Celebrate Every Day

Some legends require liquid courage. Others are born brave. Which one are you?

Welcome to July 24th, 2020 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate legends of the still and the sky.  More after the break from Marlo Anderson.

Tequila dates back to the 16th century when Cortez and his Spanish conquistadors arrived in North America.  While they didn’t think much of the fermented mezcal wine, the Spanish introduced the copper still and a legendary improvement was forged.  Today the production of tequila is protected by law in Mexico and must be produced in the town for which it is named in the State of Jalisco.  While a few other regions can claim the same rights, all other agave based spirits are called mezcal.  However you serve up National Tequila Day, be sure to celebrate responsibly.  

At age 10, Amelia Mary Earhart knew she wanted to fly an airplane. While women weren’t supposed to do such things in the 1920's this adventurous tomboy saved up and bought a bright yellow biplane called The Canary and blazed a trail across the sky.  She became the first woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 1928 and four years later, made the same flight solo. Amelia racked up numerous records until 1937 when she set off to fly around the world. Her disappearance over the Pacific remains a mystery to this day. On National Amelia Earhart Day, we honor the legend of aviation who reminds us to keep chasing our dreams no matter where they go. 

If you would like to Celebrate Every Day with us, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com.

Today we welcome Marlo Anderson back by celebrating his favorite flavor!

Welcome to July 23rd, 2020 on the National Day Calendar.  Today we celebrate national treasures and refreshing measures.  More after the break from Anna Devere.

It seems as if July has had more than its fair share of ice cream celebrations, but we’re making room for one more on National Vanilla Ice Cream Day. The second most popular ice cream dates back to 17th century France, although most folks agree that it became popular here in the States thanks to Thomas Jefferson.  His hand written recipe is still found in the Library of Congress and is served at the ice cream parlor at Mount Rushmore. With only four simple ingredients including “good cream,” egg yolks, sugar and vanilla bean, a national treasure was born.  On National Vanilla Ice Cream Day try whipping up your own simply perfect recipe.

Nothing hits the spot like a nice cold drink on a hot summer day. And there’s no better reward for mowing the lawn than an ice cold beer or glass of lemonade. For some reason, these drinks just seem to taste better when you’re hot. They’re called refreshments for a reason, after all; the perfect way to soothe your soul while the sun is doing its worst. On National Refreshment Day, pour yourself a nice tall glass of whatever hits the spot.

If you would like to Celebrate Every Day with us, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com.

Were hot dogs really served to royalty by FDR? Today we celebrate the easy life.

When King George VI visited the United States in 1939, FDR hosted him at his Hyde Park estate. In the weeks prior to the event word got out that an American picnic featuring hot dogs would be served to the English King and Queen rather than a fancy state dinner. This news caused such a stir that First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt had to address it. And while the queen was heard to say “How do you eat this?” as she had never had a hot dog before, the king loved them so much that he asked for seconds. On National Hot Dog Day, fire up the grill and enjoy this summertime favorite fit for a king…and queen.

And while we are celebrating the simple life why not catch some z’s between two trees.  That’s right we’re talking about the hammock, which dates back thousands of years to Central America where it was used to protect people from creatures and dirt. The netted bed was introduced to Europe by explorers in the 17th century, and not long after made its way onto naval ships, where the hammock provided comfort while maximizing space.  Today this backpacker’s essential has become synonymous with the life of leisure and a compact way to catch a snooze in the great outdoors.  On National Hammock Day get swinging with the breeze in the easiest way to rock yourself to sleep.

If you would like to Celebrate Every Day with us, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com.

Transcript for July 21st

Welcome to July 21st, 2020 on the National Day Calendar.  I’m John McClain sitting in for Marlo Anderson.  Today we honor making a difference and celebrate our favorite food on the go.  More after the break from Anna Devere.

Project Harmony founded National Be Someone Day to help end child abuse and bring communities together through education and awareness.

They remind us that it only takes a few seconds to make a difference in a child’s life and by taking the pledge to report what we see, the results can last a lifetime.  Visit projectharmony.com to learn more about how you can “be someone” for a child in need.

While the name “junk food” was coined in the 1970’s it may surprise you to learn that convenient, packaged foods first took off in the 1800’s. That’s when the process of canning food became popular and the steady stream of packaging improvements rolled out ever since.  This helped to both preserve and brand our favorite foods: think cola bottles and cellophane bags of chips. In the 1950s people traveled and ate out more than ever and the drive thru variety of fast foods took hold of our hungry appetites.  And while this fast growing menu was dubbed “junk food” by microbiologist Michael Jacobson in the 1970s most people agree that it’s okay to enjoy in moderation.  On National Junk Food Day, celebrate all the burgers and fries, pizza and bagels you love to consume on the go.  

If you would like to Celebrate Every Day with us, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com.

Transcript for July 20, 2020

Welcome to July 20th, 2020 on the National Day Calendar.  I’m John McClain sitting in for Marlo Anderson. Today we celebrate the giant leap that launched a National Day to stardom and a time honored treat named after a race horse.  More after the break from Anna Devere.

We all appreciate that first step taken by Neil Armstrong of the Apollo 11 Mission on July 20th 1969.  NASA has called the event the single greatest technological achievement of all time.  And while Richard Nixon proclaimed National Moon Landing Day in 1971 to commemorate the anniversary, no continuing celebration was observed.   As the fan fare died down, the holiday was drifting into obscurity until a gas station attendant from Michigan took up the cause to rouse our spirits for this day once again.  Richard Christmas mailed letters to Congressmen and Governors in all 50 States urging them to create National Moon Day.  This became known as the Christmas Card Campaign and today we celebrate National Moon Day thanks to the efforts of this one man.

This confectionary classic first appeared in the16th century, though it didn’t take off until 1931.  That’s when George Smith trademarked the treat, naming it after his favorite race horse, and the lollipop has been a fan favorite ever since.  Immortalized in song by Shirley Temple and its very own Guild in the Land of Oz, National Lollipop Day celebrates this simple sweet that can satisfy even the toughest of customers.

If you would like to Celebrate Every Day with us, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com.

Transcript for July 19th

Welcome to July 19th, 2020 on the National Day Calendar.  I’m John McClain sitting in for Marlo Anderson. Today we celebrate a dessert worth cheering for and a rum drink discovered by a legendary daredevil.  More after the break from Anna Devere.

For as long as folks have been enjoying frozen treats we bet they’ve been screaming for ice cream.  Although the Ancient Persians probably didn’t shout too much while climbing mountain peaks to gather snow for their snow cones.   And who knows if the Chinese let out a squeal for the frozen dairy dessert they created in 697 AD using salt and ice.  But things surely got loud when Antonio Latini created a milk based sorbet in 1642 in Naples, Italy.  After all, Italians are known to get excited over food and with the advent of gelato who can blame them?  The oldest United States recipe is credited to Thomas Jeffereson and the now famous vanilla can still be sampled today. On National Ice Cream Day, feel free to let out cheer for one of the oldest celebrated treats of all time.  

Legend has it that Hemingway first encountered the daiquiri in a bar in Havana, Cuba. Though he usually drank whiskey, he tried one that night and immediately ordered another.  When he asked for it “without the sugar and double the rum” the bartender dubbed it the Papa Doble. But Hemingway called it the Double Frozen Daiquiri. This cocktail made him feel like he was “downhill glacier skiing while running unroped,” and he once bragged that he could easily down 17 in one day without getting a hangover. On National Daiquiri Day, try the Papa Doble if you dare, although we recommend sticking with just one.

National Get Out of the Dog House Day

If you would like to Celebrate Every Day with us, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com.

Transcript for July 18th

Welcome to July 18th, 2020 on the National Day Calendar.  I’m John McClain sitting in for Marlo Anderson and today we celebrate the tart and salty.  More after the break from Anna Devere.

Just what makes us crave that mouth watering, tear jerking taste of today’s sour candies is unclear, but the history of the underlying tartness goes back to the 19th century.  Hard candy manufacturing back then relied on acid to convert cane sugar into glucose, which resists crystallization. Vinegar did the trick and likely trained our mouth to crave this sweet tart combination.  Then along came the Lemonhead in 1962 which used citric acid to power our pucker and a new kind of arms race was born.  Since then we have raised the bar ever higher with kids demanding a mouth punishing experience that  seemed to culminate with the 1993 impact of the Mega Warhead.  On National Sour Candy Day, pucker up anyway you please and leave the fear factor kind to the kids.  

Caviar is a delicacy that is quite expensive and typically served at only the most lavish parties. Beluga caviar is widely considered to be the best that money can buy, but it might as well be plain old scrambled eggs when compared to almas caviar. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, this delicacy isn’t just the priciest caviar in the world, it’s the most expensive FOOD in the world. Period. 1 pound of it can cost up to $17,000! It’s produced from the eggs of the endangered albino sturgeon, found only in the southern part of the Caspian Sea. On National Caviar Day, live it up a little and treat yourself to a less expensive version.

If you would like to Celebrate Every Day with us, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com.

Transcript for July 17th

Welcome to July 17th, 2020 on the National Day Calendar.  I’m John McClain sitting in for Marlo Anderson. Today we celebrate the pictures that are worth more than a thousand words and then ones that last a lifetime.  More after the break from Anna Devere.

If you have resisted the trend to punctuate your communications with cute little emojis then it may surprise you to learn that a certain generation finds the absence of emojis cold and unfriendly. Since the advent of texting, programers have looked for ways to dispel any confusion in the subtext behind this sparse communication. Emoticons were the answer and as the name implies, this emotion combined with an icon made for a vast improvement.  But no one saw the tidal wave of creativity that would hit in the 1990’s with the very first emoji, which is Japanese for picture word. With over 1800 listed on emojipedia.org, there’s a picture word for practically everything.  On World Emoji Day, jump on the bandwagon with the characters who have taken on a life of their own.  

The ancient Maori people of New Zealand considered tattoos to be an important part of a person’s identity. The intricate designs were unique to that person and served as a display of ancestry, social status, and abilities. But getting these tattoos wasn’t easy. Designs were cut into the skin and soot was rubbed into the open wounds. When the cuts healed over, the designs became a permanent part of your body. Sounds scary, right? But to the Maori, it was simply a rite of passage. Going to the local tattoo parlor doesn’t seem like such a big deal now, does it? On National Tattoo Day, get some fresh ink or if you’re not up for the commitment, go for the temporary kind.

If you would like to Celebrate Every Day with us, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com.

Transcript for July 16th

Welcome to July 16th, 2020 on the National Day Calendar.  I’m John McClain sitting in for Marlo Anderson and today we celebrate the foundation of any business and a side dish with corny appeal.  More after the break from Anna Devere.

When Main Street businesses were locally owned and operated, the owners typically knew you by name and knew what you wanted to buy. And not surprisingly, if they didn’t have it, they were willing to get it in for you. But with the advent of internet shopping and big-box stores, much of that personal attention has gone by the wayside. Get to Know Your Customers Day is a day to turn it all around. Making each of them feel like they are your most important customer is not just good for your company’s bottom line, it’s the best way to stay stand out from the crowd.  Go ahead and celebrate your customers today with a little extra attention that everyone needs and appreciates.

Corn was an important part of Native American culture, but Europeans knew nothing of it until the 15th Century. When settlers learned how to prepare this New World ingredient, they began to adapt their European recipes to include it, creating foods such as cornbread. In what became the Southern United States, corn was used to create two regional favorites, which are often confused with one another. The johnnycake is made with cornmeal and is prepared like a pancake. While fritters are dough patties made with corn kernels in the batter, then fried in oil. Today, we’re celebrating the fritter. Sorry johnnycake. On National Corn Fritters Day, celebrate this delicious Southern side dish that can be eaten with something savory or sweet. 

If you would like to Celebrate Every Day with us, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com.

Transcript for July 15th

Welcome to July 15th, 2020 on the National Day Calendar.  I’m John McClain sitting in for Marlo Anderson and today we celebrate the spirit of giving and our favorite form of “icky.”  More after the break from Anna Devere.

Holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas are universally tied to the spirit of giving and aside from the hustle and bustle they cause, most people enjoy this time of gratitude and gifting.  So why not enjoy that feeling more often?  On National Give Something Away Day we offer more than the material, bow-wrapped kind of present and broaden the definition to include our time, our words or deeds and even the surprise of paying for the coffee of the person next in line.  Whether you find useful items that are no longer wanted, a surplus of food in your pantry or even a skill that may be vital to someone in need, National Give Something Away Day is a great time to celebrate the pay it forward spirit that’s good any time of year.

In 1922, German candy maker Hans Reigel invented gummi candy. Nearly 60 years later, Gummi Bears were sold in America for the first time and became an overnight success. After seeing the popularity of these little bears, American candy manufacturer Trolli took the idea and ran in another direction with the gummi worm.  The idea behind this new candy was simple: Kids love candy as much as they love gross stuff. Gummy worms are delicious, and had the added fun of grossing out parents. And the super sour flavors kicked up the “ick factor” to heighten the kid’s only appeal. On National Gummi Worm Day, dig up some of these sweet and sour creepy crawlers that are both trick and treat for your inner child?

If you would like to Celebrate Every Day with us, be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website TheNationalDailyShow.com.