Today is...
National Tooth Fairy Day

For hundreds of years people have shared mystical legends, stories, and traditions about the loss of baby teeth. The early Europeans buried children’s teeth so witches and evil spirits couldn’t use them for voodoo. The Vikings believed that children's teeth had magical powers that could help them fight in battle. They would pay their children for their lost baby teeth and string them onto necklaces and other jewelry.
Over time, people began to share stories about a Tooth Mouse who scampers around town and steals children's teeth in the middle of the night. The story of the mouse evolved into the story of the Tooth Fairy who leaves treasures under children's pillows in exchange for their lost teeth.
Tooth Fairy traditions are still popular today. Kids all over the world place their lost baby teeth under their pillows at night and look forward to a wonderful surprise in the morning. Happy National Tooth Fairy Day!

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Today is also National Chocolate Souffle Day & National Chili Day & National Pancake Day


February is Black History Month & Potato Lover's Month & National Weddings Month

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History for February 28 1827 - The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad became the first railroad incorporated for commercial transportation of people and freight. 1911 - Thomas A. Edison, Inc. was organized. 1940 - The first televised basketball game was shown. The game featured Fordham University and the University of Pittsburgh from Madison Square Gardens in New York. 1854 - The Republican Party was organized in Ripon, WI. 1983 - "M*A*S*H" became the most watched television program in history when the final episode aired. 1984 - Michael Jackson won a record seven Grammy awards. ________________________________________________________ "There is no truth more thoroughly established than that there exists in the course of nature an indissoluble union between virtue and happiness." --George Washington

Today is...
National Strawberry Day

It’s National Strawberry Day! Today we pay homage to one of the most popular fruits in the world. Strawberries are the first fruit to ripen every year, so they are often called the “taste of spring.” The bright red juicy berries are both delicious and incredibly good for you. Each bite is packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber.
People have been enjoying strawberries and their health benefits for centuries. In fact, the Ancient Romans believed that strawberries could cure fevers, fainting, inflammation, and several other ailments. They also used the berries for teeth whitening!
To celebrate National Strawberry Day, enjoy a fresh bowl of strawberries and cream, a strawberry smoothie, a piece of toast smothered in strawberry jam, or a scoop of strawberry ice cream. Enjoy!

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Today is also  National Kahlua Day & International Polar Bear Day


February is Black History Month & Potato Lover's Month & National Weddings Month

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History for February 27 1827 - The first Mardi Gras celebration was held in New Orleans. 1883 - Oscar Hammerstein patented the first cigar-rolling machine. 1922 - The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the 19th Amendment that guaranteed women the right to vote. 1960 - The Miracles made their first TV appearance on "American Bandstand." 1974 - "People" magazine was first issued by Time-Life (later known as Time-Warner). 1991 - U.S. President George Bush announced live on television that "Kuwait is liberated." 1999 - Colin Prescot and Andy Elson set a new hot air balloon endurance record when they had been aloft for 233 hours and 55 minutes. The two were in the process of trying to circumnavigate the Earth. 2000 - ABC-TV aired the "The Beach Boys" TV movie. ________________________________________________________ "Do not be interested in the quantity of people who respect and admire you, but in their quality. If bad people dislike you, so much the better." --Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Today is...
National Pistachio Day

It’s National Pistachio Day! The pistachio is a small bushy tree native to the Middle East. It produces bunches of fruit (similar to grapes) and the pistachio nut is the seed of that fruit.
People use pistachios in cooking and enjoy them fresh or roasted as a snack. Pistachio ice cream with its distinctive green color is also popular. Pistachios have more antioxidants per serving than green tea. They are also an excellent source of fiber, copper, manganese, and Vitamin B6.  
To celebrate National Pistachio Day, enjoy a handful of delicious pistachio nuts!

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Today is also World Spay Day


February is Black History Month & Potato Lover's Month & National Weddings Month

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History for February 26 1815 - Napoleon escaped from the Island of Elba. He then began his second conquest of France. 1870 - In New York, the first subway line was opened to the public. 1919 - The Grand Canyon was established as a National Park with an act of the U.S. Congress. 1952 - British Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced that Britain had its own atomic bomb. 1970 - The Beatles album "Beatles Again" was released in the U.S. It contained the song "Hey Jude." 1977 - The Eagles' "Hotel California" was released. ________________________________________________________ "The greatest danger, that of losing one's own self, may pass off as quietly as if it were nothing; every other loss, that of an arm, a leg, five dollars, a wife, etc., is sure to be noticed." --Soren Kierkegaard

Today is...
National Chocolate Covered Nuts Day

It’s National Chocolate Covered Nuts Day! Nuts have been a staple of the human diet for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks and Romans were fond of the walnut, Native Americans enjoyed the pecan, and the Chinese believed the hazelnut was one of the five sacred nourishments. People also believed that chocolate had divine properties.
The Aztecs and Mayans prepared drinking chocolate for all their sacred rituals. In the 17th century chocolate became a very fashionable drink throughout Europe and people soon learned that everything tastes better when it’s covered in chocolate. By the middle of the 19th century it was a common practice to dip items like pretzels, nuts, and fruits into melted chocolate.
Celebrate National Chocolate Covered Nuts Day with your favorite chocolate and nut combination!

 

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February is Black History Month & Potato Lover's Month & National Weddings Month

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History for February 25 1836 - Samuel Colt received a patent for a "revolving gun". 1901 - The United States Steel Corp. was incorporated by J.P. Morgan. 1940 - The first televised hockey game was broadcast. The New York Rangers beat the Montreal Canadiens 6-2 at Madison Square Garden. 1986 - Filippino President Ferdinand E. Marcos fled the Philippines after 20 years of rule after a tainted election. 1987 - Frank Sinatra guest starred on CBS-TV's "Magnum P.I." 2000 - It was announced that Britney Spears would be releasing her own brand of bubble gum, "Britney Spears CD Bubble Gum," in March of 2000. ________________________________________________________ "Tonight I’ll think about what I can mean to my life, not what my life can mean to me." --Amy E. Dean

Today is...
National Margarita Day

Today is National Margarita Day! Send a free Margarita Day eCard to friends and family! The margarita cocktail—a famous concoction of tequila, Cointreau or Triple Sec, and lime juice—has been around since the 1940s. Every bartender in the world has put a unique spin on this classic, but no one knows who created the original.
Dozens of people claim that they invented the margarita, including a bartender named Willie from Mexico City. He said that in 1934 he created and named the drink for his friend Marguerite Hemery. Another popular legend is that Carlos “Danny” Herrera developed the drink at his restaurant in Tijuana in 1938. He invented it for Marjorie King, a customer who was allergic to all hard alcohol except tequila, and didn’t like its sour taste. Another story is that the Dallas socialite Margarita Sames mixed up the drink in 1948 for a house full of guests. One of them was Tommy Hilton who later added the drink to the bar menu at his hotels.
While the true identity of the tequila master may never be known, the margarita will go down in history as one of the most popular mixed drinks of all time. To celebrate National Margarita Day, invite some friends over and enjoy a pitcher of homemade margaritas!  

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Today is also World Thinking Day


February is Black History Month & Potato Lover's Month & National Weddings Month

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History for February 22 1630 - Quadequine introduced popcorn to English colonists at their first Thanksgiving dinner. 1819 - Spain ceded Florida to the United States. 1885 - The Washington Monument was officially dedicated in Washington, DC. 1920 - The first dog race track to use an imitation rabbit opened in Emeryville, CA. 1956 - Elvis Presley entered the music charts for the first time with "Heartbreak Hotel." 1965 - Filming for the Beatles' second movie, "HELP!" began in the Bahamas. 1989 - Milli Vanilli won a Grammy for Best New Artist. It was admitted later that they were not the vocalists on the album. 1997 - Scottish scientist Ian Wilmut and colleagues announced that an adult sheep had been successfully cloned. Dolly, the first cloned sheep to be born was born in July 1996. ________________________________________________________ "Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers." --Voltaire

Today is...
National Sticky Bun Day

It’s National Sticky Bun Day! Sticky buns, also known as cinnamon rolls, are a delicious breakfast pastry made with leavened dough. Traditional recipes call for a glazed topping with pecans, maple syrup or honey, cinnamon, and butter.
The first people to add honey and nuts to their bread were the Ancient Egyptians. Glazed pastries have been popular ever since! German settlers in Pennsylvania created our modern-day sticky buns. The pastries were originally called “Schnecken” and are still considered a Philadelphia specialty.
Celebrate National Sticky Bun Day by baking some fresh sticky buns to share with friends and family!

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Today is also International Mother Language Day


February is Black History Month & Potato Lover's Month & National Weddings Month

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History for February 21 1866 - Lucy B. Hobbs became the first woman to graduate from a dental school. The school was the Ohio College of Dental Surgery in Cincinnati. 1925 - The first issue of The New Yorker was published. 1947 - Edwin Land demonstrated the Polaroid Land Camera to the Optical Society of America in New York City. It was the first camera to take, develop and print a picture on photo paper all in 60 seconds. The photos were black and white. 2000 - David Letterman returned to his Late Night show about five weeks after having an emergency quintuple heart bypass operation. ________________________________________________________ "What must I do is all that concerns me -- not what people think. It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own;-- but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude." --Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today is...
Love Your Pet Day

It’s Love Your Pet Day! Today is the official day for pampering your pet with a little extra love and affection to show them just how much you care.
Did you know that most households in the United States have at least one pet? Approximately 39% of US households own at least one dog, and 33% own at least one cat. Pets provide wonderful companionship and can actually help decrease your blood pressure and stress.
So whether you have a cat, dog, hamster, rabbit, bird, reptile, or goldfish, shower them with love and affection today! Happy Love Your Pet Day!

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Today is also National Cherry Pie Day


February is Black History Month & Potato Lover's Month & National Weddings Month

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History for February 20 1872 - The Metropolitan Museum of Art opened in New York City. 1952 - Emmett L. Ashford became the first black umpire in organized baseball. He was authorized to be a substitute in the Southwestern International League. 1952 - The African Queen opened at the Capitol Theatre in New York City. 1962 - John Glenn made space history when he orbited the world three times in 4 hours, 55 minutes. He was the 1st American to orbit the Earth. He was aboard the Friendship 7 Mercury capsule. 1965 - Ranger 8 crashed on the moon after sending back thousands of pictures of its surface. ________________________________________________________ "The amount of satisfaction you get from life depends largely on your own ingenuity, self-sufficiency, and resourcefulness. People who wait around for life to supply their satisfaction usually find boredom instead." --Dr. William Menninger

Today is...
Chocolate Mint Day

It’s Chocolate Mint Day! Most people agree that mint and chocolate were made for each other. A burst of refreshing peppermint, spearmint, or crème de menthe combined with the smooth, rich taste of chocolate is a truly unique pairing.
Some of the most famous chocolate mint inventions include: mint chocolate cake, Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies, grasshopper martinis, mint chocolate soap and lip balm, Andes after-dinner mints, and mint chocolate chip ice cream. Chocolate mint is also a type of herb. It is part of the spearmint family and has edible leaves that taste like chocolate and mint!
To celebrate Chocolate Mint Day, snack on a piece of your favorite chocolate mint candy, enjoy a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream, or drop a candy cane in a steaming cup of hot cocoa!

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February is Black History Month & Potato Lover's Month & National Weddings Month

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History for February 19 1878 - Thomas Alva Edison patented a music player (the phonograph). 1942 - U.S. President Roosevelt signed an executive order giving the military the authority to relocate and intern Japanese-Americans. 1945 - During World War II, about 30,000 U.S. Marines landed on Iwo Jima. 1953 - The State of Georgia approved the first literature censorship board in the U.S. Newspapers were excluded from the new legislation. 1963 - The Soviet Union informed President Kennedy it would withdraw "several thousand" of its troops in Cuba. 1985 - Mickey Mouse was welcomed to China as part of the 30th anniversary of Disneyland. The touring mouse played 30 cities in 30 days. 1985 - Cherry Coke was introduced by the Coca-Cola Company. 1986 - The U.S. Senate approved a treaty outlawing genocide. The pact had been submitted 37 years earlier for ratification. ________________________________________________________ "You can have anything you want if you want it desperately enough. You must want it with an inner exuberance that erupts through the skin and joins the energy that created the world." --Sheila Graha

Today is...
Drink Wine Day

Today is Drink Wine Day! Pop the cork and enjoy a refreshing glass of Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot, Shiraz, or Zinfandel in honor of the occasion!
People have been producing wine since at least 6000 B.C. There are dozens of ancient legends about humans who accidentally consumed fermented grapes and became intoxicated, which is probably how wine was first conceived. Eventually, people began experimenting with the fermentation process. The methods for making wine spread from the region of Mesopotamia to Egypt, Greece, Rome, France, Spain, and eventually the New World. Today, over 20 million acres of the earth’s surface are dedicated to growing grapes for wine.
Studies have shown that drinking a glass of wine a day improves heart health, reduces forgetfulness, boosts immunity, and increases bone density. To celebrate Drink Wine Day, check out a local winery, send your friends a virtual toast with a free eCard, or host an impromptu wine tasting! Cheers!

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Today is also President's Day & National Battery Day 


February is Black History Month & Potato Lover's Month & National Weddings Month

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History for February 18 1885 - Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" was published in the U.S. for the first time. 1930 - Pluto, the ninth planet in our solar system, was discovered. 1964 - "Any Wednesday" opened at the Music Box Theatre in New York City. The play established Gene Hackman as an actor. 1974 - KISS released their first album "KISS". 1977 - The space shuttle Enterprise went on its maiden "flight" sitting on top of a Boeing 747. ________________________________________________________ "My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others, and that’s nice, too, but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success." --Helen Hayes

Today is...
National Gumdrop Day

It’s National Gumdrop Day! Gumdrops are a tasty, chewy candy made with gelatin and coated with sugar. Gumdrops can come in fruity flavors like grape, cherry, orange, and lemon or spiced flavors like cinnamon, clove, mint, and anise.
Many people believe that a man named Percy Trusdale invented the gumdrop in 1801, but there is very little evidence to support this claim. What we do know is that gumdrops have been a popular confection for at least two hundred years. The board game Candy Land features both a Gumdrop Pass and a Gumdrop Mountain!
To celebrate National Gumdrop Day, use colorful gumdrops to decorate a cake or buy a bag of them to share with your friends!

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February is Black History Month & Potato Lover's Month & National Weddings Month

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History for February 15 1764 - The city of St. Louis was established. 1879 - President Hayes signed a bill that allowed female attorneys to argue cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. 1903 - Morris and Rose Michtom, Russian immigrants, introduced the first teddy bear in America. 1932 - George Burns and Gracie Allen debuted as regulars on "The Guy Lombardo Show" on CBS radio. 1933 - U.S. President-elect Roosevelt escaped an assassination attempt in Miami. Chicago Mayor Anton J. Cermak was killed in the attack. 1953 - The first American to win the women’s world figure skating championship was 17-year-old Tenley Albright. 1965 - Canada displayed its new red and white maple leaf flag. The flag was to replace the old Red Ensign standard. ________________________________________________________ "We need time to dream, time to remember, and time to reach the infinite. Time to be." --Gladys Taber

Today is...
Valentine's Day

Today is Valentine’s Day! Surprise your loved ones with thoughtful Valentine's Day gift cards, homemade chocolate treats, or a beautiful flower arrangement!
For centuries, people have celebrated February as the month of romance. In Ancient Rome, for example, a bachelor would pick the name of a young woman out of a hat during the festival of Lupercalia. He would be paired with his chosen woman for the year and often ended up marrying her.
The tradition of sending romantic greetings on the feast day of St. Valentine emerged during the Middle Ages. St. Valentine was a Roman priest who secretly performed marriages for young lovers forbidden to wed. February 14 was also a celebration of the day “the birds began to pair.” Today, Valentine’s Day is a popular occasion for romantic dinners, gift exchanges, and weekend getaways. Personalize a beautiful free Valentine's Day eCard to spread the love!
On the flip side, this holiday has a growing number of naysayers who believe that Valentine's Day is too commercialized and too cheesy. Want in on the fun? Send an Anti-Valentine's Day eCard to celebrate!

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February is Black History Month & Potato Lover's Month & National Weddings Month

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History for February 14 1849 - The first photograph of a U.S. President was taken by Matthew Brady in New York City. President James Polk was the subject of the picture. 1876 - Alexander Graham Bell filed an application for a patent for the telephone. The patent was officially issued on March 7, 1876. 1895 - Oscar Wilde's final play, The Importance of Being Earnest, opened at the St. James Theatre in London. 1899 - The U.S. Congress approved Voting machines for use in federal elections. 1903 - The U.S. Department of Commerce and Labor was established. 1920 - The League of Women Voters was founded in Chicago, IL. Its first president was Maude Wood Park. 1929 - The St. Valentine's Day Massacre took place in Chicago, IL. Seven gangsters, who were rivals of Al Capone, were killed. 1962 - U.S. First lady Jacqueline Kennedy gave a tour of the White House on TV. 1979 - Twenty-year-old rookie, Don Maloney, of the New York Rangers, scored his first goal in the National Hockey League. It came on his first NHL shot. 1997 - Astronauts on the space shuttle Discovery began a series of space walks that are required to overhaul the Hubble Space Telescope. ________________________________________________________ "Commit yourself to a dream…Nobody who tries to do something great but fails is a total failure because he succeeded in life’s most important battle—he defeated the fear of trying." --Robert H. Schuller