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Post by pennmom on Jan 1, 2022 17:44:40 GMT
Solemnity of Mary – January 1, 2022~Other
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Among the Twelve Days of Christmas, the Solemnity of Mary is observed on January 1 every year by the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. It is the eighth day of Christmastide and is a feast to celebrate Mary’s motherhood. It is also known as the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. This holy day sometimes gets forgotten easily amid the New Year celebrations but is one of utmost reverence for people of the Christian faith.
HISTORY OF SOLEMNITY OF MARY
The Catholic Church observes many important feasts during the Twelve Days of Christmas. This includes the feasts of Saint Stephen, Saint John the Apostle, the Holy Innocents, and the Holy  . However, none of these feasts are as important as the one observed on the eighth day of Christmas — the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God.
In the early centuries, Christmas was originally celebrated on January 6, along with the Feast of the Epiphany. After Christmas started to be celebrated with its own day and feast on December 25, the octave or eighth day of Christmas took on a new meaning. Celebrating the feast of the Mother of God, Mary, on January 1, became a common tradition in the East and most of the West. As this holiday was never officially established by the Church in the universal calendar, celebrating the Feast of the Circumcision of Jesus Christ took the place of the Solemnity of Mary on January 1.
When the Novus Ordo was introduced, the liturgical calendar was revised, and the Feast of the Circumcision was sidelined in favor of reviving the ancient practice of the Solemnity of Mary. Thus, January 1 was once again dedicated to the Mother of God, and this time as a universally celebrated feast.
The Church has deemed the Solemnity of Mary a holy day of obligation. This day reminds Christians of the role she played as a Blessed Virgin, which eventually led to their salvation. After all, the birth of Christ wouldn’t have been possible without Mary.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 1, 2022 17:47:07 GMT
Triumph of the Revolution – January 1, 2022~Cuba
Triumph of the Revolution, also known as Liberation Day, is celebrated on January 1 every year to commemorate the victory of the revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro. The Cuban Revolution was an armed rebellion against the military dictatorship of Cuban President Fulgencio Batista. It started in 1953 and ended in 1959 with the triumph of the revolutionaries and the fleeing of the dictator to the U.S. as Castro established his government in Cuba. The day is marked by celebratory military parades, revolutionary poster marches, concerts, and fireworks all over Cuba.
HISTORY OF TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION
Cuba used to be a Spanish colony in the Middle Ages. During the 19th century, independence movements erupted in the area and people started demanding independence from Spain. By this time, the neighbors in the north (the U.S.) were rapidly developing themselves into an industrialized nation and its influence was spreading in its nearby locations. Using the independence movement in Cuba to its advantage, the U.S. started investing in Cuba and supported the anti-Spanish movement. By 1898, both the U.S. and Spain declared war against each other the aftermath of which was Cuban Independence from Spain
In the years to follow, many governments came and fell, and the country was in chaos and turmoil, which led to the initial 1933 revolution that lasted for seven years. Ultimately, in 1940, President Batista came into power and made his government. After finishing his term in 1944, he went to Florida and stayed there until 1952 when his supporters and the military-led a coup d’etat, making Batista President once again. During this time, a then young law student in the making, Fidel Castro, and some of his friends who got influenced by the Marxist-Leninist ideology started working on bringing reforms in the country’s politics by bringing a communist regime.
During the 1950s, as the situation worsened in Cuba after the military coup, Fidel’s call for a nationwide revolution to overthrow Batista’s dictatorship gained momentum. In most of the cases, there were actual armed resistance movements against the dictatorship. Fidel’s men were constantly engaged in Guerilla warfare against the military, and in these encounters to follow, Fidel’s revolutionist agenda gained even greater support as he aligned himself with the USSR. With this came extended support for the revolutionaries in Cuba, and by 1959, the movement that was started by Fidel Castro and his supporters gained its triumph.
On December 31, President Batista fled to the U.S. and hence marked the end of his rule in Cuba. The victorious revolutionaries began their march towards the capital city, Havana on January 1, and ever since, this day has been celebrated as Triumph of the Revolution. Among some prominent changes that were made on this day were that Fidel Castro became the head of the Cuban government and declared Cuba a Communist State. This said the day is celebrated every year with jubilant enthusiasm. There are concerts staged in all parts of the country, military parades in the capital, and fireworks in the evening.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 1, 2022 17:51:47 GMT
Universal Hour of Peace – January 1, 2022~International
Universal Hour of Peace, which is marked on January 1 every year, is an important day because it draws attention toward building peaceful relations among different groups and states. Today, countries invest in developing sophisticated and lethal weapons that can obliterate entire cities in a blast. Universal Hour of Peace seeks to convince people everywhere that peace is more sustainable than violence, and less expensive.
HISTORY OF UNIVERSAL HOUR OF PEACE
Dr. Barbara O’Guinn Condron of the School of Metaphysics came up with the idea of Universal Hour of Peace, calling on leaders in government, education, and business to proclaim an hour of peaceful thought and action. Today, it has become an international celebration of peace, tolerance, and cooperation. The main idea is to start the new year with peace and love: soldiers refrain for an hour from shooting and people try their best to avoid getting into unnecessary fights and arguments.
The United Nations also plays a vital role in promoting global peace and cooperation. When the Second World War ended, the United Nations was established to promote peace through cooperation between the member countries. All the member countries agreed to resolve international conflicts through negotiations instead of violence. Protection of fundamental human rights is also an integral part of maintaining peace and equality in the world. The U.N. has also been working toward the implementation of those international laws that strengthen the national security of developing countries.
The idea of self-organized peace has gained a lot of popularity in recent times. According to this concept, world peace can be achieved through the support of an effective, self-organized community or network. One of the key elements of this theory is ‘acceptance and diversity.’ All people should be treated the same, irrespective of their culture, religion, age, or ethnicity. Various social networks and online communities have also emerged in recent times to support the concept of self-organized peace.
World Day of Peace – January 1, 2022~International
World Day of Peace, celebrated on January 1 every year, is primarily a Catholic feast day dedicated to universal peace on the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. On this occasion, Popes generally make authoritative declarations on the Catholic Social Teachings (C.S.T.). The theme of the feast has always been about creating a culture of care. The Pope and the Vatican Church stress the need to care and share tolerance for each other, and to create a society that focuses on good moral values and does not yield to the temptation to disregard others. The benefits of a peaceful society have been the emphasis of every year’s World Day of Peace.
HISTORY OF WORLD DAY OF PEACE
World Day of Peace began in 1967 when Pope Paul VI announced that the world needs to be sensitized and oriented for peace and understanding. Inspired by the papal letters “Pacem in Terris” and “Populorum Progressio”, the Pope recommended that the church play a greater role in our search for world peace, and so this day, January 1, was appointed as a holy day to celebrate efforts for world peace.
According to the letters “Pacem in Terris” and “Populorum Progressio,” the Church and the Pope would focus on working toward achieving peace by developing order in four major areas: The relationship of an individual with other human beings, the relationship of an individual with particular states, the relationship of states among states, and the relationship of individuals and states with the worldwide community. The church determined that in order to achieve actual peace, a culture of understanding and tolerance must be developed, beginning from the individual up to the state and then the global level.
Though the main theme of World Day of Peace does not change (creating a culture of care), Keeping the main theme around every year’s observance of World Day of Peace fixated around the concept of creating a culture of care, the sub-themes changes every year to match the needs and rising issues of that year. The sub-theme for 2020 was ‘Hope,’ which came as a tribute to the world’s suffering from COVID-19.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 1, 2022 17:54:01 GMT
Z Day – January 1, 2022~International
Z Day is a mysterious yet intriguing day that occurs every January 1. Z Day is not zombies’ day. It’s a day when the alphabetical order is reversed, and those whose names begin with the letter Z come first in all matters of alphabet sequence. If your name is always called out last on the register because it starts with Z, today it’s going to be the other way around. Did you know, around 300 B.C., the letter Z was removed from the alphabet because it was considered useless?! Thankfully, it was returned to the alphabet, so that people named Zack didn’t have to be renamed Gack or Rack or Sack.
HISTORY OF Z DAY
The letter Z is the 26th and final letter of the modern English alphabet. It has different pronunciations in the different English dialects. In British English, spoken in the U.K. and Australia, it’s pronounced /zed/. In American English, it’s pronounced /zee/. In Hong Kong English and Cantonese, Z is pronounced /izzard/.
The seventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet is called ‘zayin’ and is used to represent the sounds /z/ and /dz/. ‘Zayin’ in Semitic means ‘weapon’ or ‘sword.’
The ancient Greeks copied their form of Z from the Phoenician ‘zayin,’ and it was called zeta. It had different pronunciations in the different Greek dialects. In the dialect spoken in Athens and Northwest Greece, it was pronounced /dz/, but later changed to represent /zd/ and /dz/ in the 4th century B.C. The Elean and Cretan dialects pronounced it as the English voiced and voiceless /th/.
The Latin version of Z was adopted from Etruscan Z and pronounced as /ts/. However, around 300 B.C., the sound /z/ was changed to /r/due to a process called rhotacism. It was then dropped from the Latin alphabet by the Roman Censor Appius Claudius Caecus. Its place in the alphabet was replaced with the new letter G. Later in the 1st century, Z was reintroduced to the Latin alphabet, along with the letter Y.
Before Z became the final letter of the modern English alphabet, there was a twenty-seventh letter, &. The symbol “&,” pronounced as “and,” was recited in Latin as “per se.” From being recited as “X, Y, Z, and per se and,” it became “X, Y, Z, ampersand.”
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Post by pennmom on Jan 1, 2022 17:55:58 GMT
Diet Resolution Week – January 1-7, 2022~U.S.
Diet Resolution Week is celebrated from January 1 – January 7 every year. The first week of the year makes it the perfect time to make a resolution to diet and eat healthily. It is never too late to start eating healthy. Making a change in our diet can go a long way when it comes to increasing our quality of life and having more energy as we get older. It improves our physical health and our overall mental wellbeing. Watching what we eat is an important part of taking care of ourselves.
HISTORY OF DIET RESOLUTION WEEK
An English doctor called George Cheyne started the first public diet. He consumed large quantities of rich food and drink which made him overweight. Cheyne began a meatless diet that included only milk and vegetables. This diet helped him become healthy. George Cheyne publicly recommended his diet as a solution for obesity. In 1724, he published his work “An Essay of Health and Long Life” where he recommended healthy lifestyle choices like exercise, getting fresh air, and avoiding rich foods.
In 1797, John Rollo, a Scottish military surgeon, published his work “Notes of a Diabetic Case.” Rolo wrote about how a meat diet can be beneficial to those who have diabetes. This diet was developed for those suffering from Type 2 Diabetes.
In 1863, an Englishman called William Banting wrote a booklet called “Letter on Corpulence, Addressed to the Public.” Banting advertised his version of a healthy diet, popularly known as ‘Banting’. This diet comprised four meals per day which included meat, greens, fruits, and dry wine. William Banting aimed to create a no-carb diet that we are all now familiar with. He eliminated foods like sugar, starch, beer, milk, and butter. This pamphlet was contemporary and relevant for years beyond William Banting’s time. Modern diets have also been inspired by his diet. Banting became popular for a cool advertising gimmick in the form of a question on the pamphlet saying, “Do you bant?”. This catchphrase popularized the diet plan.
In 1918, Lulu Hunt Peters wrote her book, “Diet and Health: With Key to the Calories.” This became the first weight-loss book to achieve bestseller status. It was also the first weight-loss book that promoted counting calories.
It was estimated that over 1000 weight-loss diets have been developed by 2014.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 1, 2022 18:11:39 GMT
Teen Driving Awareness Month – January 2022~U.S.
Teen Driving Awareness Month is observed every year in January to spread awareness about teen driving and the risks associated with it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (C.D.C.) reports that every day, six teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 die in car crashes. This roughly equates to 2,100 teenagers dying every year. We can certainly play our part in preventing such cases. Teen Driving Awareness Month is celebrated as a full month every year to spread awareness about the issue.
California Dried Plum Digestive Month – January 2022~U.S.
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California Dried Plum Digestive Month, celebrated in January every year, is nothing short of a special tribute to these specially dried plums, also called prunes. Did you know that consuming dried plums regularly can reduce your risk of several chronic diseases? Plums are extremely nutritious with a variety of health benefits. The fruit contains antioxidants that can reduce inflammation and protect your cells from any damage. The delectable prune is great for our elderly parents and grandparents. This special day encourages all Californians to learn more about the health benefits of California dried plums.
Walk Your Dog Month – January 2022~U.S.
January is Walk Your Dog Month. Get up off that sofa, get moving, and don’t let those sub-zero winter temperatures drag you down. Dogs need plenty of exercise throughout the year and the best way to keep them active in winter is to take them for regular walks. Even a short walk around the block on a cold day makes a big difference. So, begin this year with a pledge — better health for you and your dog!
Unchain a Dog Month – January 2022~U.S.
Every dog has his day or month and that month is here! January is Unchain a Dog Month. There is nothing a dog likes better than being free. These beautiful creatures thrive on the love and companionship of their human friends. Being tethered for long hours is detrimental to their physical and psychological health. Unfortunately, many dogs across the globe live in chains, in backyards, in cramped spaces, sometimes battling extreme cold or heat. Unchain A Dog Month was created to spread awareness about these conditions. So, encourage people to bring the dogs in this winter. A home is where they belong.
National Train Your Dog Month – January 2022~U.S.
Dogs come trained in loyalty, unconditional love, and friendship. It’s only the easy stuff that they need to learn. True, teaching all the other stuff can be daunting but all we need is the right advice at the right time. How does the beginning of the year sound? January is National Train Your Dog Month. It’s a time when trainers, dog owners, and canine experts come together to celebrate their love for their furry friends by sharing what they know. The internet and social media become a treasure trove of information, tips, and advice. All due to a movement started by the Association of Pet Dog Trainers many years ago.
Thyroid Awareness Month – January 2022~World
The thyroid is a small gland responsible for producing hormones that play a crucial role in many of the body’s systems — from cells and tissues, to organs like the heart, brain, liver, and kidneys. Dysfunction occurs when the thyroid produces either too much or too little thyroid hormone. Either can disrupt healthy functioning of vital organs — leading to a wide range of symptoms. The good news? Once diagnosed and treated, it’s entirely possible to live a normal, healthy life.
Bread Machine Baking Month – January 2022~U.S.
Bread Machine Baking Month, celebrated in January every year, is a treat for all the bread machine owners in America. Did you know that there are around 25 million bread machine owners in the U.S.? Yes, in the cold month of January, people in the U.S. use their bread machines to bake hot, fresh loaves of bread. So, let’s deep dive into the world of warm, crusty homemade loaves of bread!
Cervical Health Awareness Month – January 2022~U.S.
Cervical Health Awareness Month is marked every year in January to encourage women to be more attentive to their health. Cervical health is one aspect of health that many women neglect throughout their lives. By becoming more knowledgeable about this, women can detect any health issues at an early stage and get access to the best treatment.
National Glaucoma Awareness Month – January 2022~U.S.
Glaucoma’s one of the leading causes of vision loss and blindness. It’s actually a group of diseases where pressure (usually) builds up and damages the eye’s optic nerve. National Glaucoma Awareness Month, in January, reminds all of us to get regular eye exams and show support for those suffering. Types of this disease include open–angle glaucoma, which causes peripheral eyesight to slowly diminish, angle–closure glaucoma, where pressure on the iris interferes with fluid draining, and low–tension glaucoma, which actually occurs without elevated pressure on the eye. There’s currently no way to restore vision lost from glaucoma.
International Brain Teaser Month – January 2022~International
International Brain Teaser Month is in January. We’ve got an arsenal of puzzles and hope you’re ready to go. What has a ring but no finger? What is harder to catch the faster you run? If puzzles like these make your brain jump for joy, imagine an entire month of mental stimulation.
Everyone loves a great brain teaser. Few things can compare to the utter satisfaction after solving a complex riddle. We should indulge more often, since brain teasers are exercises for the mind.
People tend to focus on keeping the body healthy. But what are the ways we can keep our wits sharp? Mental stimulation is just as crucial to our health. Puzzles and riddles are known to prevent cognitive decline, especially as we age. International Brainteaser Month hopes to encourage everyone to challenge their minds more often.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 2, 2022 20:29:19 GMT
Run Up the Flagpole and See If Anyone Salutes Day – January 2, 2022~U.S.
Run Up the Flagpole and See If Anyone Salutes Day falls on January 2 every year. It’s quite fitting for this day to occur at the start of a new year as the phrase, “Run Up the Flagpole and See If Anyone Salutes,” means to test out new ideas. You could have a million ideas buzzing through your head, but it’s advisable to go to someone and get genuine feedback, and this will help you take the next step to flesh them out in detail.
HISTORY OF RUN UP THE FLAGPOLE AND SEE IF ANYONE SALUTES DAY
We always have ideas running in our minds — a style makeover, a professional project, a personal hobby — but we often worry about how others will receive the idea. We fear rejection and criticism. However, we can always rely on a trusted source to run our ideas by and see if they fly.
Run up the Flagpole and See if Anyone Salutes Day celebrates the phrase to describe this very process. The phrase gained popularity in the United States between 1950 to 1960. It was widely used in advertising and print media, linked to the advertising agencies in Madison Avenue, New York City, where ad professionals often sat to brainstorm and then spitball their ideas. In that same period, comedians started using it to mock corporate culture, and now, it’s considered cliché. There are similar phrases that mushroomed later, expressing the same concept, such as “Send up a trial balloon,” or “Throw it against the wall and see if it sticks,” or “Drop it in the pool and see if it makes a splash.”
On this special day, be your most creative self. Seize this opportunity to generally test new concepts. This holiday exists for people to share new ideas and try new things. Aim to celebrate it by doing just that, and don’t let your fears hold you back. The worst that could happen is you will come up with a new, improved idea. It doesn’t even have to be serious business or career ideas. Try out a new outfit or a different hairstyle, or get humorous with it and buy a new flag to run up your local flagpole, and see if anyone notices!
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Post by pennmom on Jan 2, 2022 20:31:32 GMT
World Introvert Day – January 2, 2022~International
Introverts worldwide get to celebrate World Introvert Day on January 2, the day after the dreaded festivities of the past year ends, when they can finally get some peace and quiet to recharge their social batteries. World Introvert Day is recognized as a day to understand the many introverts around the world better — the one holiday best celebrated, not by throwing a party, but by canceling one. It is the perfect day to celebrate introverts by leaving them alone and giving them the space they need.
HISTORY OF WORLD INTROVERT DAY
Introverts prefer calm environments and limited social engagements and are most happy in their own company. World Introvert Day was brought to life by the popular German psychologist and author of the free e-book “Happily Introverted Ever After,” Felicitas Heyne.
On September 20, 2011, Heyne wrote a blog post titled “Here’s Why We Need a World Introvert Day” on her website “iPersonic.” It was this article that kick-started the gears leading to the first World Introvert Day. In the article, she said that it was high time the world’s awareness was sharpened to the distinctiveness of introverts. She highlighted some of the discrimination introverts face because of their reclusiveness and bemoaned the under-appreciation of introverts by general society. Heyne suggested that World Introvert Day be created and celebrated on January 2, a date she chose because introverts around the world draw a collective deep breath at the end of the draining holiday marathon that starts with Christmas and ends on New Year.
Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung was one of the first people to define introversion as a concept in a psychological context. In his 1921 book, “Psychological Types,” he theorized that every human being falls into two categories — introvert or extrovert — and compared introverts to the ancient Greek god Apollo, who shines a light on understanding. He claimed that introverts are focused on the internal world of reflection, dreaming, and vision, which could make them uninterested in joining the activities of others. Since then, more psychologists have developed more expansive theories about introverts and introversion.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 2, 2022 20:33:51 GMT
Swiss Cheese Day – January 2, 2022~U.S.
Swiss Cheese Day is celebrated on January 2 every year, and we couldn’t be happier about it. This beloved smelly and holey cheese has stolen the hearts of many around the world. Swiss Cheese is a yellow, medium-hard cheese originating from around Emmental in Switzerland. Did you know that not all Swiss cheeses have holes? Since the holes in Swiss cheese are called ‘eyes,’ those without holes are ‘blind Swiss Cheese.’
HISTORY OF SWISS CHEESE DAY
Swiss cheese as we know it was first manufactured in the 1300s in the West Central Region of Switzerland, also known as the Emmental area. This is why Swiss Cheese is also known as Emmental cheese. In fact, if you ever go to Europe and want some Swiss cheese, you’d have to ask for Emmental cheese, or you’d only get blank stares.
Since the 1300s, the Emmental area has remained great for pastures on which local farmers graze their cattle. The milk obtained from these cows is used to produce the Swiss cheese we all know and love today. Farmers in Emmental don’t keep more than 20 cows at a time so that they can take care of them more thoroughly. Over time, cheese has become synonymous with Emmental. Around the 1800s, the first Swiss cheese diaries made their way out of Switzerland and into the world. Today, Swiss cheese is available throughout the world, but the best of them can still be found in the plains of Emmental, where farmers carefully select their cows’ diet to get the best flavor of the cheese.
The origin of cheese actually predates recorded history, making it an ancient food. The earliest records of cheese-making date back to 5500 B.C. in what is now Poland. Archeologists have even found evidence of Egyptian cheese dating back to 2000 B.C. No one is sure who first thought to turn milk into cheese, but we’re certainly thankful for them. If you believe the ancient Greeks, the culture god Aristaeus was the first to discover cheese. The story goes that he learned how to make milk into cheese from some nymphs. That might explain why cheese tastes so heavenly and decadent.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 2, 2022 20:35:49 GMT
Saint Basil's Day – January 2, 2022~International
Saint Basil’s Day is annually celebrated on January 1 in the Eastern Churches, on January 2 in the Western Churches, and on January 14 in churches that follow the Julian calendar. It starts with a divine liturgy in honor of the Byzantine bishop of Caesarea, after a matin service on the morning of the feast. On the evening before St. Basil’s Day, Great Vespers is conducted. The Father of Communal Monasticisms, St. Basil is the patron saint for hospital administrators and reformers and the region of Cappadocia in Turkey.
HISTORY OF SAINT BASIL'S DAY
St. Basil was on his journey to becoming a lawyer and teacher when he suddenly felt drawn towards religious life. He traveled across Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and Mesopotamia, visiting monks before returning to Caesarea in Cappadocia, Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). He left again for the Iris River in Pontus, where his mother and sister, Macrina the Younger, were already treading the path of ascetical life. Owing to the positive influence of his sister, he embraced this life and abandoned his worldly career.
By 358 A.D., he started gathering like-minded disciples, including his brother. They founded a monastic settlement on his ’s estate near Annes. His mother and sister, along with other women, devoted themselves to a life of prayer and charity. When the bishop of his country resigned around 370, St. Basil was elected his successor. The Church of Christ was entrusted to him from then on, and he tended it for eight years, living in voluntary poverty and asceticism. He defended holy Orthodoxy against the Arian heresy as a worthy successor of the Apostles. His principles have a significant influence on Eastern monasticism today.
On January 1, families gather to share ‘Vasilopita’ or ‘St. Basil’s bread,’ a sweet bread in which a coin is placed. The person who gets the slice of bread with the coin inside will have good luck in the coming year. The head of the household makes a cross sign over the bread, cuts the first one in offering to Christ, and the second and third slices to St. Basil and the Virgin Mary. The next piece is for the head of the household, and the remaining portions are distributed evenly among the remaining members from eldest to youngest. Greeks also celebrate this day by singing carols and incorporating other customs that bring good luck.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 2, 2022 20:37:47 GMT
National Science Fiction Day – January 2, 2022~U.S.
When it comes to fiction writing, the stories are only limited by one’s imagination. And no matter what type of fiction stories you like, chances are a few of them involve some sort of science fiction topics. If so, National Science Fiction Day on January 2 is the perfect day to celebrate this type of story.
Science fiction touches so many different areas of literature that most people can find one area that they love. Science fiction can include stories based in space with aliens like E.T. or space battles like Star Wars. The genre also can include time travel, such as H. G. Wells famous book, The Time Machine, or the Doctor Who franchise. Even super hero movies can involve science fiction. After all, who would believe a talking raccoon as in Guardians of the Galaxy or the rock-like skin of the Thing in the Fantastic Four without the science fiction angle?
So if you’re fascinated by the unknown and by the possibilities of what science can bring in the future, you probably would be – or already are – a fan of science fiction. And that’s why National Science Fiction Day is the perfect day to celebrate all of these different books, movies, and television shows. You may not love sci-fi enough to consume its stories every day, but this special day is a great opportunity to spark your imagination!
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Post by pennmom on Jan 2, 2022 20:39:34 GMT
National Personal Trainer Awareness Day – January 2, 2022~U.S.
National Personal Trainer Awareness Day is an annual day of observance on January 2, when many people start working toward their New Year fitness resolutions. Personal trainers guide, motivate, and train you to exercise correctly. Without them, many injuries can happen due to bad form or incorrect use of the equipment, so they are a vital, often overlooked part of society. Personal trainers should get the credit they deserve for the great work they do.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL PERSONAL TRAINER AWARENESS DAY
Right before the new year is the festive season that leads to overindulgence in sweets and food, so fitness is often at the top of our list of resolutions. This is where personal trainers come in to help us safely achieve our health and fitness goals and make our resolutions a reality.
In the early 2000s, two fitness professionals, Jim Labadie and Joey Atlas saw a significant spike in gym membership subscriptions tied to New Year Resolutions, which usually led to personal trainers’ lives becoming extremely swamped. Labadie and Atlas conceived this holiday as an opportunity to say  to the hard-working trainers who turn their lives upside down at the start of each year to help us reach our fitness goals. According to Labadie and Atlas, personal trainers put plenty of effort into planning, analysis, and consideration, to make sure the hard work of each individual amounts to something. National Personal Trainer Awareness Day highlights the benefits of a personal trainer to the chances of sticking to your fitness routine and achieving your fitness goals.
Over the years, personal training has evolved, and the advent of technology has played a considerable role. Personal training is no longer restricted to in-person training in gyms or homes; it has moved online. The trainers are also thinking of ways to provide the best digital training without impacting the final goal. They form digital membership platforms that boost accountability and post online workout videos for their members.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 2, 2022 20:42:38 GMT
Motivation and Inspiration Day – January 2, 2022~U.S.
National Motivation and Inspiration Day is annually celebrated on January 2 in the United States of America. It is a day to sober up after all the festivities of New Year’s Eve and really get to work on those resolutions. At the start of each new year, we all swear to heaven, and beyond that, that this is the year we will achieve our set goals and improve ourselves in general. Motivation and Inspiration Day is the perfect day to get off your butt and start working towards that. It is also a day to remember the tragic events of 9/11 in the U.S. and get a renewed focus in your daily life.
HISTORY OF MOTIVATION AND INSPIRATION DAY
Motivation and Inspiration Day came to existence through the efforts of a motivational speaker in the United States, Kevin L. McCrudden, popularly known as “Mr. Motivation” and “America’s Chief Motivation Officer.” He used his company, Motivate America, Inc. to push for the establishment of January 2 as National Motivation and Inspiration Day.
On September 11, 2001, the United States was a victim of coordinated terrorist attacks by the militant terrorist group known as al-Qaeda. These attacks led to the death of almost 3,000 Americans, and the entire country was in a state of mourning and grief. McCrudden advocated the creation of a special day for motivation and inspiration after seeing the effect of the 9/11 attacks on people’s morale. He wanted a day to honor the loss, appreciate life, and acknowledge the importance of motivation and inspiration in our daily lives. He said that through all the loss, grief, and despair after the tragic events of 9/11, he saw Americans working side-by-side to accomplish amazing things. Every year, Motivate America chooses a few Americans to be recipients of The American Motivation Awards, which honors motivational, inspirational, and patriotic leaders in America.
On December 18, 2001, the U.S. Congress passed a bill, “H.Res.308,” making National Motivation and Inspiration Day official in the United States. The U.S. Congress agreed that motivation and inspiration played important roles in the greatest achievements of civilized society and that the beginning of the year was the perfect time for reflection, planning, and goal setting.
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pennmom
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Post by pennmom on Jan 2, 2022 20:45:00 GMT
National Cream Puff Day – January 2, 2022~U.S.
National Cream Puff Day is on January 2. These light, airy, cream-filled desserts make our hearts sing. Other desserts may come and go, but we’re team cream puffs forever. And with good reason, might we add.
Cream puffs are a classic; they ooze elegance. The dessert transports us to quaint Parisian cafes, sometimes even farther back in time to Renaissance Europe. Cream puffs are delectable bites of history. We’re glad someone else felt the same way and called for a National Cream Puff Day. Whoever you are, we’re eternally grateful.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL CREAM PUFF DAY
The history of cream puffs is a mystery. Culinary historians remain divided, and nobody can agree on who invented this wonderful dessert. What we do know is that the story began somewhere in Europe.
Like all great recipes, this one was passed along by word of mouth — from one pastry chef’s kitchen to the next and eventually crossing international borders.
One theory suggests that Catherine de Medici’s cook invented it. Stories of the legendary pastry made the rounds at her royal court of France. But the account is very likely a myth: Pastry chefs in Renaissance France were already experimenting with dough mixtures of flour, egg, fat, and water. It’s a mixture we would come to know as choux pastry. Others say the origins of the cream puff go back to the Middle Ages. Long before the Medicis and the Renaissance period, French cooks of the 13th century were making puff pastries with delicious cheese and herb fillings.
By the 14th century, cooks were whipping up different versions of cream buns. From pate feuillettée in France to the butter-basted puffs of the English — the pastry comprised the same basic mixture of flour, egg, water, and fat.
The four-ingredient mixture has remained a constant, but how cooks prepare and bake the mix gave rise to different names: puff, profiterole, choux, and buns.
Puff pastries became a culinary phenomenon by the 19th century. Each one had distinct meaning and characteristics. Around this time, the cream puff we know and love became known in pastry circles as the profiterole.
Making cream puffs was an art. Elegant Victorian dinner parties often featured cream puffs in elaborate designs. Sometimes, cooks would make pyramids of tiny, delicate cream puffs that guests could have with after-dinner tea or coffee. In the United States, the first documented mention of the cream puff dates to 1851, at the Revere House Restaurant in Boston.
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pennmom
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Post by pennmom on Jan 2, 2022 20:48:14 GMT
Happy Mew Year for Cats Day – January 2, 2022~U.S.
We all know our feline friends treat every day as if it were their special holiday. With all the praise and attention they receive, it’s hard to fathom how we could love them even more! However, there really is a day when cat lovers around the nation pay extra attention to their kitties. It’s Happy Mew Year for Cats Day on January 2nd. Not only does this day give us a reason to slip a little more catnip to our furry felines, it also gives cats in need the chance for a fresh start.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 2, 2022 20:50:21 GMT
55 mph Speed Limit Day – January 2, 2022~U.S.
55 mph Speed Limit Day is observed on January 2 to remember former U.S. President Nixon’s 55 mph speed limit proclamation. If you drove a car in the United States between 1974 and 1995, you had to adhere to this law unless you were a daredevil rule breaker. In 1974, President Nixon signed the wildly controversial law intending to cut down gas usage in America and make roads safer. Two categories of people celebrate 55 mph Speed Limit Day: the first and most popular category remember the former nationwide speed limit with fondness and believe it should be reinstated; the second category did not experience the limit but agree that it would do some good today. Regardless of your thoughts on the speed limit, 55 mph Speed Limit Day is a day to think about road safety and energy conservation and make smarter and safer decisions on the road.
HISTORY OF 55 MPH SPEED LIMIT DAY
In the “first oil crisis” of 1973, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries proclaimed an oil embargo on nations perceived to be supporting Israel. This category included the United States. The domestic oil production in the United States had no hope of meeting the increasing oil demand, so President Richard Nixon proposed that a national speed limit be set at 50 mph for passenger vehicles and 55 mph for trucks and buses, in a bid to reduce the gas usage of Americans. Before this, states set their own speed limits.
The U.S. Congress passed the Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act, including a National Maximum Speed Limit of 55 mph on all four-lane highways. On January 2, 1974, President Nixon signed the bill into law, which became effective 60 days later. States had to agree to the limit or risk losing federal funding for highway repair. However, it had very low compliance across the United States. In states like New York and Nevada, the non-compliance rate was as high as 83%. This was made worse when some states, in an act of rebellion perhaps, reduced speeding fines and minimized the law’s impact. Arizona, Idaho, Montana, and Nevada replaced traditional speeding tickets with “energy wasting fines” of $5 to $15 as long as drivers did not exceed the speed limit that was in effect before the 55mph federal requirement.
In 1995, the U.S. Congress lifted all federal speed limit controls in the National Highway System Designation Act, returning the power of setting speed limits back to the states. Most states reverted to the speed limits they had in place before the 1974 proclamation.
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pennmom
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Post by pennmom on Jan 2, 2022 20:52:42 GMT
National Buffet Day – January 2, 2022~U.S.
National Buffet Day on January 2 is the perfect excuse to fill your plate and feast. Let’s be real – food unites us all. The ingenuity of buffets is the endless variety on offer. A good buffet is like getting all of the presents on your Christmas-wish-list. Every member of the is left satisfied and you leave feeling like you won’t need to eat again for at least a week. National Buffet Day is for those who can never decide what they want from the menu, for those who enjoy a plate piled high, and for those who just love to eat.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL BUFFET DAY
The buffet table itself derives from the Brannvinsbord, a type of Swedish beverage table from the 16th Century. This was a buffet system where women and men ate in different rooms but still had an array of food to choose from. In the 18th century, the modern buffet began appearing as a smorgasbord. The smorgasbord was initially a table where pre-dinner drinks and nibbles were served to a group of guests separately from the main dinner, but over time people started to use it to serve the main meal too.
The word ‘buffet’’ actually originates from a type of French sideboard used to serve food. It was used in the 17th century by French men who would unexpectedly arrive at the home of women they wanted to woo, and it was simply a piece of furniture. It became popular in the second half of the 20th century long after the smorgasbord. The word buffet was much easier to pronounce in the English-speaking world and was considerably easier to remember.
It was 1939 when Swedish entrants at the New York World’s Fair exhibition debuted and displayed a smorgasbord while displaying the best of Swedish food to lots of visitors attending that year. From then onwards, the smorgasbord was popular in New York and the word ‘‘buffet’’ was being used to describe it.
In the 1940s the American buffet began in Las Vegas. The Buckaroo Buffet was created by Herb McDonald with people choosing what they would eat from a range of food, a ploy used to keep people inside casinos for longer. The buffet expanded all over the country and in the 1980s, TV commercials for buffets were commonplace.
The buffet’s popularity has declined a little in recent years but they will always hold a special place in our hearts. January 2 is the day to go to a buffet and make the most of what is on offer.
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pennmom
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Post by pennmom on Jan 2, 2022 20:55:45 GMT
Someday We'll Laugh About This Week – January 2-8, 2022~U.S.
Someday We’ll Laugh About This Week is celebrated every year from January 2 to 8 to begin the year on a happy note. It’s a time to leave the old behind and make way for the new. Only when we can look back, laugh at, and change our perspectives can we move on. The improved outlook will help us see the world differently and adopt a more positive approach.
HISTORY OF SOMEDAY WE'LL LAUGH ABOUT THIS WEEK
It’s a funny mystery who created this week-long celebration, but it indeed falls at the right time to bring much-needed laughter into everyone’s lives. People often make choices they regret, only to later laugh about it, or they do something embarrassing but are too flushed to see the humor in the moment. It’s never wrong to laugh at ourselves; it only helps us accept ourselves the way we are because if we don’t, we can’t expect other people. Someday We’ll Laugh About This Week encourages people to put their past worries in the past by laughing at them and moving on. The very fact that this celebration falls in the first week of a new year is a sign that “in with the new and out with the old,” with a laugh.
Laughter is often spontaneous and triggered by conversations or events. It exists in humans from the first few months of life, even in deaf or blind babies. Laughter transcends both socio-cultural and species divides since it has been observed in other great apes. The evolution of laughter can be traced back to about 10 to 16 million years ago.
Laughter has so many health benefits that have been proven by science. In 1964, author Norman Cousins developed a treatment for his ankylosing spondylitis and collagen disease, which included large doses of Vitamin C and laughter induced by comedy films. Sigmund Freud has also theorized that laughter releases tension and “psychic energy.” Even academic works have used humor and laughter as their topics. A notable contribution to this is Henri Bergson’s twentieth-century “Laughter: An Essay on the Meaning of the Comic.”
With laughter playing such an important role in our lives, it is equally important to celebrate a week of laughing at ourselves and letting loose. Laughter is indeed the best medicine.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 3, 2022 10:28:37 GMT
JRR Tolkien Day – January 3, 2022~U.S.
J.R.R. Tolkien Day on January 3 is “The Lord of the Rings” author’s birthday and you’re encouraged to toast him in celebration. You may remember from the story that Frodo toasts his Uncle Bilbo on Bilbo’s birthday every year. Now, over sixty years after the trilogy’s original publication, The Tolkien Society asks fans to honor Tolkien’s birth, which itself was January 3, 1892. Come up with a few words of adulation on your own, or use the official Society phrase: “The Professor!” If you want to celebrate J.R.R. Tolkien Day with a few extra meals in addition to the toast, in true hobbit fashion, Frodo would certainly approve!
HISTORY OF JRR TOLKIEN DAY
Aside from the fact that “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” directly influenced the entire fantasy genre and opened the door for the creativity of writers like David Eddings, Robert Jordan, and Ursula K. LeGuin, among many more, many critics describe Tolkien’s magnum opus as an allegory combining the horrors of World War I with the sweeping societal change of pastoral life’s gradual crumbling under the weight of industrialism. Respectively, think of the sweeping battle scenes in LOTR, and then the hazy summer of the Shire compared with the blighted, tree-bare landscape of Saruman’s domain.
The clash of these opposing worldviews and the way Tolkien masterfully depicted it, amplified by the series of Peter Jackson films and their visual splendor, make it no surprise that the Tolkien Society, founded in 1969, is still around today.
The author interacted with the Society in its early days, his assistant phoning their leadership in 1972 after they sent him a container of top-shelf tobacco in honor of his becoming a Commander of the Order of the British Empire; she said that he’d considered the gift to be the highest honor of the whole to-do.
Of course, it was the Tolkien Society that declared their commitment to publicly celebrate Tolkien’s birthday with a toast each year on January 3. So after breakfast is out of the way, along with “second breakfast” and “elevensies,” lunch, and a puff of Longbottom Leaf, have a friend over and drink to the juggernaut of fantasy fiction. The professor!
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Post by pennmom on Jan 3, 2022 10:32:44 GMT
Women Rock! Day – January 3, 2022~U.S.
Women Rock! Day is celebrated on January 3 every year. It is a day to specially honor the many brilliant women who contributed to the rock genre and caused giant waves in the world of music. These women paved the way for future generations by breaking into male-dominated spaces. On this day, we pay tribute to the many female musicians who were pioneers in their own right.
HISTORY OF WOMEN ROCK! DAY
From famous solo artists like Grace Slick and Janis Joplin to female rock bands like The Runaways, who helped set the stage for female artists to perform freely, many women have created a niche and assumed their rightful position within the mainstream rock scene. The queen of rock ‘n’ roll, Tina Turner, whose career began in the mid-’50s, performed for more than half a century before retiring in 2009. She has sold more than 200 million records worldwide — one of the best-selling recording artists of all time.
In the 1960s, Janis Joplin became one of the first female artists to overturn the ‘girl singer’ stereotype in folk and pop music. She fused rock and blues into her music and influenced many artists. Joplin’s career shot to success in 1967 when she performed with Big Brother and The Holding Company at the Monterey Pop Festival. Unfortunately, she passed away soon after. Pat Benatar was one of the first women to contribute to the genre of hard rock. In 1979, she released her first album titled “In the Heat of the Night,” which shot her to instant fame. Her subsequent albums solidified her position as one of the most famous rock acts, and she became one of the first and most frequently played artists on MTV in 1981. Around the same time, Chrissie Hynde, after many unsuccessful attempts to get her name out there, was chosen by a record label owner based on her demo tape. The label put her in a band with a few others, and they became known as ‘The Pretenders.’ Their self-titled debut album was released in 1979, and the band became one of the forerunners of the ‘80s New Wave movement. It isn’t possible to talk about rock music without mentioning Joan Jett. After breaking out of one of the first female rock bands in the ‘70s, The Runaways, Jett went on to have an even more successful career with her own band, The Blackhearts. They released their first album in 1981, titled “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll,” and it became a super hit.
On January 3, 1987, Aretha Franklin, famously called the queen of soul, became the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Women Rock! Day has been celebrated on every anniversary of this event since then.
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. However, none of these feasts are as important as the one observed on the eighth day of Christmas — the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. 
to the hard-working trainers who turn their lives upside down at the start of each year to help us reach our fitness goals. According to Labadie and Atlas, personal trainers put plenty of effort into planning, analysis, and consideration, to make sure the hard work of each individual amounts to something. National Personal Trainer Awareness Day highlights the benefits of a personal trainer to the chances of sticking to your fitness routine and achieving your fitness goals.