Celebrate Every Day

Did You Know That Cinnamon Comes From Giant Birds?! Okay, So It's A Good Day For Some Creative Storytelling!

Welcome to November 1st, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate the power of stories and those who use them for good or otherwise.

Agatha Christie is the queen of the Whodunnit. Of the nearly 80 murder mysteries she wrote, about half involve death by poisoning. Christie had an extensive knowledge of drugs and poisons because of her time spent working in a hospital pharmacy during World War I. She watched carefully as pharmacists and nurses administered medicine to patients, and she learned what dosages were safe, as well as what could kill someone. Luckily for the world, she used her knowledge for good and wrote some of the most successful novels ever. In fact, she’s only been outsold by The Bible and Shakespeare’s works. On National Author’s Day celebrate by reading one of your favorite works or maybe something new from an up-and-coming writer.

Cinnamon warms up everything from fall drinks to French toast.  But a long time ago the spice was a rare commodity that cost nearly 50 months wages for a mere pound.  The Egyptians used it to embalm their mummies, and burned it like incense in their tombs.  The origins of cinnamon were kept a secret to protect the spice traders monopoly.  They even told a story of giant cinnamon birds that harvested the bark to line their nests.  This story lasted until around 1310 BCE. Today it's no secret that most cinnamon comes from Indonesia and you don't have to be royalty to enjoy its warm, festive flavor.  On National Cinnamon Day enjoy something delicious and be glad it didn't come from a giant birds nest.

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!

Halloween Has Been Around For Thousands of Years. Do You Know The Origins Of Wearing Costumes And Carving Jack-O-Lanterns?

Welcome to October 31, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate all things spooky and opportunity knocking.

Halloween dates back thousands of years to ancient Ireland, when pagans celebrated the end of the summer harvest. They believed that on this night, October 31st, the gates opened between the worlds of the living and the dead. In order to scare off any fairies or evil spirits, people dressed in costumes. Centuries later, the custom of “souling” began, which involved people going door to door in costume, singing hymns and reciting prayers on behalf of the dead. In return, they were given soul-cakes, something like a fruit muffin. So that accounts for costumes and trick or treating, but do you know where the idea for jack o’ lanterns came from? Well, it turns out that those costumed singers carried around hollowed out turnips with candles inside to represent the souls of the dead. Somehow, that makes it feel creepier than the trapped soul thing. Get your masks on, boys and ghouls, today is Halloween, the spookiest day of the year.

Marlo: Knock Knock Anna: Who’s there?

Marlo: Boo?  Anna: Boo Hoo?

Marlo: Don’t cry I have 10 more knock knock jokes.

Anna: Oh Marlo are you just trying to lighten the mood.  I know you’re easily scared.

Marlo: Actually, it’s National Knock-Knock Jokes Day.

Marlo: Knock Knock  Anna: Who’s there?

Marlo: Bee Anna: Bee who?

Marlo: Be-ware there’s a full moon this Halloween.  

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!

Mary Shelley Created Her Classic Monster Thanks To A Summer Of Gloom. Do You Know What Natural Disaster Caused The Year Without A Summer?

Welcome to October 30, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate gloomy beginnings and sweet endings. More after the break.

In 1815, a massive volcanic eruption in Indonesia spread ash around the entire globe. The following year was dubbed The Year Without a Summer. The skies were dreary and dark, and temperatures were far below normal. And in the midst of this, a legendary novel was born. Lord Byron invited Mary Shelley and her fiancee to his home in Switzerland, where the friends huddled around a fireplace and read from a book of scary stories. In this eerie setting, Byron came up with the idea that each guest should write their own ghost story to share with the group at the end of their stay. And that is how Mary’s Frankenstein was born. On National Frankenstein Friday host your own eerie happy hour or read the original classic, if you dare!

Not everyone is a fan of candy corn, which was invented in the 1800s and originally called Chicken Corn. At the time, most Americans were farmers and candy shaped like vegetables were all the rage. What made candy corn stand out were its bright Fall colors. During World War II, sugar had to be rationed, so the makers of candy corn cut back production and limited sales to the Fall. Trick or treating became popular around the same time, so candy corn became synonymous with Halloween. If you’re a fan then indulge your sweet tooth on National Candy Corn Day.  And if not celebrate the fact that it's only around a short while.

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 Da

It's Hard To Believe That Cats Ever Had Jobs, But Today We Celebrate Their Role As Expert Nappers!

Welcome to October 29, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a good start to the day and the pets who know how to stretch out a siesta.

Samuel Johnson, creator of the first proper English dictionary, was no fan of oatmeal. In his definition, he called it “A grain which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people.” His friend James Boswell, a Scotsman, replied “Aye, and that’s why England has such fine horses, and Scotland such fine people.” If you’re one of these fine people, you know how good oatmeal can be. It may not be the most exciting breakfast food, but it is perfect for chilly mornings. Add some fruit, honey, or syrup, and you’ve got a tasty and healthy start to your day. On National Oatmeal Day, celebrate with a bowl of the good stuff, or even a batch of oatmeal cookies. And if you’ve got a horse, feel free to share the love.

A lot of attention is paid to the hard working dog and by comparison cats seem a lot lazier, unless you take into account their role as influencers in funny hats on the internet.  But thousands of years ago cats emerged from the wild to play a useful role as mice catchers, stemming the spread of disease and helping yield better crops.  The Egyptians revered cats for their priceless role and even mummified cats to do their job in the afterlife, but when the Egyptian dynasty collapsed, cats found an even better job in the laps of the rich in Far Eastern India and Japan.  This is where the breeding of Siamese and Burmese cats began and with it the notion that cats were a luxury and not a mere farm hand. On National Cat Day we celebrate their place in our hearts as expert nappers. 

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!

Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This. What Is The Record For Largest Chocolate Sculpture?

Welcome to October 28, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate chocolate dreams and remarkable rodents.

Anyone who loves chocolate is probably celebrating this treat everyday, but National Chocolate Day is an excuse to take it over the top.  And a few fans are even setting world records.  Turns out that sculptors use the confection as a medium for sweet artistic wonders creating everything from giant pandas to statues and cathedrals. But according to the Guinness Book of World Records the largest chocolate sculpture is the Casa do Chocolate made by a team in Brazil in 2018.  The house is realistic in design and includes a stove, kitchen utensils, furniture and a typewriter all made from more than 23,000 pounds of chocolate.  Now that sounds like a chocolate lovers dream!  

In 1979, one of America’s smallest—and weirdest—celebrities made her debut: Twiggy the Waterskiing Squirrel. Chuck and Lou Ann Best rescued a baby squirrel that had fallen out of its nest and about a year later, the little animal had become part of the family. As a joke, Chuck built a tiny pair of Styrofoam water-skis for Twiggy and attached them to his daughter’s remote controlled boat. Word got out about the squirrel’s talent and soon Twiggy was making appearances on news shows around the country. For nearly 40 years, this tiny performer and her offspring have toured the US, entertaining crowds and teaching kids the importance of water safety. October is National Squirrel Awareness Month and while you may not have the patience to teach one to ski, you can certainly give them the right of way on the road.

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!

Black Cats Were Symbols Of Good Luck For Thousands Of Years. Find Out How Their Lucky Streak Was Broken.

Welcome to October 27, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate making good on a bad wrap and the season of “chill”.

It appears that the myth surrounding black cats as bringers of doom and bad luck is relatively new and associated with the Puritanical view of witches and their supernatural pets.  Starting in the 12 century, folks began to perpetuate the idea that a witch could transform into a black cat nine times and thus their reputation for multiple lives began too. But well before that the ebony coated feline was a sign of good luck from Ancient Egypt to Old England, Scotland and Japan where black cats enjoyed a good luck status for thousands of years. 

Hey, Anna didn’t you adopt a black cat recently? 

I did! And my life has never been luckier!

Aren’t you practicing bloodletting too?

Well she is a shoulder cat, so it took her awhile to get the knack of sticking the landing without scratching up my neck.

She’s adorable!  On National Black Cat Day break your streak with superstition and find some feline good fortune for yourself.

America’s love affair with beer started even before the United States was a country. In 1612, Dutch traders Adrian Block and Hans Christiansen established a brewery on what would become Manhattan Island. At the time, the area was called New Amsterdam and was a fur trading outpost. The winter that year was especially cold and icy, which made the workers very grumpy. To boost morale amongst their men, Block and his partner started brewing beer, which worked like a charm. While beer is consumed all over the world here in the States we love it icy cold and if the weather is already frosty where you live, chances are you still enjoy a cold one. On National American Beer Day celebrate the season of chill by cracking open your favorite brew. 

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 Picked Up Your Halloween Pumpkin Yet? Find Out Who Holds The Record For The Largest Pumpkin Grown Here In The U.S.

Welcome to October 26, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate the workhorse of the Old West and a sure sign it's Fall. 

One of the great unsung heroes of the Old West wasn’t even a person—it’s the mule. These animals are a hybrid of a female horse and a male donkey, and they inherited the best traits from each of their parents. They’re athletic and intelligent, but also have greater range of vision and surer footing than either the horse or donkey—plus, they’re more even-tempered too. Combining all these traits into one created the perfect animal to help settlers expand across America. Mules could carry heavy loads, walk longer distances, and navigate rugged mountain terrain and they were the perfect pack animal and companion for cowboys. On National Mule Day, tip your hat to an animal that helped tame the West…and did it without any complaints. 

There's no doubt that pumpkins find their place on our radar as symbols of Fall and our love of the season.  How quickly we embrace leaving warm weather behind with pumpkin spice lattes brewing and the ingredient that finds its way into everything from candles to pet shampoo. This squash is native to North America with the oldest pumpkin seeds dating back to 7000 BC in Mexico. The word pumpkin originates from the word pepon, which means large melon in Greek. And our fascination for these large melons grows even bigger when they reach record sizes.  The current record holder here in the States is Steve Gedden with his 2,528 pound pumpkin that garnered him 6,000 dollars in prize money.  On National Pumpkin Day celebrate your favorite recipe or product that has you dreaming of a visit from Great Pumpkin himself.

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!

Is Your Mother-In-Law Magical Or Just Plain Spooky?

Welcome to October 25, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate magical mother-in-laws and greasy spoons.

Okay, we’re getting close to Halloween and if you think celebrating National Mother-In-Law Day is more than a little scary here's something to lighten your spirits.  The most magical, fictional mother-in-law award goes to... Agnes Moorhead as Endora on Bewitched.  Not only did she possess witchy powers, she knew just how to wilt her son in law, Darren by simply refusing to call him by his real name.  Durwood, Darwin, Dum Dum, What’s his name… Rumor has it that she hung out with Atilla the Hun, so her mother-in-law wit was well sharpened.  If you can relate then celebrate this day any way you see fit.  Best to avoid being turned into a toad.  On the other hand if you have a gem of a Mother-In-Law you’ll probably want to count your lucky stars.

The name may not sound very nice, but there’s something great about a greasy spoon. I don’t mean a utensil you need to wash—I’m talking about a good old fashioned diner. Since the 1920s, diners have been an American favorite, and there’s no better place to get a quick meal—especially a late-night one. And what’s the best thing on the menu? It’s a matter of taste, but whatever it is, it’s probably fried. Yes, we try to avoid fried foods most of the time, but every so often, it’s great to live a little and gobble down a plate of fries, onion rings, or fried chicken. Even the healthiest person has a soft spot for some greasy food now and again. On National Greasy Food Day, celebrate this excuse for sidling up to the counter at your favorite local diner and taking the plunge.  

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 John McClain.  Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

Did You Know That The Recipe For Bologna Was Protected By The Papacy?

Welcome to October 24, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate the first name in lunch meat and a guest host’s super power.

Some foods owe their success to immigration, leaving behind the identity of the city or place they came from to take on a new role here in America. One of these is bologna.  Beginning its life as mortadella, the beloved sausage meat from the Italian city of Bologna was even protected in 1661 by the papacy.  They created an official definition of the recipe to ensure it would be made with the right amount of lean pork specked with lumps of lard.  Here in the United States bologna gained popularity as a cheaper food that took off during the Great Depression and the war rationing eras.  It also held up to the inventions associated with processed foods and packaging.  But perhaps its greatest break came from a jingle in the 1970s.  On National Bologna Day we celebrate the success of this immigrant whose first name has remained unchanged for almost 400 years. 

Chris: That was the BEST national day we have ever done on the show.

Anna: Are you serious?

Chris: No. I’m not. 

Anna: Well, what was I supposed to read?

Chris: You read the right thing. Bologna is amazing. It’s my favorite food.

Anna: Really? I would have never guessed that about you.

Chris: Anna. None of that is true. I’m being completely sarcastic. It’s National Sarcastic Awareness Month. So are you aware now?

Anna: No. Can you explain it again? I missed that.

Chris: Okay. So sarcasm is…

Anna: I’m not serious, Chris.  You can stop talking now.

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!

Guess Who Has A Birthday Today?

Welcome to October 23, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate mistaken dessert identities and the birthday of a famous host.

When it comes to dessert no one is complaining about identity theft when they order Boston Cream Pie.  That's because the delicious layers of buttery sponge cake sandwiched with pastry cream and topped with a shiny coat of chocolate could hardly be considered a crime.  Created by a French pastry chef at the Parker House Hotel in Boston in the late 1800s this dessert became the official dessert of Massachusetts in 1996. At the time it was created, cakes and pies were baked in the same pans and thus their names became interchangeable.  What landed this creation on the map was the accessibility of a new ingredient: baking chocolate, which proves that just about anything topped with glistening layers of melted chocolate is bound to be a hit!  On National Boston Cream Pie Day celebrate the sweet dilemma of this identity crisis. 

Johnny Carson was host of the Tonight Show for 30 years straight and became a national icon. But the record for most years as a late-night host is held by his protegé, David Letterman, who hosted his talk shows for 33 years. Letterman made his debut on February 1, 1982, as host of Late Night on NBC. His first guest was Bill Murray. A little over 10 years later, he moved his show to CBS and entertained audiences with wacky skits like Stupid Human Tricks and the Late Show Monkey Cam. He recorded his final episode on May 20, 2015. And his last guest was… Bill Murray, who popped out of a cake and bade his friend farewell. A fitting bookend to a long and storied career. We celebrate National TV Talk Show Host Day, on October 23rd because it’s Carson’s birthday.  Anna: It’s also the birthday of my favorite show host: Marlo Anderson. 

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!