Today is...

National Cocoa Day

It’s National Cocoa Day! Nothing warms you up better on a cold winter day than a nice cup of hot cocoa! Cocoa (the dried, fully fermented seeds of the cacao tree) is the basis for cocoa powder, which is used to make the hot cocoa beverage we all know and love. Did you know that monkeys were the first creatures to discover that the cacao plant was edible and quite tasty? Over 1500 years ago, monkeys began to consume the pulp of the plant and spit out the beans. Humans soon began to follow the monkey's example and the rest is history.

Cacao trees are grown all over the world, but it is believed that the first cacao trees grew in South America. Cocoa is similar to wine in that its flavor differs depending on the location where it is grown. It's a good thing that cacao trees are plentiful because approximately 300 to 600 cocoa beans are needed to make just two pounds of chocolate!

To celebrate National Cocoa Day, make your favorite type of cocoa to enjoy. For a holiday twist on a traditional cup of cocoa, try adding a candy cane!

December is National Fruit Cake Month & National Egg Nog Month

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History for December 13   1913 - Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" was found. It had been stolen on August 22, 1911. 1961 - Anna Mary Robertson Moses, "Grandma Moses," passed away at the age of 101. 1978 - The Philadelphia Mint began stamping the Susan B. Anthony U.S. dollar. The coin began circulation the following July. 1987 - U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz told reporters in Copenhagen, Denmark, that the Reagan administration would begin making funding requests for the proposed Star Wars defense system. 1991 - Five Central Asian republics of the Soviet Union agreed to join the new Commonwealth of Independent States. ________________________________________________________ "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...

National Poinsettia Day

Celebrate National Poinsettia Day! The poinsettia is a blossoming plant with beautiful red and green foliage, which makes it a very popular decoration during the holiday season. Although it is native to Mexico, 90% of all poinsettias are exported from the United States. The Aztecs considered poinsettias a symbol of purity because of their brilliant red color.

Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico, introduced these gorgeous flowers to the United States in the 1820s. While visiting Taxco, Poinsett found the flowers growing on a hillside and sent some of them to his home in South Carolina. The flowers grew well in his greenhouse and Poinsett began distributing them. The name “poinsettia” soon became the accepted name of the flower in English-speaking countries.

To celebrate National Poinsettia Day, purchase a beautiful poinsettia plant for a friend or for yourself!

December is National Fruit Cake Month & National Egg Nog Month

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History for December 12   1787 - Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. 1792 - In Vienna, 22-year-old Ludwig van Beethoven received one of his first lessons in music composition from Franz Joseph Haydn. 1870 - Joseph H. Rainey of South Carolina became the first black lawmaker to be sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives. 1899 - George Grant patented the golf tee. 1985 - Dionne Warwick received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 2000 - The U.S. Supreme Court found that the recount ordered by the Florida Supreme Court in the 2000 U.S. Presidential election was unconstitutional. U.S. Vice President Al Gore conceded the election to Texas Gov. George W. Bush the next day. 2000 - The Texas Rangers signed Alex Rodriguez to a record breaking 10-year, $252 million contract. The contract amount broke all Major League Baseball records and all professional sports records. ________________________________________________________ "Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves." --James M. Barrie

Today is...

International Mountain Day

It’s International Mountain Day! This day was designated in 2001 by the United Nations General Assembly to create awareness about the important role that mountainous regions play in the global ecosystem. Mountains are essential to the world’s freshwater supply. They also safeguard many natural resources and protect communities against natural disasters.
The symbol for this holiday consists of three equilateral triangles on a single horizontal line. The left triangle has a blue diamond shape at the top, representing ice and snow on mountain peaks. The middle triangle has an orange circle, representing the resources that are continuously mined from the inside of mountains. The triangle on the right has a small green triangle at the base, representing the crops that grow on mountains. To learn more about this holiday and the events going on in your area, check out the official website.

Today is also National Noodle Ring Day
 

December is National Fruit Cake Month & National Egg Nog Month

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History for December 11   1719 - The first recorded sighting of the Aurora Borealis was in New England. 1844 - Dr. Horace Wells became the first person to have a tooth extracted after receiving an anesthetic for the dental procedure. Nitrous Oxide, or laughing gas, was the anesthetic. 1941 - Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. The U.S in turn declared war on the two countries. 1961 - The first direct American military support for South Vietnam occurred when a U.S. aircraft carrier carrying Army helicopters arrived in Saigon. 1985 - General Electric Company agreed to buy RCA Corporation for $6.3 billion. Also included in the deal was NBC Radio and Television. ________________________________________________________ "People wish to be settled; only as far as they are unsettled is there any hope for them." --Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today is...

National Lager Day

It’s National Lager Day! Lager is a type of German beer that is bottom fermented and lightly hopped. It is usually stored for at least three weeks after brewing before it is served.

Lager is the dominant style of beer throughout the world, except in England where ale is the favorite style. The only real difference between ale and lager is that ales ferment and age quickly at warm temperatures, while lagers ferment and age slowly at cool temperatures. These different types of fermentation allow for a vast difference in flavor and aroma.

To celebrate National Lager Day, head to your favorite pub and enjoy a refreshing brew of your favorite lager or try brewing your own!

Today is also The Nobel Day & Dewey Decimal System Day
 

December is National Fruit Cake Month & National Egg Nog Month

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History for December 10   1520 - Martin Luther publicly burned the papal edict. The papacy demanded that he recant or face excommunication. Luther refused and was formally expelled from the church in January 1521. 1851 - American librarian, Melvil Dewey, was born. He created the "Dewey Decimal Classification" system. 1901 - The first Nobel prizes were awarded. 1906 - President Theodore Roosevelt became the first American to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. 1964 - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. received the Nobel Peace Prize. He was the youngest person to receive the award. 1993 - The crew of the space shuttle Endeavor deployed the repaired Hubble Space Telescope into Earth's orbit. 1996 - South Africa's President Mandela signed into law a new democratic constitution, completing the country's transition from white-minority rule to a non-racial democracy. ________________________________________________________ "When you cease to make a contribution you begin to die." --Eleanor Roosevelt

Today is...

National Cotton Candy Day

It’s National Cotton Candy Day! From the sweet, sugary taste to the soft, fluffy texture that melts in your mouth, what's not to love about cotton candy? William Morrison and John C. Warton invented cotton candy in 1897, but didn’t introduce it to the public until the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. It was an instant success and sold for 25 cents, half the cost of the admission to the event!

Did you know that cotton candy was originally called "fairy floss”? It was renamed in 1920. Today in Greece, Israel, and India, it is often referred to as "old woman's hair!”

Although cotton candy is most commonly consumed at outdoor fairs and festivals, you may be able to pick up some delicious cotton candy at your local grocery store to enjoy on National Cotton Candy Day! 

December is National Fruit Cake Month & National Egg Nog Month

This week is National Cookie Cutter Week


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History for December 7   1796 - John Adams was elected to be the second president of the United States. 1941 - Pearl Harbor, located on the Hawaiian island of Oahu was attacked by nearly 200 Japanese warplanes. The attack resulted in the U.S. entering into World War II. 1972 - Apollo 17 was launched at Cape Canaveral. It was the last U.S. moon mission. 1974 - President Makarios returned to Cyprus after five months in exile. 1987 - Soviet leader, Mikhail S. Gorbachev, set foot on American soil for the first time. He had come to the U.S. for a Washington summit with U.S. President Reagan. 1989 - East Germany's Communist Party agreed to cooperate with the plan for free elections and a revised constitution. 1996 - The space shuttle Columbia returned from the longest-ever shuttle flight of 17 days, 15 hours and 54 minutes. ________________________________________________________ "Do not seek pleasure everywhere, but always be ready to find it." --John Ruskin

Today is...

Microwave Oven Day

Today is Microwave Oven Day! In 1942, a man named Dr. Percy Spencer was testing the magnetron and discovered that the candy bar in his pocket had melted. He conducted a series of tests and concluded that microwave energy caused food to cook much faster than the heat from a conventional oven. The first microwave oven (which was called the “Radarange”) made its debut in the late 1940s. It stood over six feet tall and weighed over 700 pounds!

Today, over 90% of American households own a microwave oven. In fact, there is an entire food industry based on this one appliance. Just think of everything you can cook in the microwave—frozen meals, leftovers, popcorn, “mug brownies,” and much more.

To celebrate Microwave Oven Day, pick up your favorite microwaveable meal for dinner tonight! Bon appétit!

Today is also National Gazpacho Day
 

December is National Fruit Cake Month & National Egg Nog Month

This week is National Cookie Cutter Week


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History for December 6   1774 - Austria became the first nation to introduce a state education system. 1865 - The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. The amendment abolished slavery in the U.S. 1884 - The construction of the Washington Monument was completed by Army engineers. The project took 34 years. 1926 - In Italy, Benito Mussolini introduced a tax on bachelors. 1957 - America's first attempt at putting a satellite into orbit failed when the satellite blew up on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, FL. 1988 - Metallica recorded their first video, "One." 1998 - Astronauts aboard the space shuttle Endeavour connected the first two building blocks of the international space station in the shuttle cargo bay. ________________________________________________________ "The true way to soften one’s troubles is to solace those of others." --Mme. De Maintenon

Today is...

Repeal Day

It’s Repeal Day! Today is the anniversary of the day that the United States repealed the 18th Amendment, restoring the right to purchase and consume alcohol.

The 18th Amendment, which was ratified on January 16, 1919, prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of liquor throughout the United States. Prohibition led to widespread disrespect for the law. New York City alone had about 30,000 speakeasies by 1927! Eventually, many influential and respected citizens including John D. Rockefeller Jr. came forward and organized a counter movement. The 21st Amendment ending Prohibition was ratified on December 5, 1933.

Repeal Day is a celebration of the balance of power in the United States and of the individual freedom that allows each American citizen to choose whether or not to drink alcohol. Learn more about the history of this holiday.

Today is also International Volunteer Day
 

December is National Fruit Cake Month & National Egg Nog Month

This week is National Cookie Cutter Week


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History for December 5   1782 - The first native U.S. president, Martin Van Buren, was born in Kinderhook, NY. 1848 - U.S. President Polk triggered the Gold Rush of '49 by confirming the fact that gold had been discovered in California. 1876 - The Stillson wrench was patented by D.C. Stillson. The device was the first practical pipe wrench. 1933 - Prohibition came to an end when Utah became the 36th state to ratify the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. 1945 - The so-called "Lost Squadron" disappeared. The five U.S. Navy Avenger bombers carrying 14 Navy flyers began a training mission at the Ft. Lauderdale Naval Air Station. They were never heard from again. 1985 - The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose above 1,500 for the first time. ________________________________________________________ "Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want." --Margaret Young