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Post by pennmom on Jan 20, 2022 17:16:29 GMT
Get To know Your Customers Day – January 20, 2022~U.S.
Every year on the third Thursday of January, April, July, and October, businesses go the extra mile to delight their customers on Get to Know Your Customers Day. Customers are certainly the lifeline of any business so setting aside four days each year to get to know them, as opposed to just one, indicates the importance of keeping customers top of mind. And, we’ve all experienced being that customer, multiple times per week or even per day, when we purchase goods and services. Every Get to Know Your Customers Day brings new opportunities for businesses to better understand their customer base and increase their trust and loyalty.
HISTORY OF GET TO KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS DAY
While the origin of Get to Know Your Customers Day is unknown, the significance of its purpose is fully understood. Businesses thrive on the repeated patronage of their customers. Get to Know Your Customers Day is the quarterly reminder that prompts companies to understand the needs and opinions of their customer base.
Study after study clearly links a business’ success to the opinions and loyalty of its customers. Customer behaviors driven by both positive and negative experiences are predictable so taking time throughout the year to gain their perspectives is critical to success.
Customers who experience excellent service and are loyal to a brand, service or business are willing to pay more for that service or product.
On the contrary, bad customer experiences lead to not only the loss of a single customer but, more frequently in today’s digitally social world, damage to your company’s reputation. Consider these statistics of customers who have experienced poor service:
47% will stop buying from a company.
91% will stop without even complaining.
76% believe it is easier now than ever before to take their business to a competitor.
62% will share their bad experience with others.
It takes as many as 12 positive customer experiences to outweigh one negative.
Customers are more likely to take their business elsewhere due to poor service than they are over priced.
Once a customer is lost, it costs more to find a new one. Providing excellent customer service fosters customer retention and customer referrals so make the most of this opportunity to get to know your customers today.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 20, 2022 17:19:03 GMT
Camcorder Day – January 20, 2022~International
Camcorder Day is celebrated annually on January 20 every year, and we are celebrating this day by honoring one of the most popular human innovations of all time. Before the introduction of the camera or video recorders, it was impossible to record memories anywhere other than our brains. However, with technological advancements, this became possible with the invention of the camcorder, a device that would record and store videos simultaneously.
HISTORY OF CAMCORDER DAY
Whether it’s weddings, birthdays, graduations, children’s recitals, or even those embarrassing moments you don’t want anyone to know about, camcorders have been a part of all of them. Camcorders were so popular at one time that they even inspired the creation of a T.V. show about funny home videos. Camcorder Day celebrates all those cherished memories, videographers, and heart-warming videos.
Ironically, the origins of Camcorder Day couldn’t be recorded. The person or organization behind the creation of this day remains unknown. Though the idea behind it can be easily interpreted — to honor the camcorder, and all things pertinent.
The earliest video cameras were large and heavy, with a separate recording unit. The camcorder was a device that combined a video camera and a videocassette recorder that would capture video and record it. The first versions of the camcorder were tape-based and recorded analog signals onto videocassette tapes. As time went on and digital recording became more of a norm, the tape was replaced with storage media (internal flash memory and SD cards). Recent devices that are capable of recording video are camera phones and digital cameras.
Camcorder Day is a celebration of all forms of videography. Whether you are a professional, or an amateur videographer who likes to make short films or just record funny home videos of your friends and send them over to your favorite TV show, this day is a tribute to every one of those unique and extraordinary videos.
So get your recording device out and start filming, and share your creations with the rest of the world.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 20, 2022 17:20:50 GMT
International Day of Acceptance – January 20, 2022~International
International Day of Acceptance is observed every year on January 20 and it is the day to fill our hearts with the sublime powers of acceptance. It is important to be accepting of certain things in life. This idea unquestionably holds in the case of accepting the disability of the person. This is a day when people all over the world come together to support and embrace the challenges that come along with having a disability. International Day of Acceptance was created as a way to recognize social acceptance of disability.
HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACCEPTANCE
Acceptance is defined as the assent of a situation, process, or condition without an attempt to change it. We have all at some point in our lives experienced a situation where we were cast off or excluded from a group or a social gathering. Remember the time when you were not picked for a team or when your friends went out to a movie without you. Imagine if being excluded was just a regular part of your day-to-day life.
In an ideal world, all individuals would be accepted just as they are, no matter how different, no matter how unique. This was a vision of our real-life heroine Annie Hopkins. The day is dedicated to the social acceptance of those with disabilities and to honor the late Annie Hopkins.
International Day of Acceptance is a tribute to the founder of 3E Love and the creator of the Symbol of Acceptance Annie Hopkins. She founded 3E Love with the aim to make the world a better place by educating people about the importance of embracing diversity. The Symbol of Acceptance comprises a wheelchair in the shape of a heart. This symbol unified people of all abilities and helped ignite conversations that would help change attitudes for the better.
This day was created a year after Hopkins passed away due to unexpected complications that occurred during a simple medical procedure. Her brother, Stevie Hopkins, who helped her start 3E Love, founded an annual celebration to pay tribute to his sister’s life and work.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 21, 2022 12:27:03 GMT
International Sweatpants Day – January 21, 2022~International
International Sweatpants Day is marked on January 21 every year, and we’re going to celebrate it by wearing our sweatpants all day long! Although it might not be possible if there’s a dress code for your school or workplace. Can you believe that sweatpants have been around for close to 100 years? Sweatpants are casual soft trousers originally designed for athletes and comfort. They are made using stretched knitted jersey fabrics with an elastic waistband, drawstring, and sometimes elastic cuff hems. Sweatpants can either be loose and baggy or in form-fitting shapes, using thick or thin materials, and come in various colors. Outside the United States, they are called tracksuit bottoms, track pants, or trackies.
HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL SWEATPANTS DAY
The history of sweatpants started with the establishment of the French clothing, footwear, and sports equipment company Le Coq Sportif in 1882. A few years later, in the 1920s, the founder, Émile Camuset, designed sweatpants for athletes. These sweatpants were without frills and made with knitted gray jersey pants.
In 1926, the American clothing manufacturer Russell Athletic reinvented the sweatpants’ material by replacing the wool jersey with soft, comfortable cotton. A decade later, this innovation was followed by the anti-shrink and heat-preventive designs by Champion, another American clothing manufacturer. In 1952, Champion introduced its iconic Reverse Weave sweatpants clothing line.
Throughout the 1950s, sweatpants did not take off, nor was it accepted as respectable dressing. Its use was mostly confined to gyms and university campuses. While sweatpants were sold together with sweatshirts, they did not get the same level of prestige as the latter. That is because sweatshirts came with the name of colleges or universities on them. That made it normal to see students wearing their sweatshirts with khakis or jeans trousers.
With the 1960s and 1970s came more acceptance for sweatpants. Athletes were at the center of attention, and their athletic image became associated with sweatpants and sweatshirts. In the 1980s, sweats were embraced by hip-hop culture. Rap stars made them their top piece of clothing, wearing them in music videos and for casual street walks.
The introduction of social media in the 21 century took athletic wear to new heights as their classic looks became associated with fitness, casualness, and a laid-back attitude. As their acceptance grew, more styles were introduced by clothing designers.
International Sweatpants Day was introduced in 2010. It has since been celebrated every January 21 to appreciate the nice comfiness of sweatpants.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 21, 2022 12:29:25 GMT
National Cheesy Socks Day – January 21, 2022~U.S.
National Cheesy Socks Day on January 21 every year is a day that defines your personal taste and style. This means it’s all about loving and honoring cheesy sock patterns and how adorable they look on you. Yes, your love for cheesy socks is shared by thousands of people across the world, and now is the time that you can go all out by flaunting your favorite pair! Use this day to hold a cheesy sock party where all of the fad’s fans can congregate. It’s time to tell the world which types of socks you favor!
HISTORY OF NATIONAL CHEESY SOCKS DAY
Fashion is incorporated into literally everything an individual wears, including socks. Yes, as the times have evolved, so have the type of socks that people wear. Since it is currently fashionable to wear anything patterned and funky, a plethora of delightful ideas have entered the market— this includes socks with cheese prints on them. They’re known as cheesy socks, and they’re ideal for anyone who wants to stand out or try something new. In fact, cheesy socks are so popular that many firms have specific design lines for them.
But how did we reach a point where socks became a fashion statement? Here’s a little history. The term ‘sock’ actually originates from the Greek word ‘sykhos.’ When the Romans started to take inspiration from the Greeks, socks started to be called ‘soccus.’
Socks are now worn as a fashion statement, although they were originally designed to keep people’s feet warm because there were no heaters at the time. However, gradually the purpose of socks changed and they became a representation of wealth. This led to the introduction of different garments to create socks. The rich of course went for the most expensive garment in the market. In the Middle Ages, brightly colored socks became the latest accessory and were also sported in a way that they were always in view for others to admire. This means that socks did not end at the ankle and instead were worn up till the knee. It wasn’t till after the late 17th century that cotton trousers replaced the importance of one showing off their socks. Today, people prefer to wear socks that go up to the ankle.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 21, 2022 12:31:54 GMT
National Granola Bar Day – January 21, 2022~U.S.
National Granola Bar Day is celebrated every year on January 21 to recognize this wholesome bar of nutrition and energy that has made our breakfast table and rescued us on a hectic workday. Did you know that granola has been around for over 150 years, and the name was a trademark? Granola is a globally eaten food with many variations, both in the bar and the loose forms. It consists of whole grains, nuts, and honey, brown sugar, or syrup. This combination is baked until crisp, toasted, and golden brown. Other ingredients sometimes used in making granola include raisins, dates, chocolate, and butter.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL GRANOLA BAR DAY
The first granola variant, granula, was invented in 1863 by Dr. James Caleb Jackson. The doctor ran a health spa, Jackson Sanitarium, which operated on a hillside in Dansville, New York. Jackson made granula by crumbling Graham flour and baking it. He later formed Our Home Granula Company to sell the cereal and trademarked the name Granula.
In the late 1870s, somewhere in Michigan, John Harvey Kellogg formulated a recipe like the Jackson’s Granula. Kellogg was also running a sanitarium and was looking to reinvent the whole grain diet into something more appealing for his patients. Kellogg made the cereal from wheat and oat flour, then hammered it into chunks and soaked it in milk. He named this cereal granula but later changed it to granola to avoid a lawsuit with Jackson.
A few years later, granola faded off the scene before it was revived in the 1960s. The revival was made possible by Charles W. Post, who reinvented the original granula recipe and introduced grape nut as an ingredient.
However, other individuals, around the same time, attributed the revival and reinvention to their efforts. One such individual is the renowned hippie Wavy Gravy, who used granola to feed a large festival attendee. Another such individual is Layton Gentry, the person behind Layton Gentry’s Original Crunchy Granola, which was made using oats as the main ingredient.
With the growing success of granola, companies started making their variants and selling them commercially. The first company was Pet Incorporated, which introduced the first major commercial granola, Heartland Natural Cereal, in 1972. Quaker Oats Company quickly followed in its Pet Incorporated footsteps by introducing Quaker 100% Natural Granola. But the company had to change it to Harvest Crunch after Gentry threatened a lawsuit. A year later, Kellogg and General Mills introduced Country Morning and Natural Valley, respectively.
The first person to invent granola bars — basically, granola in compact form — is Stanley Mason. The variant of granola has become the most dominant and most popular among outdoorsy people and sports enthusiasts.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 21, 2022 12:34:19 GMT
National Hugging Day – January 21, 2022~U.S.
Open up your heart … and your arms, this January 21 for National Hugging Day! As you might guess, this day is an annual event dedicated to the underrated art form of the hug. We love all types of hugs, from the one-armed bro hug to full bear hugs. So let’s get hugging!
WHEN IS NATIONAL HUGGING DAY 2022?
The simplest and most effective way of expressing affection is celebrated on National Hugging Day on January 21. Even though a hug is one of the most natural gestures, it’s not practiced enough these days! This holiday encourages hugging, as a therapeutic way to convey affection and emotions.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL HUGGING DAY
National Hugging Day was created in 1986 by Kevin Zaborney. His friend was the granddaughter of the proprietors of Chase’s Calendar of Events. Zaborney chose January 21 because it was the time between the winter holiday season and the new year’s birthdays, which he noticed was a time people tend to feel low in spirits. He also felt that Americans were often too embarrassed to show affection in public and hoped National Hugging Day would change that, though he never actually thought it would catch on.
The word “hug” is believed to come from the word “hugga” meaning “to comfort” in the Old Norse language, first appearing approximately 450 years ago. However, the history of hugging itself is a bit more uncertain. What is known is that it is only very recently (within the past 50 years) that we have seen a full acceptance of hugging in public, separating it from other distinguished displays of affection such as kissing. The widespread adoption of hugging over the recent years has been debated to be due to two primary reasons: the reduced formality of dress code and manners between relationships, along with the changing behaviors of political figures in pursuit of a more relatable, warm-hearted perception to the public.
Nowadays, we don’t even think about the fact that hugging in public was considered indecent PDA. We hug to greet friends and  , to say goodbye, or to congratulate someone. To console someone or to show support. We hug before sports and performance teams begin their match, and to show a general sign of affection between intimate relationships. There are also Free Hugs charity fundraisers!
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Post by pennmom on Jan 21, 2022 12:36:46 GMT
One-Liners Day – January 21, 2022~U.S.
One-Liners Day is celebrated every year on January 21 in honor of the classic one-liners that have left us stunned, momentarily confused, or rolling on the floor laughing with tears in our eyes. Did you know the first piece of comedy was written over 2,500 years ago in ancient Greece? One-liners are jokes or witty remarks or answers delivered in a single line or sentence. Comedians and actors in their acts usually employ this comedic method. Some of the most famous one-liners include: “I have nothing to declare except my genius” (Oscar Wilde), “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in” (“The Godfather”), and “My precious” (“Lord of the Rings”).
HISTORY OF ONE-LINERS DAY
The history of one-liners is a history of comedy. Their appearance in literal form can be traced to ancient comedic plays before they were adopted in films.
The first known set of comedic plays was written starting from 425 B.C. in ancient Greece by the comic playwright and satirical author Aristophanes. In his 335 B.C. work, “Poetics,” Aristotle explained the origin of comedy — from phallic processions and the light treatment of the otherwise base and ugly — and divided comedy into three sub-genres: farce, romantic comedy, and satire.
Comedy took a different meaning in the 16th and 17th centuries. It was light-hearted and sometimes used to defy authority. An example of the former is Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and the “Punch and Judy” show is an example of the latter. “Punch and Judy” went against the puritanism spirit of that period and went over so well with audiences that they were transformed into hand puppets, becoming popular in Britain. “Punch and Judy” was the equivalent of today’s political cartoons.
The early 19th century saw the rise of pantomime, which included slapstick comedy and sketch comedy without dialogue. This form of comedy was developed by Fred Karno, English music hall comedian and theatre impresario, in the 1890s. Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel were two of the most popular comedians that worked for Karno’s company. This era also witnessed the first mainstream clown, Joseph Grimaldi.
American vaudeville appeared in the 1880s until the 1930s, when it waned in popularity, and with its rise came the beginning of popular entertainment as big business. The introduction of cinema, radio, and television in the 19 and 20 centuries increased the popularity of comedians and allowed them to reach more people. Some of the prominent comedians of this era were Charlie Chaplin, Rowan Atkinson, and Bozo the Clown.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 21, 2022 12:38:37 GMT
Own Your Own Home Day – January 21, 2022~U.S.
Own Your Own Home Day is marked every year on January 21 to celebrate homeownership and raise awareness about the benefits of owning a home. Did you know mortgages weren’t common until the 1860s after the National Bank Acts were enacted? Mortgages have been the single biggest contributing factor to homeownership, and their evolution over the years has allowed more than 50% of Americans to own their home.
HISTORY OF OWN YOUR OWN HOME DAY
Before antiquity — between 30,000 B.C. to 15,000 B.C. — humans lived a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, moving from place to place without a permanent domicile. Caves were used for temporary shelter before the food search moved them to another area. Caves such as those at Giants Castle, Yaodong in China, and Pinnacle Point are believed by scientists to have served as shelters to our early ancestors.
The Neolithic period ushered in an era where early modern humans settled down and built permanent homes and other structures. But homeownership wasn’t decided, as people had to defend what they owned from invaders frequently. It was basically the fight of the fittest. That led to the rise of tribal leaders, armies, and eventually monarchies, which served to help protect properties.
With the industrial revolution came mortgage lending by banks to the average person. However, mortgages didn’t become commonplace until the 1860s, when the National Bank Acts was enacted. That led to more people buying, selling, and owning homes.
In the 1930s, the Great Depression hit, and the housing market came crashing down, with many homeowners defaulting on mortgages. Between 1933 to 1938, the U.S. government introduced the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation, the Federal Housing Administration, and the Federal National Mortgage Association to stabilize the housing market. By 1950, more than 50% of Americans owned their homes. Over the years, this number has been growing steadily. But the downside is that with increasing demand for houses, the price for owning a home has also increased.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 21, 2022 12:40:36 GMT
Playdate Day – January 21, 2022~U.S.
Playdate Day is on January 21, and we are planning to take you on the best date of your life! A playdate is a great way to unglue your children from screens and get them to experience the outside world. As technology took control of every aspect of our lives, children lost the motivation to go outside and play with their friends. Playdate Day reminds us to schedule time for our kids to grow by playing outside.
HISTORY OF PLAYDATE DAY
One of our most cherished memories is the times we spent playing with our friends when we were little. When we entertained ourselves with our own creativity and the company of our friends. If you could recall any of these times, you would realize the importance of outdoor playtime in a child’s life.
Ilona Viluma, a mother and CEO of GIGI Bloks, started the idea of Playdate Day. She created this day after observing the changing trend of children using technology over the past decade. Kids would spend too much time on their phones and tablets instead of interacting with each other. This holiday was developed to encourage parents to schedule playdates for their kids.
Playdates are a great way for kids to learn the social skills that help them interact better with people. When children interact with each other it helps them build essential life skills. Ilona and her company also encourage the idea of playdates with specifically designed toys, such as big building blocks to inspire children’s imaginations.
This day aims to bring parents and children together while inspiring the kids’ imaginations. Parents schedule playdates and teach their kids to play outside in a safe and effective manner. This day gives the kids a chance to play outside and just be kids.
On this screen-free day, children are leaving their tablets behind and going out and playing with their friends. So if you’re one of those parents who believe that their children should go out and play more often, then this is the perfect holiday for you.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 21, 2022 12:43:03 GMT
National Squirrel Appreciation Day – January 21, 2022~U.S.
Originally a creation by Christy Hargrove, National Squirrel Appreciation Day on January 21 is a day to learn about and celebrate the world’s cutest rodents. Here’s the thing about squirrels: some people hate them and say that they’re “invasive species.” But can those people leap across a space ten times the length of their body? Didn’t think so.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL SQUIRREL APPRECIATION DAY
In 2001, wildlife rehabilitation specialist, Christy Hargrove, founded National Squirrel Appreciation Day in Asheville, North Carolina. Christy created this day to encourage kind attitudes towards our bushy-tailed neighbors by setting out food and water for squirrels, and even allowing them to play with that bird-feeder you normally don’t want them touching. We might generally look at squirrels as being an unnecessary nuisance, but their existence is actually beneficial to the environment, and in urban areas, assists in park beautification. Albeit by accident, squirrels plant seeds (initially meaning to store away nuts to come back to when they’re hungry) which eventually grow into trees, thus assisting with forest renewal. They’re natures gardeners!
Up until the mid-19th century, squirrels weren’t present in American cities. In order to have squirrels in the middle of urban areas, you’d need to transform the landscape by planting trees and building parks. You also needed to change the way people behaved by discouraging them from shooting squirrels and encouraging them to start feeding the animals instead.
The first documented introduction occurred in Philadelphia’s Franklin Square in 1847. Boston and New Haven followed suit and brought in squirrels a few years later in 1850. The squirrel experiment had ended by the 1860s, when many squirrels had either passed or were killed amid concerns that they would disturb birds and lead to insect problems. But releases began again in the 1870s, this time on a larger scale as expansive parks were built in New York, Boston, Washington D.C., Chicago, and other major cities, providing a welcomed habitat for squirrels to live and thrive.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 22, 2022 13:07:00 GMT
National Hot Sauce Day – January 22, 2022~U.S.
Some people can’t live without hot sauce, made from chili peppers and other ingredients. Spicy sauce lovers will put it on everything from eggs to sandwiches to steak. National Hot Sauce Day, on January 22, is an excellent opportunity to show your appreciation for your favorite hot sauce. They come in a variety of styles, usually based on regionally available ingredients. They’re also a staple in the culinary cultures of many countries throughout the world.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 22, 2022 13:09:54 GMT
Roe vs. Wade Day – January 22, 2022~U.S.
Roe vs. Wade Day is celebrated on January 22, the anniversary of the court case that gave women agency over their bodies. The U.S. Supreme Court made a ruling that legalized abortion throughout the country, with variations from state to state depending on the length of the pregnancy.
No matter what your opinion is on the controversial abortion debate, Roe vs. Wade Day marked a pivotal turn in U.S. history, and that is certainly worthy of celebration. The anniversary of the landmark court decision is celebrated by people everywhere, especially by women.
HISTORY OF ROE VS. WADE DAY
In 1969, a 21-year-old woman named Norma McCorvey discovered she was pregnant with her third child. Norma wanted to abort the child but faced difficulties due to Texas laws. At first, she wanted to follow the advice of some friends who told her to claim the pregnancy was as a result of rape, believing that Texas law allowed abortion in cases of rape. However, at the time, Texas laws only allowed abortions if it could save the life of the mother. She also attempted to get an illegal abortion, but the facility had been closed down by the police. The frustrations Norma faced are reminiscent of the lack of agency women had over their bodies before the Roe vs. Wade case, where women had to lie or break the law to have a choice in whether to keep an unwanted baby.
Norma went to two attorneys, Linda Coffee and Sarah Weddington, for help. In 1970, the attorneys filed a suit on behalf of Norma, under the alias ‘Jane Roe.’ After the first round of arguments, all seven justices of the court agreed that the law should be struck down, but on varying grounds.
However, Justice Harry Blackmun proposed that the case be reargued, and on October 11, 1972, the case was again argued before the Supreme Court with Dallas County District Attorney, Henry Wade, as the defendant. On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court issued a decision holding that women in the U.S. had a right to choose whether to have abortions without excessive government restriction. The Texas abortion ban was struck down as unconstitutional and an invasion of the right to privacy. Unfortunately, the case dragged on for so long that Norma McCorvey gave birth and the child was put up for adoption.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 22, 2022 13:12:47 GMT
National Sanctity of Human Life Day – January 22, 2022~U.S.
National Sanctity of Human Life Day is an annual observance on January 22. On this day, we raise our voices against abortion. The presidents of the U.S. have been celebrating this day regularly since 1973 against the ruling of the case Roe vs. Wade, which legalized the right of abortion for a woman. Republican leaders since President Reagan have strongly opposed the law and have stressed the need to give the rights of life to every born and unborn individual. Because of this, January 22 has been dedicated to celebrating National Sanctity of Human Life Day.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE DAY
In the historic case of Roe vs. Wade (1973), in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on January 22 that it is the pregnant woman’s right to determine whether she wants an abortion The outcome of this case was that the woman was legally allowed to go for an abortion if she wanted. Since this outcome, many movements came into existence that openly opposed the ruling. The movement became stronger when U.S. President Ronald Reagan proclaimed January 22 as National Sanctity of Human Life Day.
Since Reagan’s proclamation, the next presidents have maintained the importance of this day as the day was continuously celebrated for this purpose. So much so that the day is traditionally observed as a holy day by the Lutheran Church. Republicans have been famous in this regard that they have continuously supported this movement against the right of abortion, but during the Democrat President Bill Clinton’s tenure, the day was not celebrated. George W. Bush restored it and observance of this day continued in 2001.
Throughout history, this day has been celebrated continuously by the republicans but has faced opposition from the democrats. The virtue of this day does not exist in the support this movement receives from the political parties. The key value comes from the movement itself, which emphasizes the need to protect and save lives, born or unborn.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 22, 2022 13:14:51 GMT
National Polka Dot Day – January 22, 2022~U.S.
National Polka Dot Day on January 22 every year is a celebration of the iconic style of Disney’s true star. It is a day for Disney fans and fashion icons to rock their dots in homage to the cheery Minnie Mouse.
Some people remember Minnie Mouse only as Mickie mouse’s long-time girlfriend, but we know her for her sweetness and polka-dot dresses. Since her first appearance in a black-and-white polka dress in 1928, Minnie Mouse has been a fashion icon, even appearing at New York Fashion Week and The Fashion Awards. She has inspired many fashion designers, including Kate Spade and Christian Siriano.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL POLKA DOT DAY
Polka dots — one of a number of round dots repeated to form a regular pattern on fabric — first caught the attention of the world when Miss America wore a polka dot swimsuit in 1926. Only two years later, on May 15, 1928, Disney introduced the cartoon darling, Minnie Mouse, in a cartoon short called “Plane Crazy.”
Minnie Mouse’s custom was designed with inspiration from the ‘flapper girls.’ These were a generation of young Western women who flouted social norms in the 1920s. Polka dots are so certainly Minnie’s that even her underwear had large polka patches. In the 1990s, Disney released a line of merchandise starring Minnie Mouse, called “Minnie ‘n Me.” The line included pictures of various female characters and friends of Minnie, with some of them joining Minnie in wearing polka dots in some form from time to time. The characters included Daisy Duck, Clarabelle Cow, T.J. Turtle, Heather Hippo, and Lilly Lamb, among many others.
Disney participates in the festivities by organizing events in Minnie’s honor. In 2016, they organized a “Rock The Dots” art and fashion show, which celebrated Minnie’s aesthetics and signature polka dots. In 2021, they organized a digital summit “Positively Minnie,” which used fun, powerful, and uplifting programming to inspire participants. Naturally, the events often include styling sessions.
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pennmom
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Post by pennmom on Jan 22, 2022 13:16:10 GMT
National Blonde Brownie Day – January 22, 2022~U.S.
It’s said that blondes have more fun, but what about blondies? On January 22—National Blonde Brownie Day—the answer is a resounding, “YES!” Blonde brownies, also known as blondies, are baked bars that replace the cocoa in a brownie with brown sugar for a warm, rich butterscotch-flavored treat. Bars are more filling and substantial than a cookie, and are delicious warmed up with ice cream for an impressive dessert dessert or at room-temperature for a quick snack. For those times when chocolate is just too heavy, lighten up and enjoy a blondie. On National Blonde Brownie Day, we celebrate these beautiful bars by baking, eating, sharing, and buying them!
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Post by pennmom on Jan 22, 2022 13:18:47 GMT
National Answer Your Cat's Questions Day – January 22, 2022~U.S.
Your kitty has questions and January 22 is the day to be answering them, hence it is known as Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day. What child hasn’t promised their cat that if they just reveal they can speak, they’ll keep the secret? On this special day, we’re listening to each meow and trying to understand just what that cat is getting at – we just wish they had speech bubbles above their head like Garfield!
HISTORY OF NATIONAL ANSWER YOUR CAT'S QUESTIONS DAY
Though there is some discrepancy over when the first wildcats were domesticated, people in the Near East were definitely living with housecats by 7500 BC, and by the 19th century, we were developing different breeds of cats.
In Ancient Egypt, cats were more than just friends – they were used for social and religious practices, and considered beloved and holy housepets. Cats were so revered they were mummified with the same dignity as humans. Besides that, many of the Egyptian gods had heads of cats and bodies of humans – you can’t get much closer than that!
While the Ancient Egyptians highly valued cats for their ability to kill venomous snakes, Europeans valued them for their rat and other pest control skills. Cats were passed along by traders from the Romans to the British to the Vikings, where they eventually stamped their passports and headed out to the “New World” with the explorers.
The Middle Ages were a dark mark on cats’ collective record, with rulers at the time believing cats to be the cause of the Black Death that ravaged Europe. Little did they know, cats were more likely to keep the population of rats and fleas in check. Nevertheless, the damage to their reputation was done, and cats wouldn’t restore their public image until the 15th and 16th centuries when they were welcomed aboard ships to keep pests away. It’s often speculated that cats were aboard Christopher Columbus’ ship, and our feline friends disembarked and flourished in America.
Today, we love cats for so much more than their ability to reduce the rat population – so much so that we dedicate a whole day just to pondering what each meow and purr might mean. By 1993, cats outnumbered dogs as the most popular house pets in the nation, and they’re appreciated today for their curiosity, independence, intelligence – and for all their many, many questions.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 22, 2022 13:21:04 GMT
Local Quilt Shop Day – January 22, 2022~U.S.
Local Quilt Shop Day, also known as Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day, is held on the fourth Saturday in January every year to celebrate local quilt shops and their contribution to the world. The delightful holiday is an opportunity for quilters to give honor back to the independent quilt shops that bring them such joy.
Quilt shops are underrated in society, but Local Quilt Shop Day shines a light on their role in supplying quilting materials and bringing people together. On cold nights, it is the thick quilt from these shops that keep us warm and cozy. Quilters and quilt shops have done the work of stitching communities together for centuries, and Local Quilt Shop Day celebrates this.
HISTORY OF LOCAL QUILT SHOP DAY
Local Quilt Shop Day was created by The Fabric Shop Network, which has 5,000 members worldwide, including local quilt shop owners. The holiday was created in recognition of the great work that local quilt shops do for the communities they serve. There are over 3,000 quilt shops all over the U.S. providing much-needed materials to quilters in local communities. The holiday has received official recognition from various U.S. states. In 2021, several governors of some U.S. states, including Idaho, Wisconsin, Colorado, Michigan, South Carolina, Alabama, and Illinois, signed official proclamations declaring January 23 as Local Quilt Shop Day. Quilting has a rich history in many of the U.S.
Colorado, for example, is home to 71 quilt shops, as well as the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Denver, which has a collection of over 500 quilts in different styles. Similarly, Michigan is the home of the Great Lakes Quilt Center, which is located in the Michigan State University Museum and houses over 500 historical quilts rich in diversity and expression. Quilting is a solid part of U.S. history.
During The Great Depression, quilters made low-cost, much-needed blankets to bring warmth to many families using scrap materials. During the civil rights movement, the famous Quilts of Gee’s Bend were created, one of the most important visual and cultural contributions to African-American history in the U.S. The Freedom Quilting Bee Collaborative stitched its way into history. The Bicentennial celebration of 1976 was also a landmark point for quilting in the U.S. Quilts became a way to express national pride and achievement. You can find some of those quilts in museums across the U.S. today, acting as powerful reminders of our past.
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Post by pennmom on Jan 22, 2022 13:23:52 GMT
Celebration of Life Day – January 22, 2022~U.S.
Though Celebration of Life Day, which lands on January 22, was originally instituted to celebrate the children in our lives, it has come to signify all that’s good about being alive. It’s easy to forget sometimes, but we are all fortunate to be here. Take time to celebrate that the good far outweighs the bad in this life. It all starts with gratitude and appreciation for where you are right now, and wherever you hope your dreams take you. Every life is precious, individual, and a huge gift, so take a little extra time today to celebrate it.
HISTORY OF CELEBRATION OF LIFE DAY
Though Ronald Regan originally established the holiday to send an anti-abortion message, the Celebration of Life Day has come to be a day to celebrate both the lives of children and ourselves. Celebration of Life Day was originally called National Sanctity of Human Life Day and was proclaimed in January 1984 by Ronald Regan. At the time, President Regan chose to harken back to the landmark abortion case Roe v Wade by placing National Sanctity of Human Life Day on the 11-year anniversary of the decision on the case.
Anti-abortion groups championed the holiday and felt that it expressed their sentiments on the importance of human life at all stages. This belief has been echoed in Donald Trump’s statement on the day from 2019. Organizations who champion the right to choose, like Planned Parenthood, denounced the day as a way of limiting women’s rights to autonomy over their bodies.
The history of National Sanctity of Human Life/Celebration of Life Day has been rocky. Though both Bush presidencies continued the holiday, it was discontinued for eight years under President Bill Clinton. Donald Trump has continued the holiday throughout his presidency, as well, and some churches have even marked it as a holy day on their calendars. The holiday routinely falls on a Sunday for this religious reason, although only in 2018 Donald Trump proclaimed it be celebrated on a Monday.
Today, many view the Celebration of Life Day as a day to spend extra time with their nieces, nephews, children, grandchildren, or even just kids they babysit. Every human life is precious, and today is the day to remind ourselves we are all lucky to be here and lead the lives we do. Despite our individual and group challenges, there is always good to be found and gratitude to be shown – and what better day to find the positive than Celebration of Life Day?
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Post by pennmom on Jan 23, 2022 17:30:38 GMT
Measure Your Feet Day – January 23, 2022~U.S.
Measure Your Feet Day is celebrated on January 23 every year. If you heard about the holiday and scrunched up your face in confusion about why we need a day for measuring your feet, then Measure Your Feet Day is most certainly for you. The feet are one of the most overlooked parts of the body. Most people don’t give any special attention to their feet.
Measure Your Feet Day has a deeper purpose than simply getting people to whip out measuring tapes and compare feet sizes for bragging rights. Very few people know their true shoe size, and this means that most people’s shoes are either too tight or too loose. This leads to pain and discomfort in the feet. So in truth, Measure Your Feet Day is really about foot health.
HISTORY OF MEASURE YOUR FEET DAY
No one really knows who first started Measure Your Feet Day, but some sources credit it to an ancient tradition in Iceland. Spring is a very cold time in Iceland. During extreme rainstorms in the spring, ancient Icelandic natives would run into their huts and celebrate the arrival of the storms by measuring their feet in pairs and participating in the ancient Icelandic rite called Shelbing. Shelbing is done by high-fiving a fellow Icelander with your feet.
The best way to measure your accurate shoe size is with a Brannock Device. The Brannock Device is a foot measuring device that was invented by Charles F. Brannock. Charles Brannock developed the measuring instrument over the course of two years. He patented the first prototype of the device in 1925 and then made an improved version two years later in 1927. The Brannock Device was manufactured and sold by the Brannock Device Company which was headed by Charles Brannock himself until his death in 1992. You can find samples of the very first Brannock Device at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. The Brannock Device tells you your exact foot measurement by measuring the length, width, and arch length of the foot.
The Brannock Device is so important, especially for athletes, that in 2018, the Syracuse minor league baseball team renamed themselves to the Syracuse Devices for one night in honor of the Brannock Device and its immeasurable contributions to their foot health.
Feet expand at different stages of our lives. They flatten and get wider from all the pressure they get subjected to. Because feet expand under pressure, the best time to measure your feet is after a hard day of walking.
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, to say goodbye, or to congratulate someone. To console someone or to show support. We hug before sports and performance teams begin their match, and to show a general sign of affection between intimate relationships. There are also Free Hugs charity fundraisers!