Celebrate Every Day

Did You Know The First App Was a Video Game Called Snake?

Welcome to December 11th, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate the little things that connect us to the world and our inner child.

National Noodle Ring Day celebrates the round shaped pasta that kids love to eat.  This time of year, noodle rings make their way into craft projects too, proving that it's okay to play with your food.  Grownups can celebrate with a casserole dish made from pasta, breadcrumbs, cheese, eggs and seasonings that is formed into a ring shaped pan.  Like a noodle ring snowflake, no two celebrations are alike, but noodle rings bring the fun for everyone!

In 1997, the Nokia 6110 phone introduced a simple arcade game called Snake, which is considered by many to be the first mobile app. Almost 20 years later the iPhone was released and with it users could access nearly 500 apps. Today iPhone users can choose from almost 1.8 million of them and Android users have about 2.5 million. From navigation to learning and even performing surgery, apps have transformed our everyday lives.  While they have come a long way from that first game of Snake, apps are still used to entertain us and keep us in touch with family and friends.  On National App Day, celebrate the convenience of your favorite apps by sharing them with those you love. 

If you’d like to know more, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson.  Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day! 

Welcome to December 10th, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a youthful game changer and the festival of lights.

Born on December 10th, 1851 Melvil Dewey created the most widely used library organizational tool that is still in use today.  Since it was adopted in 1876, the Dewey Decimal Classification System or DDC has been revised and expanded but still resembles the categories and numerical arrangements designed by 21 year old Melvil.  Apparently Dewey was a fan of simplified spelling and even dropped letters from his first and last name.  Thankfully he did that after inventing his library system, as the D-U-I system would not likely stick today.  On Dewey Decimal System Day we honor the ingenuity of a young man whose influence can still be found in 135 countries around the world.

This evening kicks off Chanukah, the Jewish festival of lights. During the time of Alexander the Great, Jewish culture began to blend with Greek culture in a mostly peaceful relationship.  That is until Antiochus IV desecrated the Jewish Holy Temple. When the Israelites rededicated the Second Temple in Jerusalem, there was only enough oil to keep the lamps lit for one night, but instead, the oil lasted for 8. Chanukah celebrates this miracle with 8 nights of observance. In the evening, families light the menorah, adding one candle each night until all 9 candles are glowing on the last day. They exchange gifts, and share foods that commemorate this event. On the first day of Chanukah, we share in the spirit of miracles and embrace the ones we love. 

If you’d like to know more, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson.  Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

Welcome to December 9th, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate success stories in true rags to riches form.

Traditional clowns wore white makeup, with red noses and cheeks, and pointy hats. During the Great Depression, a clown named Emmett Kelly changed that image. People were down on their luck and while they wanted to be entertained, the usual clown shtick didn’t seem terribly relatable. That’s when Kelly’s clown character, Weary Willie became a reflection of the times. Instead of the typical costume, Weary Willie looked more like a hobo. He wore a frown, had whiskers, and his clothes were torn and dirty. This underdog became iconic because people could see something of themselves in him. On Weary Willie Day, celebrate a clown who was a man of the people. Unless you’re afraid of clowns, in which case, forget we said anything.

Pastry dough dates back to the ancient Mediterranean when it was rolled paper thin and baked into baklava. The Crusaders brought it to Europe where it became a versatile base for pies and pasties.  But the variety of pastries we enjoy today is thanks to a French chef who mastered the technique of crafting dough into the sublime. Chef Careme grew up poor, but his career took off at age 15 when his grandiose pastry creations reached the table of Napoleon Bonaparte.  From there he served the royalty of Europe with his cream puffs, danishes, quiches and tarts, and advanced the notion of cuisine as both art and science.  On National Pastry Day we celebrate this rich dessert and the kid who shaped his future with it.  

If you’d like to know more, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson.  Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

If Time Travel Was An Option, Where Would You Go?

Welcome to December 8th, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate dessert on the go and glitches in time.

They say that necessity is the mother of invention and that appears to be the case for our favorite combination of cookie and cake: the brownie. Legend has it that Bertha Palmer wanted a special dessert that would fit neatly into a boxed lunch for her socialite friends attending the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893.  Bertha’s husband owned the Palmer House hotel and one of the chefs there devised the perfect cake-like dessert that could be eaten by hand.  Apparently, dessert on the go was a hit as this same recipe is served by the Parker House hotel to this day.  On National Brownie Day splurge on your own chocolate fix with or without utensils.

Anna: Marlo you look different today. Why is your hair white? And why are you wearing a silver tracksuit?

Marlo: I’m not the Marlo you know. I’m future Marlo.

Anna: Okay…

Marlo: Really. I’m from 20 years in the future. I have something important to tell you.

Anna: Is this a joke?

Marlo: No! Anna, listen to me. John is going to come in with a cup of coffee and spill it on the board. It’ll set off a chain of events that will cause robots to rise up and take over the world.

Anna: Oh no! Ok, well I’ll go stop him!

Marlo: I’m just kidding. I’m not from the future. Today is Pretend To Be A Time Traveler Day.

Anna: Thank goodness. You had me scared.

John: Hey guys, I need to take a minute here. I spilled my coffee.

Marlo and Anna: NOOO!!

If you’d like to know more, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson.  Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

How Do You Remember The Day That Will Live In Infamy?

Welcome to December 7, 2020 on the National Day Calendar.  Today we are brought together by traditions both bitter and sweet.  

On December 7, 1941 more than 3,500 Americans lost their lives or were wounded when the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service attacked the Naval Station Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii.  The ambush was designed to destroy our U.S. Pacific Fleet, although the United States had remained neutral until this stage of World War II. On November 8th President Roosevelt announced the beginning of our military involvement and within hours Canada joined us on the side of the Allies.  On National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day we display our nation’s flag at half mast until sunset and listen to survivors share their stories of those first American casualties. 

Today we celebrate a popular sweet that goes by many different names. In the Netherlands, it’s known as “sugar spider.” The French call it “papa’s beard.” In Australia, it’s referred to as fairy floss. But here in the US, we call it cotton candy. This treat was invented in 1897 by William Morrison and John C. Wharton, who unveiled their creation a few years later at the 1904 World’s Fair. Since then, you can’t go to a fair or an amusement park without seeing children eating cotton candy. The inventors made a lot of money on the treat at the time, selling nearly 68,000 boxes for 25 cents a piece. But William Morrison undoubtedly made even more money than his partner because Morrison was…a dentist. Pretty sneaky, sir. On National Cotton Candy Day, treat your inner child to a taste of summers past. Just be sure to brush your teeth afterwards.

If you’d like to know more, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com.  I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson.  Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

Do You Know The Real Life Inspiration For Santa Claus?

Welcome to December 6th, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate the spirit of giving in public or in secret.

National Pawnbrokers Day honors the ancient practice of lending money in exchange for property or goods used as security. The history of pawnbroking began thousands of years ago in Ancient Greece, Rome and China. This valuable service took on a charitable nature when the Pawn Broker’s Association renamed the celebration Musical Instrument Gift Day.  Inspired by the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, pawnbrokers across the country now make generous donations of musical instruments to organizations in need. 

Saint Nicholas, the real life inspiration for Santa Claus, was born around the year 280 AD in what is now known as Turkey. His parents died when Nicholas was very young, leaving him with a large inheritance. Rather than spend it all on himself, Nicholas used the money to help those less fortunate than him. As an adult, he became a bishop and was known for his generosity and kindness, especially toward children and the poor. After his death, his legend grew. Children who left their shoes out by the fire would awake to find money or candy inside and this inspired the tradition of leaving out stockings for Santa. On St. Nicholas Day, surprise your family with this extra day of sneaky present giving.  Though if you dry your shoes by a fire, you may wanna avoid filling them with chocolates. 

If you’d like to know more, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson.  Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

Some Folks Call Him A Man Of Mystery. Can You Guess Which One Of Us Is Closest To Being A Ninja?

Welcome to December 5th, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate the rebel spirit and our own international man of mystery.

The controversial 18th Amendment banning the production, transport and sale of alcohol sparked a revolution of speak

easy style. In the early 1800s, groups such as the Prohibition Party and the Anti Saloon League began preaching moderation in the consumption of alcohol.  Those who believed that drinking was the root of all evil pushed to eradicate it altogether and by 1919 the 18th Amendment was ratified.  But this didn’t ban folks from drinking, and enforcing the law became expensive during the Roaring Twenties. The terms gangster and moonshine reached their peak.  Though the experiment had good intentions, National Repeal Day has been celebrated since December 5th, 1933 when the 21st Amendment was ratified and Prohibition officially ended.  Even Al Capone celebrated from his prison cell.  

Anna: Today we also celebrate…Marlo, where are you? John, have you seen him?

John: He was there…and then he just vanished.

Marlo: Hi guys.

Anna: Whoa! Where did you come from?

Marlo: I’ve been honing my ninja moves. I can stalk like a cat.

Anna: Why are you doing that?

Marlo: It’s International Ninja Day and I thought I’d show off my new skills.

Anna: Well, you have to warn people if you’re going to…Okay. Did he just disappear again?

John: Yes. I hope this isn’t something he plans on doing all the time.

If you’d like to know more, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson.  Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

What's Your Favorite Holiday Cookie?

Welcome to December 4th, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate the spirit of fun that translates in any language.

Sir William of Tyre invented a dice game called “Hazard,” in the 12th Century AD. He named it after a castle he’d seen while serving in the Middle East during the Crusades. The game became extremely popular in 17th Century France and because it required nothing other than dice, Hazard could be played just about anywhere—in taverns, on tables and even on the street. Because people would crouch down near the ground to play, the French began to call it “crapaud,” which means toad. This name was later shortened to the game we know today as: craps. On National Dice Day roll out some fun of your own, with or without the gamble.

Cookies first appeared in Persia in the 7th century and made their way to Europe through Spain in the 14th century. They later traveled to the United States with Dutch settlers.  In the Netherlands they were called koekies or little cakes.  Apparently, cookies made good travel companions and a sturdy kind were called jumbles in the early days.  Also known as biscuits throughout Europe, the treat became popular in the street markets all the way to the high courts.  Today we celebrate National Cookie Day thanks to a Sesame Street Monster, who sums up their deliciousness with a universal phrase, "Num, num, num, num, num!"  At least I think that's universal.   

If you’d like to know more, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson.  Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

Wanna Feel Festive Without Spending A Lot Of Dough? Time To Bust Out The Cookie Cutters!

Welcome to December 3rd, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate making spirits bright by rolling out the dough and giving to our furry friends.

Nothing sparks your holiday season like baking homemade cookies and this is the week to roll out some dough and press it with your favorite cookie cutters.  Even the ancient Egyptians liked forming sweet cakes in various shapes and folks followed suit in Greece, Rome and Western Europe.  By the 1500s Germans made elaborate wooden cookie molds and gingerbread men, women and houses popped out by the dozens.  But American tin smiths of the 1700s made the cookie cutters we still love today. During National Cookie Cutter Week roll out your own favorite tradition and watch the holiday cheer appear!

While you may not have room to adopt a pet this season, you can still be a part of a holiday tradition that brings comfort and joy to millions of shelter animals through Operation Santa Paws.  This month we celebrate the spirit of giving to our four legged friends to make their stay a little bit brighter until they find their forever home.  The organization accepts blankets, food, toys and money that will make animals feel secure and cared for, which is an important part of keeping them adoptable. And if you’re ready for a new family member, they can help you find that perfect pet. Look for Operation Santa Paws between now and December 24th to bring the holiday spirit to our furry friends. 

If you’d like to know more, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson.  Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

Have You Ever Noticed What Most Mutts Have In Common?

Welcome to December 2nd, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate loveable mixes and deep fried comfort.

In the world of dogs, some come with pedigrees and champion bloodlines that win dog shows time and again, and others are...well, mutts. Unlike their purebred cousins, mutts are what Bob Ross would call “happy accidents.” Like the strange Beagle / Doberman hybrid that lived next door to Chris.  Can you imagine a short legged Beagle with a long pointy Doberman snout?  I’m talking about the dog, not Chris, but apparently it was cute and loveable.  And that’s the best thing about mutts is their personalities. On National Mutt Day, celebrate the uniquely weird dogs that make some of the best pets.

While you may just now feel unstuffed from Thanksgiving, there is still room to celebrate all things fried with National Fritters Day.  Fritters come in three types, from a basic dough, to battered vegetables and meats and finally the small cakes of chopped food such as corn.  Just about anything can be frittered from flowers to fruit and almost every culture has a tasty version.  Frying food in oil has been around for thousands of years, but the technique of batter frying was introduced by the Spanish and Portuguese in the late 16th century.  This culinary inspiration spread to Japan, where it became known as tempura. Throughout the world from French beignets to Indian pakoras, fritters are synonymous with comfort. No matter what language you speak, on National Fritters Day your tummy will find room for this extra bit of joy.  

If you’d like to know more, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson.  Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!