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Post by pennmom on Feb 1, 2022 15:16:33 GMT
Chinese New Year – February 1, 2022~China~Nepal
If you feel the ground trembling beneath your feet on February 1 — don’t fear! It’s simply the beginning of the Chinese New Year. You’ll find a full 20% of the Earth’s population celebrating — using more fireworks than any other day of the year. It’s a celebration marked by good food, red envelopes, and blessings for everyone.
WHEN IS CHINESE NEW YEAR 2022?
Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year, is a 15-day festival that is celebrated annually depending on the sighting of the new moon. The occasion is also known as the Spring Festival, and an animal is associated with each New Year. The animals rotate and repeat according to a fixed cycle.
HISTORY OF CHINESE NEW YEAR
Chinese New Year is the Chinese festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese calendar. The festival is usually referred to as the Spring Festival in mainland China and is one of several Lunar New Years in Asia. The first day of Chinese New Year begins on the new moon that appears between January 21 and February 20. It’s a major holiday in Greater China and has strongly influenced lunar new year celebrations of China’s neighboring cultures, including the Korean New Year, the Tết of Vietnam, and the Losar of Tibet. It is also celebrated worldwide in regions and countries with significant Chinese populations, like Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, North America, and Europe.
In 1928, the Kuomintang party decreed that Chinese New Year will fall on the first of January, following the Gregorian Calendar, but this was abandoned due to overwhelming opposition from the populace. In 1967 during the Cultural Revolution, official Chinese New Year celebrations were banned in China. The State Council of the People’s Republic of China announced that the public should change customs, have a revolutionized and fighting Spring Festival, and since people needed to work on Chinese New Year Eve, they did not have holidays during Spring Festival day. The public celebrations were reinstated by the time of the Chinese economic reform.
The festival was traditionally a time to honor deities as well as ancestors. Within China, regional customs and traditions concerning the celebration of the New Year vary widely, and the evening preceding Chinese New Year’s Day is frequently regarded as an occasion for Chinese families to gather for the annual reunion dinner. It is also traditional for every  to thoroughly clean their house, in order to sweep away any ill fortune and to make way for incoming good luck.
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Post by pennmom on Feb 1, 2022 15:19:08 GMT
Korean New Year – February 1, 2022~Korea
Korean New Year or ‘Seollal’, falling on February 1 this year, is a festival and national holiday that usually occurs in January or February on the second new moon after the winter solstice, unless there is an intercalary 11th or 12th month in the lead-up to the New Year. It marks the first day of the Korean calendar. It is one of the most important traditional Korean holidays.
HISTORY OF KOREAN NEW YEAR
Seollal is a cultural holiday, which has its roots in traditional Chinese Confucianism and is celebrated on the first day of the Korean lunar calendar. It usually lasts three days — the day before Korean New Year, Korean New Year itself, and the day after Korean New Year.
The “Book of Sui” and the “Book of Tang” have the first recorded histories of Silla, an old kingdom from 57 B.C. to 935 A.D., that celebrated Seollal. The Joseon dynasty, a renowned kingdom that ruled from 1392 to 1897 also has traces of government officials gathering in the five grand palaces to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
Seollal is a unique Korean tradition, influenced by China, and is based on the lunar cycle. Each year represents a different animal and the cycle is repeated every 12 years. The 12 animals are the following: mouse, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. The order of the animals is thought to have been based on the sequence in which they were invited to see Buddha.
Koreans believe that the animal representing the year that a baby is born will attribute certain characters and qualities to that baby. There are even some parents who plan the birth year of their children in accordance with this belief.
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Post by pennmom on Feb 1, 2022 15:22:08 GMT
National Baked Alaska Day – February 1, 2022~U.S.
National Baked Alaska Day occurs annually on February 1 to celebrate and encourage everyone to treat themselves to the tasty dessert made of ice cream, sponge cake, and meringue. Baked Alaska was first called ‘Alaska Florida’ because of its contrast in temperature when it was first invented.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL BAKED ALASKA DAY
National Baked Alaska Day invites you to indulge in this delicious ice cream–topped sponge-cake dessert.
Baked Alaska is made by placing slices of sponge cake at the bottom of a pie pan, filling it with your favorite ice cream flavor before covering it completely in whipped meringue mixture, and baking for 3-10 minutes. It is baked in the oven at a very high temperature of preferably 500°F to allow the meringue to solidify slightly, and brown.
The story behind its existence is that In 1867 there was a heated public debate over the agreement to purchase Alaska from Russia for $7 million by Secretary of State William Seward that led Chef Charles Ranhofer of Delmonico’s Restaurant in New York City, who was already notorious for naming new and old food after public figures, to capitalize on the uproar by introducing what we now know as Baked Alaska to Delmonico’s menu.
The frozen-hard ice cream covered with meringue on a base of warm sponge cake is what gives this dessert its unique characteristic of drastic temperature contrast.
On National Baked Alaska Day everyone is expected to enjoy a sweet bite of this yummy retro dish that is often served in flames.
Serving cream and cake together dates back to the Renaissance. The cooks of the era were considered the first to decorate their baked food with a whipped topping.
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Post by pennmom on Feb 1, 2022 15:24:50 GMT
Decorating With Candy Day – February 1, 2022~U.S.
Decorating With Candy Day is celebrated on February 1 by decorating our homes with candies and sweets. It’s celebrated a little after Christmas and before Valentine’s Day — two holidays that are marked by eating and gifting candies. So in a way, Decorating With Candy Day keeps the festive cheer alive and anticipates the warm and mushy feelings of Valentine’s Day. You can celebrate the day even if you don’t really like candies — because after all, you only need candies to decorate your home. This is especially a great holiday to celebrate with kids since it encourages creativity and there’s hardly a child who doesn’t love a candy treat!
HISTORY OF DECORATING WITH CANDY DAY
Imagine lining the plates at the table with mints, and having the T.V. room adorned with chocolates and hard candies in advance of Valentine’s Day. Each bedroom could be covered in candies of the occupant’s favorite colors. The stuff that dreams are made of, is now a day — for real!
Humans have loved candies for a long time now. But before coming up with recipes for candies, people came up with the idea of candy by consuming honeycombs and honey. It is believed that the first candy was made by the ancient Egyptians as early as 2000 B.C. These were made from honey and mixed with fruit or nuts. Dates, figs, and spices were common additions to these candies. However, it was the Indians who invented the sugar candy in 250 A.D. Greeks started using honey to make candied fruits and flowers. It wouldn’t be until the 16th century that the first modern candies were made. During this period, sweet manufacturing developed rapidly into an industry and continued to see growth until the early 19th century. The first chocolate bar was made in 1847 by Englishman Joseph Fry. He realized that delicious sweet treats can be made by mixing melted cacao butter, cocoa powder, and sugar to create a paste that could be shaped any way one wanted. The recipe leads to the creation of Fry’s Chocolate Cream Bar.
And what about candy canes? Candy canes may have been made for the first time in Cologne, Germany in 1670. And it was in the 1920s that candy canes were seen as Christmas treats when Bob McCormack started marketing them for the holiday season. Another form of consuming candy is cotton candy. John C Wharton and William Morris patented the first modern cotton candy machine in 1897 and since that it has become a popular treat for fairgoers. Hard candies are historically associated with cough drops but are now highly decorative, often hand-crafted. These would be great for some decorating!
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Post by pennmom on Feb 1, 2022 15:26:32 GMT
National Freedom Day – February 1, 2022~U.S.
Let Freedom Ring… especially on February 1. Confused? It’s National Freedom Day! This day was founded to celebrate the freedoms we enjoy as U.S. citizens, freedoms that we should never take for granted. Specifically, the holiday commemorates the day in 1865 when President Abraham Lincoln signed what would later become the 13th Amendment. This amendment is so important because it effectively ended slavery in the United States. Freedom is one of the founding principles of the United States of America and this day was envisioned as a way for all citizens to take a moment to appreciate how lucky they are. We should all be thankful for the many freedoms we are afforded as citizens of this great country!
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Post by pennmom on Feb 1, 2022 15:29:22 GMT
Robinson Crusoe Day – February 1, 2022~U.S.
If you haven’t read the novel “Robinson Crusoe,” by Daniel Defoe yet, Robinson Crusoe Day on February 1 is the perfect time to embark on this reading mission! The novel was published on April 25, 1719, and was immensely popular when it was released, and it’s a great work of literature. Hence, it’s not a surprise that the popularity of the book brought about this day’s celebration. Not a fan of reading books? Fret not rather watch the multiple movie adaptations.
HISTORY OF ROBINSON CRUSOE DAY
Did you know Robinson Crusoe was inspired by a real-life character? The book is based on the life of a Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk, who was stranded on an uninhabited island for a few years and had to survive all alone. During this time, he lived by consuming fish, berries, and wild goats until a British ship passed by and rescued him in 1709. When he returned to London, his adventure and tales of horror made him a celebrity. When Daniel Defoe heard the story, the writer and storyteller within him couldn’t resist but pen the plot down and create a fictional tale of hope.
When “Robinson Crusoe” was finally published, it became an instant hit. In the book, the character Robinson is shipwrecked on an island and begins to spend days in devastation due to isolation. With no humans around, he starts talking to animals. It is during these painful days that he turns to God for guidance. His views on religion change and god becomes the main beacon of hope for him. This is how he manages to survive on the island for 28 long years. While the plot of the novel may seem simple, it is known as one of the greatest literary novels of all time. It has also managed to inspire many other books and has been used to create several movies across the world. In 1964 a French film production crew made a 13-part series titled “The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe,” whereas, in 1988, a film titled “Crusoe” was also released in Hollywood.
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Post by pennmom on Feb 1, 2022 15:31:17 GMT
Spunky Old Broads Day – February 1, 2022~U.S.
Spunky Old Broads Day, marked annually on February 1, is just a breath away and we are undeniably bursting with contagious excitement! The special holiday created by Dr. Gayle Carson in 2002 aims to dispel the myth about life automatically winding up for women once they hit the 50 mark. Need proof? Trailblazing Kamala Harris, who at 56 shattered racial barriers by becoming the 49th Vice President of the United States — the first woman, first Black American, and first person of Asian heritage. Martha Stewart, aged 50, secured her empire with the transformation of her brand. Patricia Field, “Sex and the City” costume designer, also hit success at 54.
HISTORY OF SPUNKY OLD BROADS DAY
In a world that tends to tip the scale in favor of younger women, undermining talents, remarkable achievements, and legacies of badass older women whose zeal and passion have impacted us in ways words adequately fail to describe. Author/T.V. Consultant Dr. Carson boldly changes the narrative with her much-needed initiative Spunky Old Broads Day. This special holiday urges women aged 50 and over to fully embrace the beauty of aging, revel in their authentic selves by living regret-free lives to the fullest. Not just for old women, it eloquently describes all women as Spunky, Open, and Brave (S.O.B.).
Big picture: we see it at our every turn; how from age 50, the rousing applause gradually starts to fade, spotlight drifting to younger talents and just like that, years of hard work and dazzling brilliance is swiftly forgotten, and with that comes an overwhelming feeling of worthlessness, doubting of capabilities, loneliness, and invisibility. While society places limits and barriers on the 50 milestones, Dr. Carson S.O.B preaches otherwise. She believes 50 isn’t a life sentence that automatically closes the window on your most significant successes; instead, for women with fire and spirit, 50 could very well translate as the perfect spur to reinvent self, conquer even more territories, achieve greater accomplishments, and impact their world.
Ushering in this fun month-long holiday — Spunky Old Broads Month — Spunky Old Broads Day, kick-started in 2002, pays homage to the wisdom, vitality, inner beauty, strength, and talent of incredibly vivacious queens aged 50 and beyond who have weathered the storms of life, and devoted their lives to guiding us with their knowledge and experiences.
Dr. Carson creatively used words such as spunky, old, and broad, with negative connotations to create something positive — Spunky Old Broads (S.O.B.).
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Post by pennmom on Feb 2, 2022 17:48:30 GMT
National Signing Day – February 2, 2022~U.S.
Are you ready for some football? We hope so, because February 2 is National Signing Day! Where do you see yourself in five years? Does this simple question lead you into a malaise of existential dread? Then try being a high school recruit deciding on a college on the first Wednesday in February every year. On February 2, National Signing Day, a whole group of high school football players are eligible to commit to the college of their choice. Some of the most talented players announce their decisions in front of television cameras and their entire school. So don’t sweat your next five years—at least you don’t have to make your decisions in front of an audience.
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Post by pennmom on Feb 2, 2022 17:51:09 GMT
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo – February 2, 2022~U.S.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was the agreement signed on February 2, 1848, by the United States of America and Mexico. This surrendered the Mexican claim to Texas and they came to terms that their territory ended in the Rio Grande which would act as their border. The Mexican Government also stated in the agreement that they would let go of New Mexico for a sum of 15 million dollars. This decision had an impact on that country by reducing the total size of Mexico to almost half its initial size.
HISTORY OF TREATY OF GUADALUPE HIDALGO
During the Mexican–American War, the United States and Mexico were at loggerheads over the land which Texas covers. This was after Mexico and the U.S. both wanted to annex the Texan state. In 1845, Mexico had claimed that Texas ended at the Nueces River, while the United States claimed the Rio Grande, which was the root of the dispute. Fighting continued for the next two years as General Taylor led his troops to Monterrey, and General Stephen Kearny and his men went to New Mexico, Chihuahua, and California. General Winfield Scott and his army delivered the decisive blow as they captured Mexico City in August 1847.
Mexican officials and Nicholas Trist, the U.S. representative, began discussions for a peace treaty in August 1847. On February 2, 1848, the Treaty was signed in Guadalupe Hidalgo, to which the Mexican leaders had fled ahead of the American troops.
With the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, America emerged victorious, gaining 525,000 square miles of Mexican territory from the Rio Grande to the Pacific Ocean. The southern American boundaries: Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, California, Utah, and Wyoming are the present-day names of the land acquired as a result of the Treaty. With the land also came the Mexican people who lived there, who could choose to become American citizens within a year — of which 90% did.
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Post by pennmom on Feb 2, 2022 17:53:58 GMT
Sled Dog Day – February 2, 2022~U.S.
Sled Dog Day is celebrated every year on February 2. This is a day set aside to honor the hardest-working dog breed — the sled dogs. These large dogs are trained to wear a harness and pull heavy weights in the coldest regions. They were the only means of transport in areas such as the Arctic for thousands of years and are still the most reliable way to transport supplies in the more rural areas.
Sled dogs played an important role in the exploration of the Arctic and the Antarctic poles and were instrumental during the Alaskan Gold Rush.
HISTORY OF SLED DOG DAY
Sled dogs are popular in the coldest regions of the world. They’ve been used in Canada, Norway, Sweden, Lapland, Finland, Siberia, and, closer home, Alaska.
Thought to have been crossbred with wolves, sled dogs have been specifically bred to be large and capable of carrying really heavy weight across large distances. In America, sled dogs were first kept by the Inuit people for transportation.
During the Alaskan Gold Rush, the only way to access the gold camps in winter was by dog sled. Any supplies — from food to medication — would need to be moved by dogsled in winter because there was no other transportation available at the time. Sled dogs were also used to deliver mail.
Between this and the explorations of the poles, sled dogs have played a vital role in the lives of people living in the frozen parts of the planet. When there was a diphtheria outbreak in Nome, Alaska, sled dogs came to the rescue.
A serum was needed to treat the suffering people of Nome, but there was none in town. The nearest town with the scrum was Nenana, but that was 600 miles away and inaccessible except by dog sled. Villages between the two towns set up a relay with different teams of dogs working to get the serum to Nome. The serum reached in six days, thanks to the efforts of the people and the hardworking sled dogs.
Today, fewer dog sleds are necessary for survival and transportation. Instead, dog sledding has become a recreational activity, with races set up to celebrate the sheer power and speed of the incredible sled dog breeds.
The dogs pull their sleds as a team, and each member of the team is carefully chosen to ensure that they make up for each other’s weaknesses and work well together.
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Post by pennmom on Feb 2, 2022 18:01:37 GMT
National Ukulele Day – February 2, 2022~U.S.
The ukulele is a four-stringed instrument that has its origins in Portugal, but was adapted by Hawaiians in the 19th Century. Its size can vary, with the larger instruments producing deeper tones. The ukulele became particularly popular in Hawaii during the reign of King Kalākaua, who incorporated the instrument into performances at official state gatherings. It was later used in recordings by artists such as Bing Crosby and Elvis Presley. National Ukulele Day takes place on February 2, when ukulele players from around the country will strum their favorite tunes to celebrate.
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Post by pennmom on Feb 2, 2022 18:03:13 GMT
National Tater Tot Day – February 2, 2022~U.S.
Your love of tater tots likely stems from elementary school (with a little help from the 2004 classic film “Napoleon Dynamite”). However, there’s far more to these little nuggets of potato than that. Did you know they’re considered “fine dining”? At upper-echelon restaurants all across the U.S., you’ll find tater tots on the menu, right next to foie gras. Read more for some crunchy tips on how you can celebrate National Tater Tot Day this February 2.
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Post by pennmom on Feb 2, 2022 18:05:52 GMT
National Girls and Women in Sports Day – February 2, 2022~International
National Girls and Women in Sports Day, abbreviated as N.G.W.S.D., is observed on February 2 this year and it is all about breaking the gender stereotypes built around the sports industry. Have you ever felt sidelined from some kind of a sport due to the fact that you are a girl? N.G.W.S.D. is all about the narrative that women belong in every aspect of sports. Keep supporting, celebrating, and inspiring others by being fearless and playing like a girl, because what better way is there to play?
HISTORY OF NATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS DAY
National Girls and Women in Sports Day was first observed in 1987 to remember the Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman and acknowledge her as the best female volleyball player of her time and her work in promoting equal representation of women in sports. Hyman died of a genetic disorder, Marfan’s syndrome, while playing a tournament in Japan.
Since then, the day has evolved to commemorate all women athletes, their achievements, the positive impacts of inclusion of women in sports, and to address the challenges regarding equal participation of women in sports activities. The day also appreciates the progression made since the enactment of the civil rights law, Title IX.
Title IX was a public law passed in 1972 that completely changed the women’s narrative in sports. The legislation called for equal participation of everyone in all the programs and activities that were federally funded, which meant all public schools would ensure equitable sports opportunities to the students, regardless of their gender. Title IX was a breakthrough in women’s sports. Before this, only one in 27 girls had access to sports activities. But, today, that statistic has lowered to two in five girls, which is a commendable improvement.
National Girls and Women in Sports Day is celebrated in all 50 states. The day is usually celebrated by organizing community events, award ceremonies, and other sports activities that inspire girls and women to play sports and be active.
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Post by pennmom on Feb 2, 2022 18:08:55 GMT
Candlemas Day – February 2, 2022~World
On Candlemas Day, February 2, followers of Jesus celebrate his Presentation at the Temple and the Virgin Mary being purified, with many of the faithful bringing candles to their churches to be blessed. Thereafter (in Poland, for example, where they’re lit and placed in windows to ward off storms), the candles represent Jesus and the day of his induction into Judaism, and they go toward explaining the name of the holy day, Candlemas.
HISTORY OF CANDLEMAS DAY
Among the many holy feasts in the Christian calendar, the Feast of the Presentation, or the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary, on Candlemas Day is one of the oldest, celebrated since the 4th century A.D. in Jerusalem. A woman of that time, Egeria, who’s credited with writing a detailed account of an extended pilgrimage to the Holy Land, described the Candlemas celebrations there:
“…all things are done in order with great joy, just as at Easter. All the priests preach, and also the bishop, always treating of that passage of the Gospel where, on the fortieth day, Joseph and Mary brought the Lord into the Temple, and Simeon and Anna the prophetess, the daughter of Famuhel, saw Him, and of the words which they said when they saw the Lord, and of the offerings which the parents presented.”
In the 6th century, around 541 A.D., responding to a horrible plague that had struck Constantinople, Emperor Justinian I ordered huge prayer processions throughout the city during the Feast of the Presentation to ask God for deliverance from the evil of the disease. At this time, the tradition of holding blessed candles in reverence had long been in place, and after the plague passed, the regular celebration of Candlemas spread throughout the Roman Empire.
There are as many additional traditions and various guidelines for the observance of Candlemas as there are different sects and denominations of Christianity itself. Even instances of historical importance are sometimes contested and argued. At the base of it, a person of faith can turn to the relevant Bible verse, Luke 2:22-24. That passage describes how Mary and Jesus follow the rule in Leviticus that says an infant boy should be circumcised on the eighth day after birth, and that, thirty-three days later, the mother is considered “clean” and should burn an offering at the boy’s presentation at the temple on that 40th day.
Today, you might think the word “Candlemas” sounds antiquated, a reference to something like a scene from “Oliver Twist” or an old black-and-white movie. But to faithful Christians even now, Candlemas is a solemn and worshipful time, a time to try to be “a light in the world.”
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Post by pennmom on Feb 2, 2022 18:11:15 GMT
Crepe Day – February 2, 2022~France
Crepe Day is annually celebrated on February 2. And do you know that crepes are similar to pancakes, only thinner and typically used to wrap around a dessert or other food? Crepe Day offers the opportunity to put your pancakes on a diet and enjoy the delicious crepe, whether as breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
HISTORY OF CREPE DAY
The history of crepes dates back to the 13th century in Brittany, France. According to some, a housewife accidentally dribbled some of this porridge onto a hot flat cooktop, and then, not wanting it to waste, ate it!
Crepes day, known as la Chandeleur in France, began as a religious holiday associated with Candlemas but stems from more pagan traditions. On this day, the French people traditionally eat Crepes. It is believed to symbolize the sun, and its composition represents the flour of the harvest that will bring prosperity in the coming year.
Crepes are usually made with eggs, flour, butter, milk, and a pinch of salt. Although they originated in France, they are now very famous in several countries around the world, including many parts of Europe and North Africa, with each country having its modification of Crepe, like Apple cinnamon crepes and chocolate chip crepes.
There is a belief that catching the crepe with a frying pan after tossing it in the air with your right hand and holding a gold coin in your left would make you rich that year. The roundness and golden color of a crepe resemble the sun and its rays, hinting at the change in the weather that Candlemas would bring.
For breakfast, you can try crepes filled with some fruits, veggies, cheese, and eggs; for lunch, filled with cooked beans or turkey, cheese, and salsa; and as a dessert, filled with whipped cream or any pie filling and a top drizzled with berry sauce or chocolate.
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Post by pennmom on Feb 2, 2022 18:14:29 GMT
National Heavenly Hash Day – February 2, 2022~U.S.
National Heavenly Hash Day is celebrated annually on February 2. Heavenly hash is a candy mixed with lots of ingredients. It is also a type of rice pudding and a type of ice cream. The day is set aside to celebrate and enjoy a wholesome treat of one of the world’s most delicious and titillating cups of tasty goodness!
HISTORY OF NATIONAL HEAVENLY HASH DAY
The origin of Heavenly Hash dates back to 1923 when it emerged as a candy for the first time. The candy was made up of a crust filled with marshmallows. The center was composed of two roasted almonds, and the whole assembly was covered in chocolate. This candy was manufactured and marketed by the Elmer Candy Corporation and remains available today. In the early phase, one of the key products that put the flavor combination in the public eye was the Easter treat known as the ‘Heavenly Hash Egg.’ That version of the candy features almonds, marshmallows, and a chocolate coating. Other combinations now include fruit cocktail and maraschino cherries, cherry pie fillings, and crushed pineapple, grapes, and mandarin orange segments.
Homemade Heavenly Hash recipes are readily found on the internet and range from fudge-like squares to more egg-like formations and to even a cake-topping.
These days, the heavenly hash is probably better known as an ice cream flavor. It now comprises vanilla and chocolate ice cream and features mini marshmallows, almonds, and chocolate bits.
Heavenly Hash is no longer constrained to just candy. In some recipes, it is a melange of cooked rice, whipped cream topping, and pineapple, with any number of variations; in others, it’s a mixture of fruit with a mayonnaise dressing.
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Post by pennmom on Feb 2, 2022 18:18:42 GMT
National Brown Dog Day – February 2, 2022~U.S.
Founded in 2021, National Brown Dog Day comes around each year on February 2, and it’s an important reminder for us to celebrate every brown dog we know. One of the more common canine colors, brown dogs are found across breeds everywhere in the world — and the most popular of them is the lovely Labrador breed. So for everyone with a brown-toned doggo, give them some extra special love on this day.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL BROWN DOG DAY
Dogs, probably, evolved right alongside humans, and tales of their exploits together have regaled generations of people across the centuries (and across civilizations). Tales of mutual respect between canines and us bipeds can be found as far back as the indigenous people of Siberia, East Asia, North America, and Australia. We assume dogs were as loved then as they are now — why else would archaeologists dig up remains from 14,200 years ago that show a dog buried beside humans? Dogs had taken the world by storm.
Their domestication preceded multiple landmark events in the human world — the emergence of agriculture as a profession and the domestication of other animals like boar, sheep, and goats. Dogs of all shapes and sizes were popular, but research showed that Saint Bernard was the breed of the hour around the late 1800s. They were overthrown by the gentle, brown-eyed lovable Labrador breed in the 1990s, and they remain a popular choice for people around the world.
The original Labrador — a now-extinct ancestor of our Labs — can be traced to Newfoundland, Canada, where it was bred by European settlers. This breed was then imported to Britain by a British duke and an earl, for hunting purposes. They were later bred with British hunting dogs, creating the Labrador as we know it. The Newfoundland breed and the new British version were similar enough that early writers often confused the two.
Fifty years on, the name ‘Labrador Retriever’ was common across England, and the world saw the first liver (aka chocolate) Lab in 1892, and the first yellow Labrador (on record) was born in 1899. Today, the world is very familiar with (and in awe of) dogs of all breeds, sizes, and shapes. This day is a bit of added encouragement to love all dogs — especially your brown-coated ones — a little more.
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pennmom
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[TI0] ALWAYS BE YOURSELF, UNLESS YOU CAN BE A UNICORN. THEN ALWAYS BE A UNICORN!
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Post by pennmom on Feb 2, 2022 18:20:43 GMT
National Hedgehog Day – February 2, 2022~U.S.
National Hedgehog Day, on February 2, tends to live in the “shadow” of Groundhog Day. And yes, there is a difference. You know those cute little balls of joy that have taken social media by storm? We are talking hedgehogs! Thanks to Instagram, these little babies have grown massively in popularity and now have an entire day dedicated to celebrating them. Want one as a pet? That’s a thorny subject.
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pennmom
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[TI0] ALWAYS BE YOURSELF, UNLESS YOU CAN BE A UNICORN. THEN ALWAYS BE A UNICORN!
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Post by pennmom on Feb 2, 2022 18:31:41 GMT
Groundhog Day – February 2, 2022~U.S.
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Groundhog Day on February 2 is when we ask are we in for six more weeks of Winter? Only a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil knows for sure. Each year on Groundhog Day, people flock to Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to await the forecast of the local rodent celebrity. Originating with German settlers, who came to Pennsylvania in the 1700s and brought their seasonal superstitions with them, legend has it that if Phil sees his shadow on February 2, the winter chill will continue. Oddly, if the weather is cloudy and he doesn’t see his shadow, we can expect warmer temperatures and early spring. Groundhog Day is a tradition to be cherished. And yes, it is also a film starring Bill Murray.
DID THE GROUNDHOG SEE HIS SHADOW IN 2021?
The results are in and Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow in 2021, which means we are in for six more weeks of winter. Don’t be putting your coat away just yet, Phil has spoken. The predictions in 2021 was made without the usual crowds but was broadcast across numerous channels.
WHEN IS GROUNDHOG DAY 2022?
Groundhog Day is on February 2 and we wait with bated (and ice-cold) breath to see whether or not winter will continue for another six weeks. Although this holiday is derived from a Dutch superstition, the movie ‘Groundhog Day’ starring Bill Murray is also closely linked to this holiday.
HISTORY OF GROUNDHOG DAY
The Pennsylvania Dutch were German-speaking immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania. They developed their own take on the legend of Candlemas in the 18th and 19th centuries bringing with them the custom of the native Groundhog as their annual weather announcer. Candlemas involved the clergy blessing and distributing candles needed for winter. The Pennsylvania Dutch transformed the idea by selecting an animal to predict their needs for winter.
The first-ever Groundhog Day was created by a local newspaper editor Clymer Freas around 1886, who convinced Groundhog hunter and local businessman, and all members of his Punxsutawney Groundhog club on the idea of Groundhog Day. Together, they all made their way to Gobbler’s Knob where the Groundhog would make the final decision on the weather. Today, a group called the inner circle who wear top hats, conduct the official proceedings on February 2 in a Pennsylvania Dutch dialect, where tens of thousands of people attend the day’s events every year.
Studies have proven no strong correlation between a Groundhog spotting its own shadow and the arrival of spring subsequently. According to German lore, the badger known as Dachs is their forecasting animal. A separate version of traditions states that clear weather on the holy Christian day of Candlemas would often prohibit winter being prolonged.
Groundhog lore suggests much about Punxsutawney Phil. It is said that he drinks a magic ‘‘elixir of life’’ every summer, giving him seven more years to live. He has been predicting since around 1886, and a badger’s life span is around six years roughly, so go figure. There is also supposedly only one Phil and any other groundhogs who attempt to do what he does, are imposters. He is said to speak to the club president on the day, in front of the crowds in Groundhogese which is understood and then translated.
2019
I can’t see it
Punxsutawney Phil cannot find his shadow meaning an early spring was predicted.
1995
Go Phil!
Punxsutawney Phil flies to Chicago to appear on the ‘‘Oprah Winfrey Show.’’
1993
Despite the forecast, live like it's Spring
A film of the same name is released starring Bill Murray where he relives Groundhog Day over and over again.
February 2, 1886
No Sundial needed, I got this
The beginning of the Groundhog tradition dates back to here where a badger or sacred bear would predict the weather.
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pennmom
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Chief Ranger
[TI0] ALWAYS BE YOURSELF, UNLESS YOU CAN BE A UNICORN. THEN ALWAYS BE A UNICORN!
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Post by pennmom on Feb 3, 2022 22:53:56 GMT
National Golden Retriever Day – February 3, 2022~U.S.
Get ready to celebrate a furry friend, because National Golden Retriever Day is every February 3! The Golden Retriever is one of the most popular dog breeds in the US, and for good reason. The calm temperament, intelligence, and playfulness make them ideal best friends for any dog lover. Plus, they make great disability assistance animals, like seeing eye dogs for the blind and hearing dogs for the deaf. They’ve ended up saving lives in these roles—no wonder they have a holiday named after them. Read more and you might just have to go out and adopt a Golden yourself!
HISTORY OF NATIONAL GOLDEN RETRIEVER DAY
While the holiday itself only began in 2012, Golden Retrievers have a long and storied history starting all the way back in Scotland in the mid-19th century. Here’s a quick dip into the origins of this beloved canine.
A need for the breed arose when common hunting dogs of the day were proving inadequate for retrieving felled game over land and water. Guns had improved by the early 1800s, so Scottish hunters were shooting from much greater distances over swampy marshland and finding their dogs were losing or maiming their precious birds. They needed a dog with a soft mouth and excellent fetching capabilities, so they bred their best water spaniels with retrievers, and voila! The first Golden Retriever was born.
Nowadays, Golden Retrievers have evolved well beyond retrieving felled fowl. Not only do they make great disability assistance dogs, but they also specialize in detection and search and rescue efforts due to their stellar sniffing abilities. Their patience and gentleness makes them perfect for children or hectic households.
National Golden Retriever Day was founded when a woman named Kristen Shroyer realized there was no day set as a tribute for these dogs. She set the date, March 3, as the birthday of her late Golden, Quincy, who was sadly lost to cancer at only 7 years old.
In modern times, you might recognize Goldens in famous roles movies like Air Bud, Homeward Bound, and Napoleon. And as recently as 2019, a Golden Retriever named Kira went viral for saving two dogs trapped in frozen ice, fetching them and rounding them up for her owner, all captured on video. They truly are a one-of-a-kind breed!
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to thoroughly clean their house, in order to sweep away any ill fortune and to make way for incoming good luck.