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Post by pennmom on Nov 11, 2021 15:52:10 GMT
Veterans Day – November 11, 2021~U.S.
Veterans Day, observed annually on November 11, is a tribute to military veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Not to be confused with Memorial Day, which honors those who died while in service, Veterans Day honors all military veterans, including those still with us.
WHEN IS VETERANS DAY 2021? Veterans Day is observed annually on November 11. It’s a holiday honoring men and women who have served in the U.S. armed forces, on the anniversary of the end of World War I.
HISTORY OF VETERANS DAY Veterans Day, originally celebrated as Armistice Day, was first issued on November 11, 1919, by President Woodrow Wilson a year after the end of World War I. The purpose of Armistice Day was to honor the fallen soldiers of the Great War for their sacrifice and bravery. Seven years later, in 1926, Congress adopted a resolution requesting that President Calvin Coolidge issue annual proclamations on November 11, making Armistice Day a legal holiday.
In 1945, World War II veteran Raymond Weeks had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans rather than just the ones who died in World War I. He led a delegation to General Dwight Eisenhower, who was all for the idea. Weeks then organized the first Veterans Day celebration in 1945 in Alabama and every year since, until he died in 1985. In 1982, he was honored by President Reagan with the Presidential Citizenship Medal. Weeks was also named the ‘Father of Veterans Day’ by Elizabeth Dole.
In 1954, Ed Rees, the U.S. Representative from Emporia, Kansas, presented a bill to establish the holiday to Congress. Eisenhower, who was then the president and also from Kansas, signed the bill into law on May 26, 1954, eight and a half years after Raymond Weeks held the first Veterans Day. After having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress — at the urge of the veterans’ service organizations — amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word ‘Armistice’ and inserting the word ‘Veterans.’ With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
The National Veterans Award was also created in 1954, first received by Congressman Rees for his support in making Veterans Day a federal holiday. Though the holiday is currently and was originally celebrated on November 11, the day was moved to the fourth Monday of October in 1971 due to the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. Finally, on September 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law that returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978.
The holiday is observed by the federal government on a Friday, if the holiday falls on Saturday, or on a Monday, if the holiday falls on a Sunday. Federal government closings are established by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. State and local government closings are determined locally and non-government businesses can close or remain open as they see fit, regardless of federal, state, or local government operation determinations.
The United States Senate Resolution 143, which was passed on August 4, 2001, designated the week of November 11 through November 17, 2001, as National Veterans Awareness Week. The resolution called for educational efforts directed at elementary and secondary school students concerning the contributions and sacrifices of veterans.
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Post by pennmom on Nov 11, 2021 15:55:17 GMT
Singles Day – November 11, 2021~China
WHAT IS SINGLES DAY? Singles Day is celebrated on November 11. It is a Chinese commercial holiday that helps single people show their pride in being single. It started as a paean to being single, where solo students at China’s Nanjing University chose November 11 (because 11/11 looks like a group of sticks) to celebrate, rather than lament being partnerless. It quickly grew into a fun, unofficial holiday in which single people across China treat themselves to nice dinners and splurge on goods they wouldn’t otherwise buy for themselves. From those humble roots, Singles Day has become the single most lucrative online shopping holiday in the world, with sales reaching $25 billion in 2017, easily surpassing Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined.
HISTORY OF SINGLES DAY On 11/11/1993 a group of lonely, yet positive, students at Nanjing University decided that instead of lamenting their lack of a significant other, that they would instead celebrate being single. The reasoning? 11/11 looks like four, single sticks, strung together trying to make the most out of their time.
The anti-Valentine’s Day celebration of singledom caught on and spread across universities throughout China, generally characterized by fun, harmless events. For example, one student reserved every other seat in a movie theater, prohibiting couples from sitting next to each other during a screening of Beijing Love Story, an aptly named romantic film.
That level of mischief is the most that holiday’s celebration extends into anti-couples. For the most part, the holiday is a shopping holiday, thanks in part to Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang, who created the first Singles Day sale in 2009, sparking a trend that has surpassed Cyber Monday in single-day transactions.
While the holiday may have gone commercial, the celebrations and theme are still in line with its founding – to celebrate who you are, your friends, and your loved ones, regardless of what your relationship status is.
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Post by pennmom on Nov 11, 2021 15:57:57 GMT
Remembrance Day Australia – November 11, 2021~Australia
Like many other countries where it is observed, Australia’s Remembrance Day is on November 11. The holiday is dedicated to Australian soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and onwards. As an act of solidarity, citizens observe a minute of silence to pay their respects to the deceased, who died fighting while protecting the nation. Initially known as Armistice Day, the Australian Government adopted the United Kingdom’s proposal of renaming the day to Remembrance Day. It is not a public holiday.
HISTORY OF REMEMBRANCE DAY AUSTRALIA On November 11, 1918, after four years of nonstop warfare, the conflict on the Western Front came to a standstill and complete silence. Germany, the last remaining opponent of the allies, signed the armistice that ended World War I.
The Allies’ victory would not have been possible without the five divisions of the Australian Corps, who were at the forefront. With their spectacular victory at the Battle of Hamel in the summer of 1918, turning the tables of the war at Amiens, capturing Mont Saint-Quentin and Pèronne, and overcoming German defenses at the Hindenburg Line, the Australian troops displayed true valor. By the time the exhausted soldiers had withdrawn by early October, they had achieved a reputation as a force to be reckoned with. Their sweet success came at a heavy cost, however. Almost 48,000 Australian casualties were reported during 1918, including 12,000 deaths.
In the four years of the Great War, more than 330,000 Australians had served, and 60,000 of them were killed. The loss has cast a shadow over the social sphere, even in post-war times.
Remembrance Day was observed for the first time in 1919 by the British Commonwealth. The day was originally named Armistice Day in commemoration of the armistice agreement signed by Germany on Monday, November 11, 1918 — the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Until 1930, the observance of Armistice Day took place on the Monday of the week in which November 11 fell. This changed in 1931 when a Member of Parliament for Comox—Alberni, Alan Neill, forwarded a bill to observe the holiday on November 11 every year. The bill also proposed changing the name to Remembrance Day, which was approved, making the first observance of Remembrance Day on November 11, 1931.
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Post by pennmom on Nov 11, 2021 16:10:59 GMT
Remembrance Day – November 11, 2021~Canada~U.K.
Remembrance Day is observed in Canada (and other Commonwealth nations, which include 53 member states, nearly all of them former territories of the British Empire) on November 11. It carries much of the same meaning as America’s Veterans Day. Celebrated since the end of WWI, Remembrance Day actually marks Armistice Day — the day on which the hostilities between the Allies and Germany ceased on the Western Front.
WHEN IS REMEMBRANCE DAY 2021? Remembrance Day, also known as Poppy Day due to the symbol of the remembrance poppy, is a day observed in Commonwealth member states. Countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom observe Remembrance Day on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
HISTORY OF REMEMBRANCE DAY At 11 A.M. on November 11, 1918, the guns on the Western Front fell silent after more than four years of continuous warfare. The allied armies had driven the Germans back, having inflicted heavy defeats upon them over the preceding four months. In November, the Germans called for an armistice, or suspension of fighting, in order to secure a peace settlement. They accepted allied terms that amounted to an unconditional surrender.
The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month attained a special significance in the post-war years. The moment when hostilities ceased on the Western Front became universally associated with the remembrance of those who had died in the war. This first modern world conflict had brought about the mobilization of over 70 million people and left between nine million and 13 million dead, perhaps as many as one-third of them with no known grave. The allied nations chose this day and time for the commemoration of their dead soldiers.
On the first anniversary of the armistice in 1919, two minutes’ silence was instituted as part of the main commemorative ceremony at the new Cenotaph in London. The silence was proposed by Australian journalist Edward Honey, who was working in Fleet Street. At about the same time, a South African statesman made a similar proposal to the British Cabinet, which endorsed it.
The tradition of Remembrance Day evolved out of Armistice Day. The initial Armistice Day began at Buckingham Palace, with the king hosting a banquet honoring the French president. Later, during World War II, many countries changed the name of the holiday. The U.S. chose Veterans Day.
Remembrance Day in Canada, known as ‘Jour du Souvenir,’ remains a statutory holiday in six of the 10 provinces. The Armistice Day Act, which was held throughout the 1920s, declared that Canada’s Thanksgiving would also be observed on Armistice Day — the Monday of the week in which November 11 fell. The government, in 1931, officially changed the date to November 11. The name also changed to Remembrance Day.
Canada has declared that the date is of “remembrance for the men and women who have served, and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace,” particularly the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, and all conflicts since then in which members of the Canadian Armed Forces have participated.
The official Canadian national ceremonies are held under a strict protocol at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Ontario. The armed services representatives carry out a service. In May 2000, the remains of an unidentified Canadian soldier who died in France during World War I were laid in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the National War Memorial.
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Post by pennmom on Nov 11, 2021 16:17:27 GMT
French Armistice Day – November 11, 2021~France
Armistice Day is a public holiday on November 11 in France, commemorating the signing of the armistice between Germany and the Allies that led to the ceasefire and finally put an end to World War I in 1918. It is a time of happiness that commemorates the end of the war but, at the same time, the day is observed in honor of the veterans who lost their lives for their country. Known as ‘Jour d’armistice’ in French, a one-minute silence in remembrance of the fallen is held at 11 A.M. with military parades organized across the country for the rest of the day.
WHEN IS FRENCH ARMISTICE DAY 2021? Armistice Day is celebrated in France on November 11.
HISTORY OF FRENCH ARMISTICE DAY November 11 is a national holiday in France and other Allied nations. It is known as Veterans Day in the United States and as Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth of Nations.
The armistice was signed at Compiègne in France at 5.45 A.M in 1918, but came into effect at 11 o’clock in the morning. The odd recurring insistence of the figure 11 on this day led to the famous saying highlighting the armistice — “the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.”
Although the treaty resulted in a ceasefire for France on the Western Front, hostilities in other regions, such as in parts of the former Russian Empire, continued for a short time. As a result, the armistice expired only after 36 days and had to be extended several times to remain in effect. With the Treaty of Versailles that was signed in June the following year, in 1919, it was only then that World War I came to an absolute end.
Armistice Day is observed with reverence in France and Allied countries. The main focus of the day is the remembrance of fallen soldiers. The French president traditionally lays down a wreath of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, preceded by a grand parade with more than 60 heads of states and government gathered to pay their respects. Citizens, mostly dressed in black, gather to watch the ceremony surrounded by a solemn atmosphere.
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Post by pennmom on Nov 11, 2021 16:19:02 GMT
National Sundae Day – November 11, 2021~U.S.
National Sundae Day falls on November 11. Sweet! Desserts don’t get much more decadent than marshmallow, chocolate, or strawberry sundaes so let’s enjoy every minute of this day. You can visit a fun local ice cream shop or simply whip one up at home. It’s a treat either way. Of course anything ice cream-related seems to brighten things up, but this one’s especially enjoyable.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL SUNDAE DAY Just who invented the ice cream sundae? Good question. Many claim credit. Here’s a quick glance at a trio of theories ranked from earliest to most recent.:
1. Sundaes first appeared around 1881 in the town of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, when a man named George Hallauer asked his friend Edward C. Berner, the owner of a soda fountain, topped a dish of ice cream with chocolate sauce modeled after ice cream sodas. The magnificent creation only cost a nickel and skyrocketed in popularity, but was sold only on Sundays.
2. A Plainfield, Illinois, druggist named Mr. Sonntag created the dish in 1890 after customers requested something different. He named it the “sonntag” after himself, and since Sonntag means Sunday in German, the name was translated to Sunday, and later was spelled sundae.
3. John M. Scott, a minister, and Chester Platt, co-owner of a pharmacy, created the first sundae on April 3, 1892 (a Sunday), in Ithaca, New York, Platt covered dishes of ice cream with cherry syrup and candied cherries. The men named the dish “Cherry Sunday.”. Historians found a newspaper ad for a “Cherry Sunday” placed in the Ithaca Daily Journal three days later. By May 1892, the Platt & Colt soda fountain also served “Strawberry Sundays,” and later, “Chocolate Sundays”.
Either way, 130 years later, they’re quite a treat!
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Post by pennmom on Nov 11, 2021 16:21:05 GMT
National Origami Day – November 11, 2021~World
This National Origami Day, on November 11, we can’t wait to sit down and find our zen by practicing this ancient art. Originally called ‘orikata,’ origami originated in Japan as early as 105 A.D. Before Japan’s industrial revolution in the late 19th century, only elites had access to the materials necessary for creating such geometric folds. Today, anyone with access to paper and a flat surface is welcome to give it a go. Join us in learning more about this artful pastime!
HISTORY OF NATIONAL ORIGAMI DAY While the origin story of this holiday remains unknown, it began in the birthplace of origami: Japan. Long ago, paper used to be a handmade product only available to wealthy families. In correspondence sent between these families, the writer would often include an intricately folded piece of paper along with their letter.
By using such a valuable material as mere decoration, wealthy families could demonstrate their access to such luxuries. As time marched on and paper became more readily available to the masses, origami became a regular feature of familial ceremonies such as weddings and birthdays.
Origami finds its simplistic charm by requiring only one tool: the paper itself. In this way, it can feel much like a logic problem or a brainteaser. However, origami’s modern cousin, kirigami, allows the use of scissors and glue.
Lillian Oppenheimer, who was born in New York City at the turn of the 20th century, is responsible for introducing origami to the United States and Great Britain. She founded organizations in each of these countries so that fellow paper-folding lovers such as herself could gather and share their art.
Today, Oppenheimer’s organization still stands in America and is called OrigamiUSA. Each year, they hold a two-week convention beginning on October 24, Lillian’s birthday, and ending on National Origami Day itself, November 11. At this convention, practitioners from all over the country come together to accomplish massive artistic feats using only paper.
Origami is an intrinsically analytical and trigonometry-based activity that requires focused attention and an inclination toward problem-solving. We cannot wait to put our hands to work on some folds of our own this holiday.
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Post by pennmom on Nov 11, 2021 16:22:55 GMT
National Metal Day – November 11, 2021~World
In honor of the classic metal mockumentary “This Is Spinal Tap,” National Metal Day falls on November 11 every year. Metal declares independence from the mundane and conventional while insanity, alienation, and death are the foundation for gloomy introspection, which is all part of the culture! However, it’s not all doom and gloom; in fact, some metal can even be uplifting!
HISTORY OF NATIONAL METAL DAY “These go to 11.”
The famous This Is Spinal Tap scene explaining how the band’s amps go up to “one louder” than 10 is the basis for National Metal Day’s unique date . Moreover, the day was first celebrated in 2011 (so yes, 11-11-11) by 24-hour music network VH1 Classic. The celebrations began on November 1, allowing more time for the network to focus on airing metal concerts, specials, movies, and videos each night — leading up to the grand finale on 11-11-11, when VH1 Classic premiered the film “Metal Evolution.”
Metal is a subcategory of hard rock, and is one of the most controversial and complex genres of music. It’s not made for those light of heart and modest, but is made to be enjoyed in excess through its music, aesthetic, and lifestyle. The genre originated from industrial working class areas within the UK, specifically in northern and midland England, where a number of factories process actual metal and steel. Early metal bands would reference the sound of these factories as a direct influence on their sound — Judas Priest’s Glenn Tipton had remarked on how the steel mill was always within audible distance.
But metal comes from more than just factories, it has a strong British blues rock influence, with heavy impact from acts like The Rolling Stones, The Animals, and The Kinks. There is also influence from guitar legends Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. Metal began owning its title as a genre in the late 1960s early 1970s, with Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple sharing ownership as the first metal bands.
Metal has since spread into many different sub-genres such as thrash, death, black, doom, Christian, and the oft-reviled nu-metal. Some of the biggest names in music are metalheads, like Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, Motorhead, and Pantera. So, if you can properly answer this question: “Who would win in a fight, Lemmy Kilmister or god?”* this day may just be the excuse you need to bang your head.
*It’s a trick question. Lemmy IS god. Rock on.
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Post by pennmom on Nov 11, 2021 16:25:03 GMT
National Education Day – November 11, 2021~India
India marks National Education Day on November 11 to memorialize the birthday of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first Minister for Education in India. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s exemplary contributions to the field of education and institution building paved the way for the country’s modern system. Reputed as the main architect of education, he served as India’s first Vice President as well as the first education Minister from 1947 to 1958. Now, all educational institutions in the country mark the day with seminars, essay-writing, workshops and rallies with slogans on the importance of literacy and India’s commitment to education.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL EDUCATION DAY In September of 2008, India’s Ministry of Human Resource Development declared the birthday of ‘the great son of India’ — Maulana Abul Kalam Azad — to be nationally recognized as Education Day. The day is also seen as an occasion to remember Abul Kalam’s contribution in laying the foundations of the education system in an independent India and evaluating and improving the country’s current performance in the field.
After its independence in 1947, India struggled to completely revamp and stabilize its institutions and sectors. Recognizing that education would be crucial for nation-building, the leaders of the country shifted their focus towards education. Abul Kalam, in particular, served as the flag bearer for this cause. Speaking in 1948 at All India Education, he highlighted the importance of this birthright of every person to receive basic education necessary for their well being, without foregoing their duties as a citizen.
As a freedom fighter and academician, Abul Kalam was the best fit for the role of Education Minister for independent India. Illiteracy was a major hurdle for the development of the country, which had already struggled and suffered through years of exploitation prior to it gaining status as a separate nation.
Understanding the integral role played by a healthy education system for the development of the country, as Chairman of the Central Advisory Board of Education, Maulana Abul Kalam was the driving force towards the eradication of illiteracy. He emphasized heavily on elementary education and propagated the expansion of secondary education, especially for girls.
But perhaps his largest contribution is the Indian Institutes of Technology. Under his leadership, the first IIT was inaugurated in 1951. Abul Kalam truly believed in the potential of establishing IITs for the progression of research and technological advancement in India. True enough, today IITs have created a niche for themselves. Whether nationally or internationally, IITs are looked as epitome of educational excellence. It is hence befitting to honour the memory of the man behind India’s educational might by celebrating his birthday as National Education Day every year.
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Post by pennmom on Nov 12, 2021 18:25:03 GMT
Chicken Soup for the Soul Day – November 12, 2021~U.S.
Chicken Soup for the Soul Day is commemorated every year on November 12. It is a day for exploring and unpacking deep-rooted emotional issues and searching for inspiration to lead more fulfilling lives. Nobody can solve all of their problems without any help or inspiration from their surroundings, and the purpose of Chicken Soup for the Soul Day is to take a fresh approach to thinking about problems. It helps to find creative solutions that can address underlying issues, which people are normally not willing to confront. It is also a day to celebrate the heroes who have emerged successful and happy from their personal battles.
HISTORY OF CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL DAY The National Chicken Soup for the Soul Day is celebrated to inspire people who are going through a difficult phase in life and help them heal their souls. Chicken Soup for the Soul Day is a brand that publishes inspirational books and movies, and has an active online community. The Chicken Soup For the Soul franchise started in the early 1990s when two life coaches, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, planned to compile over 100 different motivational stories in the form of a book.
The title for the book was not decided overnight. Jack and Mark decided to meditate every day until they come up with a name that they like. What Jack came up with after hours of meditation was his grandma’s chicken soup. Jack believed that the book could heal people from inside, just like his grandma’s chicken soup could cure anything.
In the early 1990s, the first edition of the book was released. One of the main reasons that made the book popular was the fact that it consists of inspirational life stories of ordinary people who overcame adversity. And it became a popular gift to give during the Christmas season.
Within a year after its launch, the book started appearing in the lists as one of the top-selling books of the United States. To date, Jack and Mark have managed to publish over 200 different books under the same series, featuring motivational stories that were sent to them by their readers. In the late 2000s, Jack and Mark Victor decided to expand their brand and launched different pet food and TV shows.
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Post by pennmom on Nov 12, 2021 18:28:21 GMT
National Donor Sabbath – November 12, 2021~U.S.
Each year, National Donor Sabbath is observed two weekends before Thanksgiving Day, from November 12 to November 14 this year. The concept behind this day is to unite the different people of different religions, while learning how to save a life by donating vital organs to those in need. America is a land of great diversity — there are people from different races, backgrounds, and nations. There may be huge differences in their lifestyles and ideas, but one thing all these people have in common is belief in humanity or human kindness. National Donor Sabbath is a three-day observance of prayers, worship, and coming together of the leaders of different faiths to participate in services, programs, and initiatives. Time is taken to talk about the importance and public need of saving lives through organ and tissue donation. Organ donations transfers life to others via transplantation so that the recipient has the chance of a full, long life, free of diseased organs such as kidneys, hearts, and even eyes. These organs are donated by the families of loved ones who pass away in accidents and the like, with their organs intact, thus giving people with organ problems a second chance in life.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL DONOR SABBATH The National Donor Sabbath spreads awareness on the topic of organ donations. The concept of organ donations comes from a century old goal of healing patients and saving lives by transplanting organs from a donor to a recipient. Starting off as a minor side study pursuit, it soon began to expand as cases of people needing organ transplant started surfacing. In 1906, doctors were able to perform the first ever successful cornea transplant in a patient who was completely blind in one eye. This proved to be a major milestone in the history of organ transplant and paved the way for future transplant to happen. As medical advancements were made, doctors started performing effective transplants of lungs, liver, kidney, bone marrow and other vital organs from deceased donors.
By 1968, the first initiative to register donors and give them a donor card was made under the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act. This led to the first-ever observance of the National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week, which is dedicated to spreading awareness of the need to donate the organs after death to save the lives of others. Soon, another act was passed by the Congress which made the sale and purchase of organs illegal in the U.S. This act was the National Organ Transplant Act. Organ donations are voluntary, free and usually based on decisions made to be a donor ahead of time, and communicated with members or in the written last will of a person.
Finally, in 1997 as part of the national donation initiative, National Donor Sabbath was announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and since 1997 it has been celebrated every year when leaders of different faiths stand together to spread awareness about the campaign.
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Post by pennmom on Nov 12, 2021 18:30:40 GMT
National French Dip Day – November 12, 2021~U.S.
National French Dip Day is celebrated on November 12 each year. This day is very popular among sandwich and meat lovers. Chefs use this day as an opportunity to experiment with different variations of this sandwich and give their patrons a wide variety of tastes to try out. The fact that this day is celebrated across the length and breadth of the United States proves just how well-loved this unique sandwich is.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL FRENCH DIP DAY Cole’s Pacific Electric Buffet, situated in Los Angeles, is one of the first restaurants that served the popular French Dip sandwich. And National French Dip Day marks the 110th anniversary of Cole’s restaurant, which opened on November 12, 1908.
French dip is a roast meat sandwich where the juices of the roast meat are collected and served separately as a side dish to the sandwich. The sandwich is then dipped in the gravy. Cole’s began serving the French dip sandwich in 1908. The sandwich was specially prepared for a customer, who had sore gums and could not chew his roast beef sandwich. The customer asked the restaurant’s chef, Jack Garlinghouse, to moisten the sandwich bread with some roast meat juice. Soon, more and more customers started asking for the same sandwich, and it became one of the top-selling dishes of the restaurant.
Cole’s is one of the first restaurants that came up with the idea of serving roast beef juice with their sandwich. However, another popular restaurant Philippe’s claims that its owner, Philippe Mathieu, is the inventor of the sandwich. Since both restaurants have been operating since the early 1890s, it is still difficult to identify the original creator of the sandwich.
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Post by pennmom on Nov 12, 2021 18:32:54 GMT
National Happy Hour Day – November 12, 2021~U.S.
If you’re sitting at your favorite watering hole with a group of buddies chowing down on free or reduced price buffalo wings, chips and salsa, fries and maybe some coconut shrimp with cocktails or beer between 5-7pm on November 12, then you’re right on time for National Happy Hour Day! Life would be dull without it, so, enjoy!
HISTORY OF NATIONAL HAPPY HOUR DAY Surprisingly, something that most of us associate with fun after work in mostly urban settings, actually got its start with the U.S. Navy as far back as 1914. (However, in 1900 “Happy Hour” social clubs did exist.)
Happy Hours, as we know them today, got started during the early days of the Mexican-American war. During the occupation of Veracruz Harbor, American sailors aboard the U.S.S. Arkansas were the subject of desperate reporters looking to fill out mundane stories after earlier fighting had used up all the exciting copy. Notices, as in this lead in the “Washington Times” of May 1, 1914, “ ‘The Happy Hour’ Aboard Ship Makes U.S. Tars (short for “tar heels”, a slang for sailors from North Carolina) Contented.” were common. After a busy day, happy hours boosted morale with boxing matches, dancing and drinking. (Although liquor was expressly banned from naval vessels starting in 1899, sailors may have sneaked booze onboard.)
By the end of WWII, happy hours were a “thing.” The relaxing practice had spread throughout U.S. naval fleets. But on April 25, 1959, a “Saturday Evening Post” article popularized, “happy hour” for everybody outside the Navy. According to “Bustle,” an article entitled, “The Men Who Chase Missiles” described the hazards for people who “ lived and worked on remote island outposts tracking Cape Canaveral’s missile launches… “Except for those who spend too much during “happy hour” at the bar — and there are few of these — the money mounts up fast.”
As much as we love National Happy Hour Day (and we really do!), the day itself remains uncredited. This may be one of those internet-generated days that makes life so much fun. So, at the end of this day, let’s meet at the bar after work, say, around 6?
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Post by pennmom on Nov 12, 2021 18:35:07 GMT
National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day – November 12, 2021~U.S.
National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day falls on November 12 and is also known as National Pizza With Everything (Except Anchovies) Day. Pizza is the most eaten — and best liked — food item in the U.S. Each American eats about 46 pizza slices a year. Anchovy is a small fish that usually comes in a can. Pizza fans feel it does not go well with a classic, deliciously topped pizza, since its flavor tends to overpower the more delicate nuances of the ingredients used as toppings. Bring out the chef in you and top your personal pizza with your favorites, minus the anchovy, of course.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL PIZZA WITH THE WORKS EXCEPT ANCHOVIES DAY Although there is no factual origin of this cod-less Pizza day and people continue to wonder about its origin, it does not mean this day cannot still be celebrated. In fact, if we go into the details of pizza making its way to America, we can find that the first restaurant pizza was made in New York City’s Little Italy in 1905.
But where does the idea of putting fish (anchovies) on the pizza come from? Well, if we go back in time and see what the Ancient Romans did, we would see that they used to put fermented fish on their flat breads. The Greeks had a pie which they called a “pita”, which could have led to the word entering the Roman (later Italian) vocabulary. The recipe stayed around the early days of pizza, and mozzarella was used as the cheese of choice. As pizza became more popular, and people added their own preferences, different ingredients were experimented with, and this is where anchovies crept in as a topping.
Pizza has been described as the favorite meal of Americans, especially since World War II. Since then, there have been different recipes and varieties of pizza, with a wide array of toppings. There always has been a group of people who have ridiculed the beloved pizza with anchovies as topping choice – so much so that only 3 in every 1,000 people would admit to selecting anchovy as a topping of choice. So this day celebrates the mainstream taste regarding pizza.
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pennmom
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Post by pennmom on Nov 12, 2021 18:38:21 GMT
World Pneumonia Day – November 12, 2021~International
World Pneumonia Day is on November 12 and, like every year, it is dedicated to spread awareness among people to understand the need to stand together and demand action in the fight against this disease. Pneumonia is the world’s biggest infectious killer of children and adults. On average, it alone kills more children than the combined mortality rate caused by AIDS, measles, and malaria. It is the lack of oxygen in the lungs that makes us realize how important oxygen is to our bodies — and makes lung health a priority world-wide. This World Pneumonia Day, we look forward to coming together to understand how crucial oxygen is for us and what can be done in our fight against pneumonia. Since respiratory ailments are quite prominent right now, this makes World Pneumonia Day even more relevant.
HISTORY OF WORLD PNEUMONIA DAY The Global Coalition against Child Pneumonia observed the first World Pneumonia Day in 2009. Their aim was to bring the facts of the severity of pneumonia to public knowledge and to join hands to bring global attention to the neglected condition of pneumonia. The Day was observed with the general motto “Healthy Lungs for All”, and this has been maintained since the first World Pneumonia Day in 2009. Additions to the motto themed around running campaigns included to provide enough protection against the disease and to make treatment centers accessible to the people suffering from the disease.
The year in which the first World Pneumonia Day was observed, it was killing approximately 1.2 million children each year. Within four years of observing this day at an international and global scale, in 2013, WHO and UNICEF launched an Integrated Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Pneumonia and Diarrhea. In the next four years in efforts to establish as much control over Pneumonia and Diarrhea, the first public-private partnership to support governments achieve the Global Action Plan for Pneumonia and Diarrhea (G.A.P.P.D.) was made under the name “Every Breath Counts”.
Other than this, several other initiatives have also been taken at various levels to counter the attacks made by pneumonia, which still acts as the major infectious killer of children and adults.
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Post by pennmom on Nov 13, 2021 15:24:11 GMT
National Hug a Musician Day – November 13, 2021~Other
National Hug a Musician Day comes around annually on November 13. A lot of work goes into being a musician, and not everyone‘s aware of it. If you know a musician who spends hours a day practicing and hours a night playing at bars, clubs, and concerts, envelop them in a big ol’ loving hug and let them know they’re appreciated.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL HUG A MUSICIAN DAY Musicians have been around for as long as there has been music to play. However, the origin of music itself is unknown, as it’s been around longer than the ability to record history. Prehistoric music includes all of the world’s music that has existed prior to any historical references. This includes traditional music apart of Native American and African cultures. However, it is more common to refer to prehistoric music as folk, indigenous, or traditional music.
Archaeologists continue to speculate over whether the “Divje Babe Flute” is indeed the oldest musical instrument. It’s dated to be approximately 43,500 years old and is made out of a cave bear femur. The quarry lies in whether or not this item was actually used as an instrument or just gnawed on by carnivores.
When people think of worldly musicians who have made a huge impact in the way music has formed, they’re likely to think of people like Mozart and Beethoven. Classical music was fashioned by musicians who lived during the rising of the middle class. Many of the middle-class in France lived under long-time absolute monarchies, so music was performed in environments that were more constrained than they were in eras like the Baroque and Renaissance. The popular instrumental music was dominated by several well-defined forms: the sonata, the symphony, and the concerto — though none of these were defined or taught as they are now in music theory.
The 20th century brought major musical changes. Musicians strove to represent the world the way they perceived it. Where past eras of music concentrated on spirituality, this new modern period emphasized the physicality and the concrete. The invention of audio recording caused a boom in all genres of music, especially pop, rock, folk, country, and all forms of classical.
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Post by pennmom on Nov 13, 2021 15:26:30 GMT
National Indian Pudding Day – November 13, 2021~U.S.
Celebrated every November 13, National Indian Pudding Day is your day to try the puddings that native Indians used to make using the original ingredients. Molasses and cornmeal are primary ingredients and give this pudding the perfect rich savoriness and density for a cold November day. That makes it the perfect time to celebrate the existence of this dessert. Over the years, people have shifted to new flavors and recipes, which resulted in a silkier texture and more desirable taste. Sometimes, this traditional New England delicacy makes its presence known by a few people with good taste and extends into other parts of the U.S.!
HISTORY OF NATIONAL INDIAN PUDDING DAY There is no confirmed origin of how and when this pudding was discovered and who discovered it. But what is certain, is that it was made by the local Indians of Northern America. It is the most native dessert we have — it has remained mostly unchanged since the time the native Indians used to make it.
Almost unknown outside New England, this dessert has been around for three centuries now. The name of the pudding may suggest that it refers to the Indians living there, but rather it was named after the cornmeal, known as ‘Indian meal’, calling it Indian Pudding.
Local food historians have mentioned in their books that back in 1621 when the first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the colonists, this dessert was made part of the main dishes on the menu. The dessert maintained its centuries-long hold over the pudding category until the 1920s and ’30s when chocolate suddenly arrived in the U.S. The recipes changed because people started shifting towards the sweeter and silkier versions of the pudding.
This pudding maintained its existence in New England, where it is still among the favorite puddings of the local people. Outside this area, comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont, it is largely unknown. The holiday was never petitioned in the White House, but still, somehow this dessert ended up having a day for its own name. Each year, November 13 is celebrated in the U.S. as National Indian Pudding Day.
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Post by pennmom on Nov 13, 2021 15:29:06 GMT
Sadie Hawkins Day – November 13, 2021~U.S.
Boomers, Gen-Xers, and younger generations are likely familiar with the premise for National Sadie Hawkins Day, celebrated on November 13 each year. It’s a day for a bit of gender role reversal — and we acknowledge the antiquity of ‘traditional’ roles — where women become the pursuers of their crushes and ask men out on dates or for a dance.
HISTORY OF SADIE HAWKINS DAY The tradition stems from a plot line in American cartoonist Al Capp’s (1909-1979) comic strip, “Li’l Abner,” which, unlike most comic strips of the time, was set in the American South, and not Northeastern cities and suburbs. The story — one reviled by modern feminists — involved a rich man’s daughter named Sadie Hawkins in the fictional town of Dogpatch, Kentucky, who was so ‘homely’ that she was still unmarried at 35. Her worried father then gathered all the bachelors of the town together and set up a sort of race, with the men running ahead of Sadie. The one she finally caught would have to marry her.
The original Sadie Hawkins “Li’l Abner” comic strips were printed in 1937 in many American and foreign newspapers. The readership was wide and varied in demographics. Al Capp did not intend for his plot device to gain so much social momentum, but after he revisited the storyline in November of 1938, American college students started to honor the idea of gender role reversal by holding Sadie Hawkins dances and other events. By the winter of 1939, “Life” magazine had published a two-page spread with the headline, ‘On Sadie Hawkins Day Girls Chase Boys in 201 Colleges.’ Thus, the tradition was born.
Under a barrage of fan mail, Capp went back to the Sadie Hawkins theme every November, regularly — going against his habitual loose storytelling timetable — and put a new spin on it each year. In one instance, there was a ‘Sadie Hawkins Eve Dance,’ where the women wore hobnail boots and stomped on the men’s feet, to make them run slower in the next day’s race so they’d be easier to catch and marry.
As the years went on, Sadie Hawkins dances became commonplace, not only at colleges and universities but at high schools and junior high schools, with many — or most — young participants not even aware of the old comic-strip storyline.
However, we concede to those expressing a feminist distaste upon the idea of a woman’s ‘needing’ to be married, at any age. It is a quite antiquated point of view, looking at it now, well into the 21st century. National Sadie Hawkins Day is not for everyone. But it is one of the holidays for November 13, and everyone is free to celebrate or denigrate as they see fit.
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Post by pennmom on Nov 13, 2021 15:35:10 GMT
World Kindness Day – November 13, 2021~U.S.~Canada~Australia~Japan~Italy~India
World Kindness Day is an international holiday that was formed in 1998, to promote kindness throughout the world and is observed annually on November 13 as part of the World Kindness Movement. It is observed in many countries including the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia and the U.A.E. World Kindness Day presents us with the opportunity to reflect upon one of the most important and unifying human principles. On a day devoted to the positive potential of both large and small acts of kindness, try to promote and diffuse this crucial quality that brings people of every kind together.
WHEN IS WORLD KINDNESS DAY 2021? World Kindness Day is celebrated on November 13 every year. It’s an international holiday that is observed in many countries including but not limited to the U.S., Canada, Australia, Italy, and India.
HISTORY OF WORLD KINDNESS DAY World Kindness Day was first introduced as a day of observation by the World Kindness Movement. In 2019, the organization was registered as an official NGO under Swiss law, but the history of the group stretches back to a Tokyo-based convention in 1997. An array of institutions and associations based in countries including Australia, Thailand, the United States, and the United Kingdom had been assembled at this conference because of their dedication to championing kindness in society. The initial configuration of the World Kindness Movement would form as a result of this event, with the written declaration of their inception stating their “pledge to join together to build a kinder and more compassionate world.” In 1998, in pursuit of this aim, they would facilitate the launch of the inaugural World Kindness Day.
The purpose of World Kindness Day as outlined by the World Kindness Movement is “to highlight good deeds in the community focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness which binds us.” Since its creation more than two decades ago, the day has achieved truly global notice; events associated with the day have attracted participants from every inhabited continent. These have included activities such as concerts, dance mobs, and the distribution of “kindness cards.”
While, at present, the day is one of unofficial observance, it remains the hope of the World Kindness Movement to attain official recognition status by the United Nations. Should the group be successful in their efforts, World Kindness Day would join the ranks of recognized days of observance such as International Day of Peace, Human Rights Day, and World Health Day.
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Post by pennmom on Nov 14, 2021 16:39:40 GMT
National Spicy Guacamole Day – November 14, 2021~U.S.
Grab a chip and prepare for some heat: National Spicy Guacamole Day is on November 14. No longer solely the choice of Super Bowls and burritos, spicy guac has been making big moves through the culinary scene! From party dips to burgers and everything in-between, there’s always a reason for spicy guac. So pick some avocados and get mashing!
HISTORY OF NATIONAL SPICY GUACAMOLE DAY On National Guacamole Day, sure, we celebrate the great green goo that is good guac. But on National Spicy Guacamole Day, we’re here specifically for the extra kick that goes with adding chile peppers to that same green stuff. Because if you’ve ever tried chugging water after accidentally biting into a serrano or a jalapeño, you know there’s no rush that comes nearly as close to that feeling that your tongue is going to burn off.
Various global civilizations have been upping the ante in regards to the kick that comes from spicy peppers for centuries. Chile peppers are native to the Middle Americas and Mexico, all the way to the middle of South America and have been a staple in Aztec, Mayan, and Andean cuisine for centuries before the Europeans came and shipped those peppers worldwide. Likewise, in Asia, the Sichuan pepper, which actually creates a numbing sensation rather than a spicy one, has been an integral part of Sichuan cooking for even longer.
By contrast, guacamole, as we know it today, could not have even been possible until at least the 1490s after Columbus made his second journey to the Americas, dropping off Asian spices such as cumin and the Persian lime in the land of avocados. In fact, the dish actually developed out of an Aztec staple that translates to avocado sauce. It was pretty much just mashed avocados and salt. Over time, the dish spread throughout the Americas, and even to Europe, and variations on avocado sauces with add-ins (some of them spicy) eventually led to the classic guac as we know it today.
National Spicy Guacamole Day falls during prime football season, where the stuff is consumed by the pounds on tortilla-chip vessels as a critical game-time snack.
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