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Post by pennmom on Oct 29, 2021 11:52:56 GMT
National Cat Day – October 29, 2021~U.S.
National Cat Day is celebrated on October 29. It was created by Colleen Paige to bring awareness to the number of cats that need to be rescued each year. Cats remind us that just when you think they’ve lost interest in you, they’ll turn around and melt your hearts. When it appears they’re too busy staring out at passing cars, chasing nylon mice, and sending tiny multi-colored balls to their under-the-refrigerator graves, they’ll somehow let you know that their very world revolves around you. Just wait. It’ll happen when you least expect it. Cats have their own timetable.
WHEN IS NATIONAL CAT DAY 2021? National Cat Day is observed on October 29 each year with the same holiday being celebrated in Canada on August 8.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL CAT DAY Lifestyle writer Colleen Paige has taken credit for establishing National Cat Day in 2005. Her stated mission: “To help galvanize the public to recognize the number of cats that need to be rescued each year and also to encourage cat lovers to celebrate the cat(s) in their lives for the unconditional love and companionship they bestow upon us.”
We cat-egorically believe her. She appears to love all cats — domestic and feral — and we’re certainly in favor of that.
Science magazine reports that cat domestication goes back 12,000 years. That encompasses a lot of toys and even more naps. The process appears to have taken place in the Middle East — think Israel, Iraq, and Lebanon. Domestication did not happen overnight. Cats did not go from wild beasts to softly purring pets — just, sort of, one day.
Per National Geographic: “DNA analysis suggests that cats lived for thousands of years alongside humans before they were domesticated. During that time, their genes have changed little from those of wildcats, apart from picking up one recent tweak: the distinctive stripes and dots of the tabby cat.”
Another study from University of Rome scholar Claudio Ottoni reveals that ancient sailors would bring cats along to “help protect food storages on board by killing rodents. This allowed cats to spread across the world.”
We’re glad they spread. Like dogs, who get all the credit for being lovable, cats feel everything we do. They can gauge our moods and emotions — and act accordingly. They have also given up a lot of their natural cravings to live in homes and apartments. (Especially indoor cats.)
Take a moment on National Cat Day to appreciate all the love they bring. Yes, they’re on the aloof side, but they’ve come a long way.
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Post by pennmom on Oct 30, 2021 13:31:31 GMT
National Checklist Day – October 30, 2021~U.S.
If you pride yourself on your organizational skills, then put a check mark next to National Checklist Day on October 30, a cherished holiday which keeps our lives together. The more complex our lives get, the easier it is to make mistakes. Today, we celebrate the humble checklist as the innovative tool that has stood the test of time.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL CHECKLIST DAY Without checklists, we can feel like we’re juggling a bunch of balls in the air and trying to keep them from dropping. Even the simple things can be forgotten or go unnoticed — let alone the difficult or complex things that fill our day. Although success in any endeavor is not guaranteed, armed with an organized checklist, you stand a better chance of achieving your goals.
So, is National Checklist Day the result of a reformed hoarder or the work of an obsessive compulsive freak? Definitely not! But you might be surprised to learn that checklists came out of a need to keep pilots safe during WWII.
The first checklist resulted from a crash that injured several people, killing at least two on a Boeing Model 299 B-17 plane in 1935. The 299 was heralded as the most state-of-the-art aircraft at the time. During the post-crash investigation, Boeing discovered that the pilot had forgotten to do a simple task — turn off the elevator lock. This simple omission caused the aircraft not to respond to pitch control, leaving the plane vulnerable.
According to a report by two university professors in a 1990 study, cockpit checklists serve several key functions in aviation safety, “… to ensure that the crew will properly configure the airplane for any given segment of flight” and to create “…standardization in the cockpit.” Also, memory of the safety procedures can never take the place of the actual checklist in aviation.
So, if a checklist can keep us flying safely in the air, what better way to keep our lives organized and running smoothly on the ground? American companies also use checklists as successful training tools. Now that you know the origins of the National Checklist Day, check that off your list and enjoy the rest of the day!
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Post by pennmom on Oct 30, 2021 13:41:56 GMT
National Speak Up For Service Day – October 30, 2021~U.S.
National Speak Up For Service Day, held annually on October 30, is an event specially organized to recognize the contribution of the youth towards community service. This day also recognizes the need to tell others how important youth contribution actually is to various causes. We see and accept how much influence young people have on our environment.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL SPEAK UP FOR SERVICE DAY Youth involvement in society has gained prominence over the past few decades. Strictly speaking, speaking up was not always considered ‘good behavior.’ In history, so-called good children did not always speak up. This perception is slowly changing, nationally and globally.
While the term ‘youth’ is subject to each country’s cultural contexts and rules, and the age at which youth begins and ends varies, the common age (15–24) remains the same. Young people have been speaking out about issues important to them for a while now. Asmaa Mahfouz’s vlog was one of the factors responsible for sparking the 2011 Arab Spring revolution in Egypt, or so many people believe. As recently as 2015, young Sophie Cruz, then a child of five, wrote a letter to the Pope asking him to intervene on her parents’ behalf and stop them from being deported from America. She continues advocating for greater openness towards immigrants and refugees even today.
Across the U.S., such cases became more common from the mid-to-late nineteenth century, as young people formed labor strikes to protest working conditions, wages, and working hours. In the 1930s, as people began to separate the youths’ interests from their older counterparts, the American Youth Congress presented a “Bill of Youth Rights” to the U.S. Congress. Youths have been participating in all sections of reform more frequently since then, including in the Civil Rights Movement, the Occupy Movement, and more. In fact, Martin Luther King Jr. engaged youth activists to protest against racist law enforcement practices in Birmingham, Alabama. Today’s youth are building on the actions of past youth speakers and activists, greatly helped by social media. With such platforms, they can rapidly access, sift, and use data, and petition for causes.
The community service club, Mandan Lions Club, founded the National Speak Up For Service Day in 2014, but its history began long before that. In honor of social worker Laura Christensen Espejo, the Fargo Lions Club joined hands with Laura’s friends to launch a public speaking contest for high school students in that area. They wanted to find a meaningful way to acknowledge Laura’s service and work. They called this event the Student Speakers Contest, and it is held annually in March. From this, Robert Littlefield of Lions Club International (the parent community service organization to Fargo Lions Club) took up the mantle, launching the contest as a statewide initiative when he served as District Governor in 2010-2011.
The Lions Club itself held the very first Lions Speak Up For Service public speaking contest in 2010, at the North Dakota State Lions Convention in Grand Forks. That year, high-school senior Brent Johnson took home the prize, and each contestant won scholarships for their participation. The tradition continues every year as more youths speak up for service.
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Post by pennmom on Oct 30, 2021 13:44:05 GMT
National Publicist Day – October 30, 2021~U.S.
National Publicist Day is celebrated every year on October 30 to appreciate and acknowledge the work public relations professionals do to ensure proper communication reaches the world. In today’s hyper-opinionated world, where rumors and fake news spread faster, we need publicists to let us in on the truth, straight from the horse’s mouth.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL PUBLICIST DAY On October 28, 1906, a terrible accident occurred in New Jersey. Over 50 people met their end when a three-car train, run by the Pennsylvania Railroad, jumped a trestle to plunge into a road creek. A gentleman representing the Pennsylvania Railroad convinced the company to distribute a public statement on the accident. The company also arranged a special train to ferry reporters to the accident site on his persuasion. He drafted the public statement published by the “New York Times” on October 30, two days later, as a ‘Statement from the Road.’ That was the first press release ever recorded, for which the gentleman who was in the thick of things — Ivy Lee — became known as the father of modern PR. The 1906 Atlantic train wreck, as the accident came to be known, established ‘crisis communication’ as an essential aspect of commercial enterprises. It established public relations as a specialized field and gave publicists a key space in business operations.
Years later, Jordanna Stephen, a celebrated publicist, instituted October 30 as National Publicist Day as a tribute to that landmark event. Since 2015, every year, publicists are celebrated for their excellent behind-the-scenes work.
On this day, publicists and people associated with public relations conduct events, seminars, conferences, and generally catch up on all that is going on in their profession. Since publicists primarily work behind the scenes, it is a day for them to step out and pat themselves on the back for ensuring that people receive proper communication. Their roles have become more critical today, with the internet speeding up the rate at which news travels. It becomes essential that the correct information reaches the general public before they fall prey to fake news and rumors.
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Post by pennmom on Oct 30, 2021 14:12:32 GMT
National Text Your Ex Day – October 30, 2021~U.S.
Every year on October 30 is National Text Your Ex Day. Whether you usually do the breaking up or are the one who’s broken up with — National Text Your Ex Day doesn’t discriminate. So get out your phone, think of something you want to say, and participate in National Text Your Ex Day.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL TEXT YOUR EX DAY To text or not to text, that is the question. Sometimes our curiosity just gets the best of us, and there’s no harm in checking on someone that used to mean the world to you. These interactions can sometimes be a bit awkward in person or over the phone, so luckily texting was invented!
Though the technology to implement it existed since 1988, SMS messaging was used for the first time on December 3, 1992. A 22 year old test engineer by the name of Neil Papworth used a personal computer to send the world’s first text message, “Merry Christmas”, to the phone of Richard Jarvis, who was at a party. However, it wasn’t until 2007 that text messaging became the most popular form of communication for mobile phones.
Even before text messaging became a widely used method of communication, we’ve had our best friends by our sides, telling us not to reach out to our exes and move on with our own lives. However, this bestie duty wasn’t always necessary as splitting up wasn’t common practice until the recent 1900s. In 1971, Ronald Regan (while still governor California), signed into state law that a couple could legally split due to “irreconcilable differences.” It wasn’t until 2010 that every state had their own version of the no-fault divorce law, the lagging state being New York who required exes to live in separate homes for a year before a judge could convert their separation into a divorce.
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Post by pennmom on Oct 30, 2021 14:14:36 GMT
National Day – October 30, 2021~U.S.
National Day on October 30 is an Autumn treat for everyone. They are commonplace in store windows and at parties. We eat them like popcorn, by the handful, and so it seems only natural that we celebrate them for a day. Would you believe that technically they are a vegetable? Well, they are. Whether you grab some from your kitchen table or eat small packets, returns every year and it’s not going anywhere. So, grab a handful and join us for National Day.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL DAY George Renniger, who worked at Wunderlee Candy Company, created in the 1800s. Working out of Philadelphia he invented it to celebrate what he believed to be the beauty of corn juxtaposed with autumnal colors. Winter was cold, dark, and long and the bright colors of candy would last for a long time, bringing optimism and joy as well as a burst of sugar.
Specialized candy for Halloween turned out to be a winning idea with different Halloween candies becoming increasingly popular over time. Wunderlee was credited for being the first to sell commercially even though Goelitz, also known as Jelly Belly, is the most linked to commercial sales.
began its life as food for chickens and used to be available between March and November only. It was originally a type of mellow cream known as ‘‘Butter Cream Candies.” The name was changed in the 1950s due to false advertising as it had no butter inside it. The original method of making was to pour each color into molds separately but this was a very time-consuming process. The recipe was sugar, corn syrup, and water. Later on, marshmallow and fondant started being added, and then so was carnauba wax. Today, the recipe is pretty similar and gives us plenty of energy for trick or treating.
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Post by pennmom on Oct 30, 2021 14:20:22 GMT
Mischief Night – October 30, 2021~International
Mischief Night is on October 30, and we are ready to play pranks on folks around us in a healthy way. Enjoy it, have fun, and share a healthy laugh with everyone, even the subjects of your pranks. Entertain your neighborhood with silly, funny, and innocent pranks, strictly for laughs.
HISTORY OF MISCHIEF NIGHT Mischief Night, an informal holiday, is celebrated by kids and teenagers in many parts of the United States, Canada, and the U.K. The night before Halloween, children play harmless pranks on neighbors or members, to spread mirth. Steeped in folk tradition, the origins of the holiday are unclear. A legend has it that it started in England in the 1700s where kids used to play pranks on people a night before May Day. The earliest known reference to ‘Mischief Night’ was recorded in 1790 when a school play, which concluded with an ode to fun, mentioned Mischief Night in glowing terms.
An amusing thing about the holiday is the many names it is known by in various parts of the world. In Vermont and New Hampshire, it is traditionally called ‘Cabbage Night’ as, on this night, people would throw cabbages at each other’s homes as a prank. In Detroit and its adjoining areas, it’s infamously known as Devil’s Night. Some communities call it ‘Devil’s Eve’ or ‘Goosey Night.’ However, it is known as ‘Mischief Night’ in most locations in the United States.
The holiday started as a fun activity for kids and teenagers engaging in pranks and harmless practical jokes, but it came to be associated with severe vandalism and even arson in some places. This brought the holiday into disrepute, and soon, grown-ups started dreading the day as society started downplaying or even disowning it. Despite the mixed feelings about Mischief Night, it offers grown-ups an opportunity to bond with their young ones.
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Post by pennmom on Oct 30, 2021 14:24:11 GMT
Haunted Refrigerator Night – October 30, 2021~U.S.
There is nothing more terrifying than old moldy food in the fridge, and that is why Haunted Refrigerator Night on October 30 is such a great holiday, a night for ghostly occurrences and hauntings. This night fits right into the spirit of the Halloween festival, which is the next day. October 30 is also Mischief Night, Cabbage Night, or the Night of the Devil, and is a fun way to remove the lurking dangers lying in wait at the back of your fridge.
HISTORY OF HAUNTED REFRIGERATOR NIGHT The tradition of storing food in cold places has been around for a long time, since the ancient Persians. Historians believe they were the first to use cold storage for food, although the ice was harvested for various purposes since 1000 B.C. Societies like the Greeks, Romans, and Hebrews, also stored snow in insulated materials to keep their food cool, according to various sources. Back then, ice harvesting was the only way to ‘refrigerate’ food. People would preserve ice collected during the winter season in cold stores to use in the summer. By the 19th century, this method was replaced by the use of iceboxes that were usually made of wood and had a large block of ice inside to keep things chilly. The icebox is commonly called the early precursor to the refrigerator.
Then came Frederic Tudor. This American businessman and founder of the Tudor Ice Company realized that he could easily ship ice from the ponds of Massachusetts to the Caribbean. Years later, he was shipping ice practically everywhere, from the Caribbean to Europe, to India, and even Hong Kong. His contributions to the ice trade earned him the moniker of ‘Ice King’ in Boston. He showed the hotter tropical countries just how much they needed ice, and by the 1930s, ice was a mass-market commodity all over the world. However, because it was difficult to harvest ice— and dangerous too, as people had to extract it from frozen ponds — multiple people tried to invent artificial means of refrigeration. The first person with relative success at this endeavor was Scottish professor William Cullen, who designed a small refrigerating machine in 1755. But, the amount of ice generated from this machine was too little for the invention to be considered practical. Over the next decade, multiple inventors would similarly try their hand at inventing refrigerating devices, and many of these earlier inventions made it to the consumer market as well. Over time, the design became more streamlined, the engines more eco-friendly, and the storage spaces larger. So much so that we can now store food for a long time until they barely resemble what they once were.
The 21st century has left us spoilt for choice in terms of food storage options. We have various designs, models, sizes, and functionalities. This may be the reason why we sometimes cannot find leftovers in the vast depths of our chilly caverns. This also may be why American actor Thomas Roy and his wife decided to create Haunted Refrigerator Night as a special holiday. And what better time to tackle the scary mess that is your refrigerator than the night before Halloween? According to these perennial holiday creators — they have created more than 75 holidays in all(!) — they had a tradition of cleaning out the horrors in their fridge right before Halloween each year, and the idea sprung from this. Whatever their reason, we are glad to get a little push to clean out our refrigerators.
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Post by pennmom on Oct 30, 2021 14:26:42 GMT
Create a Great Funeral Day – October 30, 2021~U.S.
If you follow our tips and plan for Create a Great Funeral Day on October 30, you wouldn’t need to dread not knowing how to organize your loved ones’ funerals. On Create a Great Funeral Day, you can also let others in on how you would like to be sent off. Likewise, it is essential for you to know how your near and dear ones want to bid their final farewell.
HISTORY OF CREATE A GREAT FUNERAL DAY Stephanie West Allen was greatly overwhelmed during her husband’s funeral when he met with an untimely demise in 1988. She found herself underprepared and emotionally scarred. A decade later, she found her second husband struggling to come to terms with preparing for his mother’s funeral when she passed away. He was caught between his responsibilities of organizing a decent burial and a need to grieve in peace. She observed that in both cases, it would have helped if the person who passed away could have left some directions on how they wanted to be consigned to the powers beyond.
These experiences prompted Allen to dedicate a day towards planning for the funerals of our near and dear ones to prevent the bereaved from having to run from pillar to post to bid the departed a decent farewell. She wanted to inspire people to sit beside their loved ones and talk about how they would like to leave the world, so she decided to register October 30 as Create a Great Funeral Day.
The aim of Create a Great Funeral Day is to develop an environment where people feel comfortable enough to think and talk about how they would like to be remembered and to allow the peace of mind that comes from knowing the departed soul’s final wishes have been fulfilled. With everything planned much in advance, funerals will not add to the stress of loved ones who are already struggling with their bereavement. Planning your funeral ahead of time, irrespective of age or state of health is also an excellent way to dwell on your legacy and on leaving good memories behind.
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Post by pennmom on Oct 31, 2021 15:48:18 GMT
Books For Treats Day – October 31, 2021~U.S.
Books For Treats Day comes up on October 31 every year and encourages the giving of books to children. On a day when we give candies as treats, Books For Treats Day favors giving books. The holiday is supported mostly by the non-profit organization Books for Treats. The organization encourages adults to give books to children who go trick-or-treating on Halloween day. When you give books to children on Halloween, you inspire them to read more while also helping them to reduce the intake of candies. By doing so, you’re helping to feed their minds.
HISTORY OF BOOKS FOR TREATS DAY Books For Treats Day was born from the belief that books are a more valuable treat than candy on Halloween. Books are more beneficial to children than candies because they nourish the mind and equip the child to understand life better.
The holiday was inspired by Rebecca Morgan, the founder of Books for Treats, a non-profit movement. The idea was to step outside the tradition of giving candies on Halloween, so Rebecca Morgan began giving books as treats in 1995 from her home in Willow Glen. She liked the idea of books because it was a treat that lasted longer than candies or toys. Being a best-selling author herself, she knew the value of books, especially in a child’s life. So, when she saw a box of gently read books at a local library, she didn’t hesitate to purchase them. She sorted the books according to grades to make them age-appropriate for children who came trick-or-treating.
Many people welcomed her idea, which prompted her to launch Books For Treats in 2001. According to her, it was important to “feed kids’ minds, not their cavities.”
The movement continued to grow across the U.S. while also gaining some popularity in Canada. In 2009, the movement gained huge momentum when she convinced Greg Evans, the “Luann” comic creator, to promote Books For Treats and encourage more people to give books to little children.
Most of the books given are gently read, and many are cheap to get, especially from thrift shops. Morgan also noticed how excited kids were about books and how they’d even offer to swap books after reading them. It inspired her to push the movement even further.
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Post by pennmom on Oct 31, 2021 15:50:26 GMT
Girl Scout Founder’s Day – October 31, 2021~U.S.
Girl Scout Founder’s Day takes place on October 31 every year. The holiday commemorates the heroics of Juliette Gordon Low, who founded the Girl Scouts. She was born on October 31, 1860, which is why this date was chosen for the holiday. Taking charge of 18 girls, she led them as a troop on outdoor and other educational activities. Girl Scout Founder’s Day goes on to celebrate the wonderful feat of bringing confidence to millions of girls in achieving their biggest dreams.
HISTORY OF GIRL SCOUT FOUNDER’S DAY Juliette Gordon Low became the founder of the Girl Scouts in the U.S. on March 12, 1912. It is believed that she did so with the help of Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scouting Movement.
She gathered 18 girls in Savannah, Georgia, her hometown, and decided to impart the lessons to them that she had learned abroad. It involved several programs, such as outdoor activities, adventures, special projects, and youth education.
The movement was initially known as the Girl Guide before changing to the Girl Scout in 1915. Juliette Gordon Low started the movement to train girls to be confident in their pursuits in life. Some of the activities included drilling and camping, which were military. She also decided to teach the girls how to tie knots, read a map, cook, apply first aid, and take care of livestock.
She remained active in the movement until her death in 1927 at the age of 66. The Girl Scout Founder’s Day falls on her birthday. At the beginning of the movement, she faced stiff opposition from people who did not think girls should participate in such activities. Most notable was James E. West, the chief executive of the Boy Scouts of America, who claimed that the Girl Guides’ activities were inappropriate for them, being girls. But she persevered, gaining more insight from the Girl’s Guide in England.
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Post by pennmom on Oct 31, 2021 15:52:48 GMT
Magic Day – October 31, 2021~U.S.
Move over Halloween, Magic Day takes the spotlight this October 31. Magic Day actually takes place during National Magic Week, which is an entire week dedicated to celebrating the art of allusion and the craft of magicians everywhere! And while Harry Houdini may be the most famous illusionist out there, there is plenty to celebrate this week and day!
HISTORY OF MAGIC DAY Magic shows with magicians and their assistants doing disappearing acts and pulling rabbits out of hats may seem to be an innocuous and even childish pastime but did you know that magic as we know it today actually has its origins in ancient Egypt when the first conjuring act was recorded?
Magic has surprisingly played a relatively large role in history, especially in Western societies — from the first magic tricks and acts to the more notorious hunting of witches, and today’s illusions and literary fascination with fantasy.
Although it is popular, and often associated with a children’s pastime today, magic was considered to be demonic in the Middle Ages — a trend that lasted at least until the Salem witch trials in the United States in the late 17th century when women were tested for being witches by being tossed in a lake: if you could swim you were executed for being a witch and if you couldn’t, you drowned with a clear name.
It was in the mid-19th century when magic shows became a fun social event, culminating with masters like Harry Houdini, who ruled the magic scene until his death in 1926. It was actually his death that inspired Houdini Day, which was later renamed by the Society of American Magicians to Magic Day. It would later become the finale in their Magic Week!
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Post by pennmom on Oct 31, 2021 17:29:43 GMT
National Caramel Apple Day – October 31, 2021~U.S.
As if October 31 wasn’t awesome enough with costumes, ghouls, candy, and spooky things galore – it’s also National Caramel Apple Day! Caramel apples and Halloween go together like ghosts, goblins, tricks, and treats. The tradition stretches back decades to the day a creative Kraft confectioner invented the wonderfully simple recipe while trying to figure out what to do with a bunch of excess Halloween caramels. We say, “Bravo, sir! Excellent idea!” And then we take a big, sweet, crunchy bite.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL CARAMEL APPLE DAY In the 1950s, a Kraft Foods employee had a plethora of caramel candies leftover from the ghoulish holiday and, apparently, a few apples as well. Figuring out a way to use up these extra caramels, the confectioner, Dan Walker, decided to melt them and covered the apples with the melted caramel, creating an immediate autumnal classic.
As fall is associated so commonly with apple picking, apple cider and caramel apples don’t fall far from the metaphorical tree. So as apple season comes to a close in late October, the remaining apples are either used to create a hot cider, apple pie, or deliciously sticky and sweet caramel apples.
It didn’t take long for caramel apples to become the official snack of hayrides and corn mazes, but it did take long for caramel and apples to become what they are today. From their advents in the Middle East to the tall tale (or fact?) of Johnny Appleseed, apples have a long history with humans. Caramel was created roughly around 1000 AD and, since then, the candies have held a firm place in the drawers of grandparents everywhere and, more recently, atop delicious apples.
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Post by pennmom on Oct 31, 2021 17:32:09 GMT
National Doorbell Day – October 31, 2021~U.S.
National Doorbell Day is celebrated on October 31 annually, to recognize the buzzer bell, chimer, melody tunes, and so on, beckoning us whenever there is a guest at the door. When kids come to trick-or-treat us on Halloween, it’s the humble doorbell that announces their arrival. Get ready to welcome Halloween with the doorbells.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL DOORBELL DAY Arriving at someone’s house, the first thing we do is search for the doorbell to let the residents know we’ve come calling. These days, doorbells come with a variety of sounds. The simple chiming device has even evolved to include an interface to see and talk to the visitor who’s rung the bell. Whatever the form, the doorbell is present in everyone’s home. Why not dedicate a day to honor it? More than 41 million American children ring the doorbell on Halloween to trick-or-treat people. This means the doorbell rings more times than ever on October 31. It is a good day to honor this little fixture that announces the arrival of a loved one to our doorsteps.
J. Ralph Corbett invented doorbells with melodious chimes during the Great Depression. His invention replaced the bells and knockers. In 2015, a reputed American company that markets doorbells decided to dedicate a day to the amazing invention. It chose October 31 to coincide with Halloween when the doorbell chimes the most during the year in American homes. The day recognizes the different types of alerts in the form of rings, buzzes, ding-dongs, and melodious tunes.
On October 31, when our spooky friends call on us to trick-or-treat, let us spare a thought for the humble doorbell that announces their arrival.
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Post by pennmom on Oct 31, 2021 17:34:58 GMT
National Knock Knock Joke Day – October 31, 2021~U.S.
National Knock Knock Joke Day is on October 31, every year, and it celebrates one of the most popular joke cycles. Perfectly suitable for all age groups, knock-knock jokes are told in many English-speaking countries. Knock-knock is a call-and-response joke that involves an interesting play with words.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL KNOCK KNOCK JOKE DAY We know how it goes… Someone begins the joke by saying, “Knock knock,” followed by “Who’s there?” After they mention a name, the person can reply by asking for a surname or end the joke with a pun that involves an interplay between the words.
The earliest variation of the knock-knock joke can be traced back to the 1900s. According to Merely McEvoy, the joke began around 1900, and it started with the question, “Do you know Arthur?” to which one would naturally ask, “Arthur who?”. The person telling the joke would then reply, “Arthurmometer!”
In 1929, a book called “The Games of Children: Their Origin and History” featured the earliest written form of the knock-knock joke. After the initial “Knock knock. Who’s there?” the joke-teller would reply, “Buff.” Then the audience would typically ask, “What says Buff?” And the final punchline would go, “Buff says Buff to all his men, and I say Buff to you again.” It was popular among children back then, and they enjoyed it very much.
The modern form of the joke was developed in the 1930s. It was introduced into popular culture with the relatable pun that we’re used to today. It goes, “Knock knock. Who’s there? Rufus. Rufus who? Rufus the most important part of your house.” Since humans have been knocking on doors for ages, knock-knock jokes may have a longer history. Nowadays, the joke has become a staple for humor across the world.
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pennmom
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Post by pennmom on Oct 31, 2021 17:37:58 GMT
National Unity Day (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas) – October 31, 2021~India
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity Day is celebrated annually on October 31 to pay tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, an Indian freedom fighter and independent India’s first deputy prime minister and home minister. He was instrumental in making a united India from the 565 semi-autonomous princely states and British-era colonial provinces. For his efforts towards a united India, Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary is now celebrated as National Unity Day in the country. People mark the day with activities such as runs for unity. On this day, locals are encouraged to remember the inherent strength and resilience of the nation.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL UNITY DAY (RASHTRIYA EKTA DIWAS) The Iron Man of India, also known as the Loh Purush, Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel was born on October 31, 1875. He is also popularly known as Sardar Patel and was one of the most known Indian politicians after Independence when the British withdrew from the deeply divided country. Under Jawarharlal Nehru’s term as Prime Minister, Sardar Patel served as the First Deputy Prime Minister of India.
Sardar Patel is most popularly known as a founding father of the Republic of India. This is because he played a significant role in integrating the independent provinces into a unified India just after the partition of India and Pakistan. He also acted as Home Minister during the political integration of India and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947.
In 2014, Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity Day was introduced by the government of India. The official statement for Rashtriya Ekta Diwas was provided by the home ministry of the country. It cites that the National Unity Day “will provide an opportunity to re-affirm the inherent strength and resilience of our nation to withstand the actual and potential threats to the unity, integrity and security of our country.”
For his efforts towards a united India, Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary is now celebrated as National Unity Day. This is also known as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. To celebrate the day, the ‘Unifier of India’ was honored with the Statue of Unity which is actually the world’s tallest statue! Dedicated to Sardar Patel, the statue is approximately 597 feet in height. Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi inaugurated the event on October 31, 2018.
On October 31, 2019, an event called ‘Run for Unity’ was also held to spread awareness about Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s contribution to Indian history. To commemorate his 144th birth anniversary, thousands of people participated in the run which began from the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi. The almost one-mile run took place at the India Gate C-Hexagon-Shah Jahan Road. Today, Rashtriya Ekta Diwas is remembered as the unsung efforts of the ‘Iron Man’, who shaped the country and the idea of Hindus and Muslims residing in the same country together.
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pennmom
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Post by pennmom on Oct 31, 2021 17:40:08 GMT
Reformation Day – October 31, 2021~International
Reformation Day is memorialized on October 31 every year. Reformation Day started in the 15th century when a German monk, aggrieved by the activities of the Catholic Church, especially the sale of indulgences as penance, nailed his arguments, named “The 95 Theses” to the door of Wittenberg’s Castle Church.
HISTORY OF REFORMATION DAY While the rest of the world celebrates a spooky holiday, the vast majority of the Christian community celebrates Reformation Day. Martin Luther’s study of the scripture led him to a path he recognized as religious truth and salvation. He disagreed with the church’s teachings of the Bible, with the priests serving as intermediaries between the Bible and the laity. He also strongly disagreed with the sale of indulgences whose proceeds were used to rebuild the church.
Many opposed the movements of the church, but Martin Luther brought it to light and sought reformation within the church. His theses gave grounds for people to question the church; it was a time of large religious and social change. Luther preached reformation, but his thesis was warped for political, social, and economic reasons by various emerging leaders of the movement. This brought about a fractionalization in the Catholic Church and the emergence of the Protestant Reformation under the Protestant Church.
Reformation Day is recognized by a number of communities around the world, especially the Protestants. It is an official holiday in most German states and seeks to celebrate the significant religious reforms brought on by “The 95 Theses.” Reformation Day stands by truth and the Bible as the sole source of religious authority.
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Post by pennmom on Oct 31, 2021 17:42:04 GMT
Visit A Cemetery Day – October 31, 2021~U.S.
Visit a Cemetery Day is a holiday that takes place every last Sunday in October. This year it falls on October 31. It is a day that allows us to honor the life of those who are gone. It is a chance to admit that, though they’re no longer physically with us, we still have them in our memories. It is a day when people go to the gravesite of friends and families who have left this world. On Visit a Cemetery Day, many choose to redecorate the gravesite of their loved ones. Many other activities give life to this holiday as well.
HISTORY OF VISIT A CEMETERY DAY The culture of visiting gravesites and cemeteries predates most modern cultures, and it has been a way of life of humans since ancient times. A cemetery is more than a collection of gravesites and headstones. It is a place for deep reflection and connecting. It is not a lonely place where you can’t learn anything. It is a place of meditation, where you get to reflect on the memories you shared with those who have left us. The headstones also contain messages about the people we cherish and are worth reading. It is usually a wisdom quote that captures the essence of life, and it can be inspiring.
Visit a Cemetery Day reminds us that we’re not entirely disconnected from those who have left this physical world. The memories they left remain with us, and we can cherish them as much as possible. We can also reminisce on the times we spent together and how they have helped us get to where we are today.
Visiting a cemetery is also sometimes a gathering affair where people come together to honor the departed. This is done for soldiers who died in battle and also victims of casualties. The essence of it all is to remember them for the good they’ve done and honor the memory we have of them. This is why cemeteries are generally known as memorial parks, emphasizing the memories left behind by the dead.
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Post by pennmom on Oct 31, 2021 17:44:47 GMT
World Savings Day – October 31, 2021~International
World Savings Day, also known as World Thrift Day, is a holiday we celebrate on October 31 every year. The holiday highlights the necessity of saving for the future. There are many reasons why one would need to save, including for retirement, education, property purchase, marriage, etc. It is also good to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances and save, even if you have no plans for the money yet. In certain situations, saving has been a lifesaver as it helps to overcome sudden unfortunate situations.
HISTORY OF WORLD SAVINGS DAY World Savings Day started on October 30, 1924, at the end of the first International Thrift Congress in Milan. The day was officially launched by Filippo Ravizza, an Italian professor, who called it International Savings Day. The idea was quickly supported by various associations who also saw the importance of saving.
Though there are accounts of individual countries that observe a day for saving, World Savings Day made the idea more universal, bringing more people on board. Also, some countries needed encouragement due to the effects of war. However, after the Second World War, thrifting became more popular than ever.
The importance of saving prompted banks to open their doors to more people, especially in developing nations. Non-governmental organizations have also been very pivotal in bringing the importance of savings to the fore.
Each year, World Savings Day has a different theme that encapsulates the spirit of saving. These themes encourage more people to engage in the habit of saving. Likewise, banks and other financial institutions have come up with several schemes that help people to save more and make meaningful investments. On this holiday, the government and institutions such as schools and media outlets raise awareness to encourage more people to save.
World Savings Day is also a holiday that aims to influence children to save. Piggy banks have always been a good idea, as it creates a sense of wealth when the children realize how much they’ve saved. And let’s be honest, even adults love the idea of piggy banks!
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Post by pennmom on Oct 31, 2021 17:51:50 GMT
Halloween – October 31, 2021~U.S.
Halloween on October 31 is undoubtedly the creepiest, most ghostly holiday of them all. Children dress up as Batman, the Joker, Wonder Woman, or some other favorite character; go to parties or walk their neighborhoods with jack o’ lanterns full of sweets as they go trick-or-treating. Spooky decorations fill windows and porches and screams can be heard in living rooms up and down the country as we collectively binge our favorite horror movies.
HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN The word, Halloween or Hallowe’en dates from before the 16th century and draws from its early Christian past. In old Scottish, Hallowe’en translates as “All Hallows’ (holy) Even” referring to “All Hallows’ Evening,” the day before All Hallows Day, a solemn occasion in which all of the Catholic Church’s heavenly saints were honored. By the 18th century, Halloween shows up with the spelling we know today.
HALLOWEEN HISTORY
Going back in time, Halloween is fascinating because it has lots of practices that date back to its pagan origins. For example, the Halloween tradition of bobbing for apples reminds us of the Roman invasion of England. As part of Roman paganism, they brought an apple tree, symbolic of Pomona, Goddess of Plenty. During an annual festival, young marriage-minded people bit into apples floating in the water. According to beliefs, whoever bit the apple was next to marry.
But it’s really the Celts we have to thank for Halloween. They were ancient people who lived in the areas of modern-day Ireland, northern France, and in the UK. Halloween’s pagan roots go back thousands of years to the Celtic Fire Festival of Samhain, which recognized the end of the harvest season and the start of their new year on November 1.
During this festival, pagans wore costumes and lit fires to keep the bad spirits away – keep that in mind when you’re donning your Dracula fangs! With the dark nights of winter representing death, the Celts believed that on October 31, the dead returned to walk among the living. Sounds kind of zombie-ish, right?
The Christian Influence
As Christian influence on society began to grow around the 8th century, new customs and traditions were brought in and merged with those of the Celts. Christians would celebrate All Souls Day on November 2, which was a day to honor the dead in much the same way that the Celts did on Samhain. It was around this time that the evening before the celebration became known as All Hallows Eve.
After All Hallows Day was officially switched to November 1 in 835, October 31 became known as All Hallows Eve and the holiday we know and love today was starting to take shape. By the 12th century, these days had gained holy importance throughout Europe, and customs such as ringing the church bells for the souls of those in purgatory had become widespread.
A typical Halloween would see a mournful crier parading through the streets, dressed all in black, ringing bells, and encouraging the locals to pray for the souls of the dead. It was around this time that “souling” began to happen, but there’s more about that further down in the trick-or-treat section. By the Middle Ages churches were too poor to display the relics of martyred saints and so churchgoers began dressing up as them every year instead. This could partly explain where the tradition of dressing up on Halloween stems from.
Halloween in America Halloween became popular in America in the 19th century, with enthusiasm for the holiday being brought across with the Irish and Scottish immigrants who were arriving at the time. The biggest change from Halloween’s earliest roots is that it becomes more secular than religious. By the 1920s and 30s, Halloween parades and parties became a major part of the festivities and the holiday was celebrated from coast to coast, regardless of race or religious background.
Trick-or-Treating
Trick-or-treating is said to stem from the practice of “souling”, which is a Medieval practice where churchgoers would go between different parishes and ask the rich for pastries which were known as soul cakes. In return, they would pray for the souls of them and their friends. While “souling”, people would carry with them lanterns made of hollowed-out turnips. That turnip is now of course a and it is believed that that the jack-o-lantern originally represented the souls of the dead.
By the late 19th century children in Scotland and Ireland were dressing up in costume and going from door to door accepting gifts from neighbors, this practice was known as “guising”. The children would generally be given bits of food for their efforts. The first recorded instance of this in America is in 1911. The term trick-or-treat was first used in Alberta, Canada, in 1927, and by the 1930s it was starting to become a popular activity.
Modern Day Halloween By the 1950s Halloween became a holiday that was primarily for the children. Trick-or-treating was commonplace as kids went around their neighborhoods in costume collecting candy. Halloween became increasingly embedded in popular culture and horror movies would often be released to coincide with the holiday. Movies such as “Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Halloween,” and “Friday the 13th” have all become classics associated with the holiday.
Halloween is now America’s second-largest commercial holiday, with $6 billion being spent on it each year. Numerous traditions such as trick-or-treating, costume parties, and watching horror movies all contribute towards a huge occasion that is celebrated throughout the country.
Halloween plays off our phobias. Killer clowns and antique dolls creep you out? Bats and spiders make your skin crawl? Does the sight of blood make you faint? Don’t go into that room and don’t go out on Halloween. But if you do — look over your shoulder! On Halloween, be a kid again or take on a new persona. Watch out for ghosts and goblins and things that go, “bump” in the night. Eat as much candy as your tummy can hold. Enjoy feeling totally scared for just. one. night. Happy Halloween, everybody!
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