Of course, if you’re going to go with a traditional Peruvian preparation, you’d best be ready to stare the little gibbon right in the eye. They’re often served whole, and aside from the fact that it’s very clear you’re eating a guinea pig, it can be quite tricky to find pure meat on the animal. The locals solve this by consuming every morsel of the animal and moving on.

Thankfully, Guinea Pig Appreciation Day doesn’t require the consumption of these little guys. In addition to being a delicious part of Peruvian cuisine, they’re also some of the most loving and attentive pets you can own. So whether you’re a gourmand looking for a new treat, or a pet owner looking for a new friend, Guinea Pig Appreciation Day is for you!

Source for these holidays -

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/

I don’t know which bothers me more, Talk to a Telemarketer Day, Atomic Bomb Day, Fresh Spinach Day or World Snake Day. What kind of a day is this anyway?

2 Likes

Sheesh this thread went from nice things to all out war. :laughing: Can anything beat talking to a telemarketer?

Ummmm, ATOMIC BOMBS???