Today is...
National High Five Day

It’s National High Five Day! Today is all about celebrating the high five and giving high fives to everyone you meet, including friends, classmates, coworkers, and strangers. You can even send a free virtual high five to faraway friends and family. A group of students at the University of Virginia declared the first National High Five Day in 2002. Today, people all across the country celebrate this unique holiday and help raise money for the National High Five Project.

Nobody knows who invented the high five. NBA player Derek Smith claimed that he created the high five while playing for the University of Louisville basketball team in 1979. According to another story, a man named Mont Sleets popularized the gesture. While Mont was growing up in Kentucky, his father's old army friends would greet each other by extending their arms straight up in the air and saying the name of their division: "Five." As a young boy, it was difficult for Mont to remember all of the names of his father's friends, so when he saw them he would just say "Hi, Five!" This childhood greeting stuck with him and he started to greet others with high fives.  
Want to know the trick for the perfect high five? Look at the other person's elbow as you are about to high five them. You’ll have a perfectly accurate high five every time. Happy National High Five Day!

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Today is also National Animal Crackers Day

 
April is National Grilled Cheese Month & Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

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History for April 18 1775 - American revolutionaries Paul Revere, William Dawes and Samuel Prescott rode though the towns of Massachusetts giving the warning that "the British are coming." 1853 - The first train in Asia began running from Bombay to Tanna. 1934 - The first Laundromat opened. It was in Fort Worth, TX. 1939 - Gene Autry recorded "Back in the Saddle Again." 1949 - The Republic of Ireland was established. 1979 - The TV show "Real People" premiered. ______________________________________________________ "We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies." --Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today is...
National Cheeseball Day

It’s National Cheeseball Day! Did you know that the term “cheeseball” can actually refer to two very different foods? The first type of cheeseballs are the bright orange, marble-sized snacks that turn your fingers orange (very similar to cheese doodles). The second type is the kind you might serve with crackers at a party.
A traditional cheeseball appetizer includes ingredients like cream cheese, cheddar cheese, nuts, salt, pepper, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Gourmet versions use bleu cheese, olives, pineapple, sherry, or smoked salmon. According to legend, a man named Elisha Brown Jr. pressed the first cheeseball at his farm in 1801. It weighed 1,235 pounds! He presented it as a gift to President Thomas Jefferson at the White House.
To celebrate National Cheeseball Day, pick up a bag of cheeseballs at your local grocery store or make your own gourmet cheeseball as a dinner appetizer! Enjoy!

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April is National Grilled Cheese Month & Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

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History for April 17 1875 - The game "snooker" was invented by Sir Neville Chamberlain. 1964 - The Ford Motor Company unveiled its new Mustang model. 1965 - The Beach Boys' "Help Me Rhonda" was released. 1985 - The U.S. Postal Service unveiled its new 22-cent, "LOVE" stamp. ______________________________________________________ "You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one." --James A. Froude

Today is...
National Wear Your Pajamas To Work Day

Today is National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day! How many times have you just wanted to roll out of bed and head into work in your cozy, comfortable pajamas? Well, today you can!
National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day is exactly what it sounds like—a day dedicated to wearing your pajamas to work. This holiday always falls on the weekday after taxes are due because an ultra-casual day is the perfect way to recover. Just make sure to check your schedule to make sure you don’t have any big meetings planned!
Check out all the celebrities and companies that celebrate National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day, and sport your favorite PJs to the office today to join in the fun!

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Today is also National Eggs Benedict Day

 
April is National Grilled Cheese Month & Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

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History for April 16 1862 - In the U.S., slavery was abolished by law in the District of Columbia. 1905 - Andrew Carnegie donated $10,000,000 of personal money to set up the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 1996 - KISS announced a reunion tour with makeup. 1999 - Wayne Gretzky announced his retirement from the National Hockey League (NHL). ______________________________________________________ "We do not have the right to be unhappy with our life. If it seems to us that we are not satisfied with life, we should see this as a reason to be unsatisfied with ourselves." --Leo Tolstoy

Today is...
Tax Day

It’s Tax Day! Today is the day that tax returns are due to the United States federal government. Although this might not be the jolliest of occasions, checking this particular item off your to-do list is definitely worth celebrating. Send a free Tax Day eCard to congratulate your friends on surviving the paperwork!
Every year since 1955, people have paid their taxes on April 15, except when this date falls on a weekend or holiday. (In that case, Tax Day is the following business day.) Federal income tax was first established by the Revenue Act of 1861. Its purpose was to fund the Civil War. Over the years there have been several Supreme Court cases that have challenged the constitutionality of income taxes.
To celebrate Tax Day, send in your tax return and then have a little victory party. You won’t have to worry about taxes again for a whole year!

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Today is also Boston Marathon & National Glazed Spiral Ham Day

 
April is National Grilled Cheese Month & Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

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History for April 15 1817 - The first American school for the deaf was opened in Hartford, CT. 1850 - The city of San Francisco was incorporated. 1892 - The General Electric Company was organized. 1947 - Jackie Robinson played his first major league baseball game for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Previously he had only appeared in exhibition games. 1952 - The first B-52 prototype was flight-tested. 1955 - Ray Kroc started the McDonald's restaurant chain. ______________________________________________________ "The essence of the whole situation is to have in one’s heart the romance of pilgrimage, to expect experience, both sweet and bitter, to desire the goal more than the prize; and to find the jewels of patience, hopefulness, and wisdom by the way, where one least expects to find them." --Arthur Christopher Benson

Today is...
National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day

Although it only requires three ingredients (bread, cheese, and butter), grilled cheese is one of the most popular comfort foods in the world. Send a free eCard for National Grilled Cheese Day to spread the word about this holiday!
The Ancient Romans were the first civilization to make a cooked bread and cheese sandwich, but many cultures have invented their own take on this ancient dish. In France, people enjoy Croque Monsieur (a grilled ham and cheese sandwich) while in Switzerland it is customary to melt the cheese and toast the bread separately before combining them. The classic American grilled cheese sandwich emerged in the 1920s when inexpensive cheese and affordable sliced bread became available. It is now a staple in cafés, diners, and school cafeterias across the country.
To celebrate National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day, enjoy a grilled cheese sandwich cooked your favorite way and served with a side of tomato soup!

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Today is also National Licorice Day

 
April is National Grilled Cheese Month & Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

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History for April 12 1833 - Charles Gaylor patented the fireproof safe. 1934 - F. Scott Fitzgerald novel "Tender Is the Night" was first published. 1954 - Bill Haley and the Comets recorded "Rock Around the Clock." The song was released a year later in the movie "Blackboard Jungle." 1981 - The space shuttle Columbia blasted off from Cape Canaveral, FL, on its first test flight. 1985 - Federal inspectors declared that four animals of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus were not unicorns. They were goats with horns that had been surgically implanted. 1988 - Sonny Bono was elected Mayor of Palm Springs, CA. ______________________________________________________ "We only live for ourselves when we live for others." --Leo Tolstoy

Today is...
National Pet Day

This holiday is all about appreciating and celebrating the wonderful pets in your life. Did you know that there are approximately 86.4 million pet cats and 78.2 million pet dogs living in the United States today? Gerbils, birds, turtles, and fish are also very common. If you consider your pet a member of the family, you are by no means alone. Six out of ten pet owners feel the same way!
Celebrity pet lifestyle expert and animal welfare advocate Colleen Paige founded National Pet Day to raise awareness about the importance of pet adoption. The motto of the holiday is “Don’t shop! Adopt!” and it is sponsored by the Animal Miracle Foundation, whose mission is to help animals in shelters find forever homes.
To celebrate National Pet Day, take your dog on a long walk or give your cat a little extra catnip to show your love and appreciation. Not a pet owner? Consider making a donation or volunteering at your local pet shelter. Happy National Pet Day!

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Today is also National Cheese Fondue Day

 
April is National Grilled Cheese Month & Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

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History for April 11 1783 - After receiving a copy of the provisional treaty on March 13, the U.S. Congress proclaimed a formal end to hostilities with Great Britain. 1814 - Napoleon was forced to abdicate his throne. The allied European nations had marched into Paris on March 30, 1814. He was banished to the island of Elba. 1980 - The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued regulations specifically prohibiting sexual harassment of workers by supervisors. 1981 - Edward "Eddie" Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli were married. ______________________________________________________ "Plan for the future because that’s where you are going to spend the rest of your life." --Mark Twain

Today is...
National Cinnamon Croissant Day

It’s National Cinnamon Croissant Day! People have been making delicious croissant pastries since the 13th century, but cinnamon has been around for much longer. The first record of the spice appears in a Chinese manuscript dating back to 2800 BC!
In Ancient Rome, people valued cinnamon more than silver and gold, and spices remained a highly prized luxury good through the Middle Ages. In fact, you could determine a person’s social rank by the number of spices they could afford. People used cinnamon to preserve meat, flavor their beverages, and cure certain ailments. Today, cinnamon is still one of the most popular spices and is a key ingredient in many baked goods.
To celebrate National Cinnamon Croissant Day, bake a batch of scrumptious cinnamon croissants to share with friends and coworkers!

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Today is also National Farm Animals Day & National Bookmobile Day

 
April is National Grilled Cheese Month & Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

History for April 10 1790 - The U.S. patent system was established. 1825 - The first hotel opened in Hawaii. 1866 - The American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was incorporated. 1925 - F. Scott Fitzgerald published "The Great Gatsby" for the first time. 1957 - Ricky Nelson sang for first time on TV's "Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet." He performed the song "I'm Walking." 1958 - Bobby Darin recorded "Splish Splash." ______________________________________________________ "Though there are exceptions, bigger is not always better, and louder is not always more true. There is much good to be found in ordinary days, even when they appear to be ho-hum and routine. So for inner health, seek deliverance from addictions to the spectacular. Cherish the ordinary. Woe to us who are so deafened by the whirlwind that we cannot hear the whisper." --Neil B. Weisman