Celebrate Every Day

Welcome to January 22nd, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate having fun with our kids and the brownie’s blonde cousin.

Charles Swindoll said that each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children. Today is the day to make that investment count by letting our kids know how much we love them. Celebration of Life Day is about appreciating the Now, whether it’s a walk in the park together, coloring or reading a book. Kids grow up much faster than we can imagine. And while your children may be racing towards adulthood, they are never too old to appreciate your attention and encouragement. This day is for everyone who loves a youngster. It’s a gentle reminder that the best thing you can give your children is time.

Did you know that the first brownies didn’t have cocoa at all but got their color from molasses? It’s believed that these dessert bars originated in Sandusky, Ohio at least 10 years before their chocolate cousins. When chocolate became the norm in the early 1900s they differentiated the bars by calling the original the blondie. This name appeared in recipe books of the 1940s and called for light brown sugar instead of molasses. Blondies have all the caramel sweetness of a chocolate chip cookie with the soft fudgy texture of a bar. On National Blonde Brownie Day enjoy this ultimate way to satisfy your sweet tooth.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

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Welcome to January 21st, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate crafty critters and blowing off holiday steam.

Each Fall, squirrels gather nuts and then bury them for safekeeping. Because of scavengers, squirrels can’t hide their stash all in one place and use a technique called “scatter hoarding.” A few nuts get buried here, a few there, and before you know it, the treasure is spread out over hundreds of places. Sometimes they even dig fake holes to throw off other animals from finding the real stuff. And, contrary to popular belief, squirrels are really quite good at recovering their hidden nuts. Through a combination of smell and memory, these furry little creatures can locate nearly 3/4 of everything they buried. And, yes, if they find another squirrel’s hoard, they’re not above stealing. On Squirrel Appreciation Day, celebrate these crafty backyard critters.

Every year people buy fruitcakes. And every year there are unopened cakes still loafing around in January. The people of Manitou Springs, Colorado have a solution. For the last 20 plus years they have hosted an event that gives folks a chance to work out their seasonal frustrations by hurling this leftover into the sky. That’s right, people come from near and far to beat up on fruitcakes by flinging them either by hand, cannon, or giant slingshot. There are even competitions to see who can propel them the farthest. The price of admission to this event is a non-perishable food item which is donated to charity. On National Fruitcake Toss Day, celebrate your own way of disposing of this leftover, but please launch responsibly.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

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Welcome to January 20th, 2023 on the National Day. Today we celebrate risking it all for cheese and the folks who keep music spinning.

Some cheese lovers take their obsession into the danger zone. On Cooper’s Hill near Gloucester, England a 200 yard race rivals the danger of Spain’s running of the bulls. Participants in the Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Roll and Wake follow a 9 pound wheel of Double Gloucester cheese, which is given a one second start. The first person to cross the finish line wins the wheel of cheese. This Springtime event sprang from a pagan tradition of rolling baked goods down hill, but chasing after cheese was first caught on camera in 1982. If you enjoy a good “wipeout” there are plenty of cringeworthy Cheese-Roll videos online. On National Cheese Lover's Day curl up with your favorite fromage and catch up on all the action.

When Thomas Edison patented the phonograph in 1877, he had no idea of the impact it would have on the world. He intended the phonograph to be a device for recording voice messages. As we know, it also became a way to bring recorded music to the world. Nearly 60 years later, Walter Winchell first used the term "disc jockey” and those who played records over the airwaves changed music history. Even as our listening devices have changed, DJs have managed to stay in the game. Two turntables and a microphone have become an iconic platform for reaching a global audience. On National Disc Jockey Day, we celebrate those with the power of music in their hands.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

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Welcome to January 19th, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate taking the road less traveled in pursuit of our favorite snacks.

On a cold snowy day in January, a man sat at his usual spot in his favorite coffee shop cruising around the internet. He happened to see the mention of “National Popcorn Day,” and being his favorite snack, the man dug a little deeper. “What’s the deal with National Days? Where do they come from and why are they a thing?” His research came up empty for there wasn’t one site describing all of the days and some of their origins were nonexistent. This man was more than a little persistent, for he gave up nights and weekends for the next two years to create over a thousand posts all around the subject of National Days. Little did he know that the hobby would become his Hallmark and today National Day Calendar turns 10 years old. On National Popcorn Day, I’m celebrating the man behind the hobby, Marlo Anderson!

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

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Welcome to January 18th, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate having a way with words and silly old bears.

You may not immediately recognize the name Peter Mark Roget, but chances are you’ve read his book. Or at least parts of it. In 1852, he published his Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases, which is still in use today. Over the years, Roget’s publication has been a lifesaver for writers trying to avoid overusing the same words. And oddly enough, the word “thesaurus” is derived from the Greek word for “treasure.” Others have published thesauri over the years, but on National Thesaurus Day we celebrate the original tome.

Marlo: Did you say tomb?

Anna: No, no, no, no; "tome." You know, like the writing or the publication.

Marlo: Oh, okay I got you.

John: Is a "thesauri" a kind of dinosaur?

Marlo: I wonder if anyone ever went up to Peter said, "Hey, I've read your entire book!"

Anna: What's another word for cretin?

Marlo: Good question.

Alan Alexander Milne was born on this day in 1882. His father ran a private school where one of Alan’s teachers was H.G. Wells. The boy would grow up to be an author himself, though not in the science fiction genre favored by his teacher. Alan tried his hand at playwriting but found his true calling in children’s books. Inspired by visits to the London Zoo, he discovered his most loveable character through a black bear named Winnie. His son, Christopher Robin named his own teddy bear Winnie and the charm of this 1926 series was born. Today the books have been translated into more than 50 languages! On National Winnie the Pooh Day we celebrate the classic legacy of the gentle adventures in the Hundred Acre Woods.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

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Welcome to January 17th, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate class acts and the real McCoy.

Born on January 17, 1922, Betty’s White’s talent was legendary. The Guinness World Records named her the female entertainer with the longest career in 2018. She first appeared in a 1939 radio broadcast at the age of 17, and for the next 82 years she never stopped. Her grace and charisma touched the world, while her endearing wit was featured in countless television shows and movies, including The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls and Hot in Cleveland. Last year National Day Calendar created National Classy Day in her honor. While it’s been a whole year since her passing at age 99, we hope that her light never goes out.

Before Prohibition, Bill McCoy used to build yachts for people like the Carnegies and Vanderbilts. But once alcohol became illegal, he moved into another business. Smuggling. He built himself a ship with a motor fast enough to outrun the Coast Guard and with plenty of storage for carrying liquor into the United States. It even had a hidden machine gun just in case he needed to get out of trouble. A lot of the alcohol being served at the time was homemade and not very good. But if you were lucky enough to get your hands on some of the genuine alcohol that Bill smuggled in, then you knew you had the Real McCoy. Which is where we got the phrase. National Bootlegger’s Day is celebrated on the day that Prohibition went into effect. It’s also the birthday of legendary bootlegger, Al Capone.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

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Welcome to January 16th, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate making something out of nothing and a man with a dream.

John: Uh, Anna, We're recording. What are you eating?

Anna: Nothing.

John: No you're eating something.

Anna: No nothing. Marlo?

Marlo: Yeah?

John: Marlo, what are you eating?

Marlo: Nothing either actually.

John: So who's eating?

Anna: Alright, alright. It's me. I'm eating a fig newton. I'm celebrating National Fig Newton Day and I'm sorry. I didn't bring enough for everybody.

John: But they're ooey, gooey rich and chewy inside!

Anna: I know, I'm sorry. Marlo, what are you celebrating?

Marlo: Because of you I’m celebrating National Nothing Day.

John: Oh, I'm celebrating nothing with you too, Marlo.

Anna: That’s a good call. Somebody’s gotta do it.

John: Yeah, way to be a team player.

Marlo: Yeah, thanks, Anna!

President Johnson once called Martin Luther King Jr. the apostle of nonviolence because of his legendary service through civil disobedience. As a clergyman, activist and leader of the civil rights movement, Dr. King is perhaps best known for his “I Have A Dream” speech. Hallowed in our history books as one of the all time greats, this speech was almost heard by no one. Right before the event the sound system was sabotaged and reportedly fixed on orders by Attorney General Robert Kennedy. What’s more, King had not planned to “share the dream,” but improvised this portion upon the encouragement from singer Mahalia Jackson. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day we honor the unifying spirit of a man who changed the world by speaking from his heart.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

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Welcome to January 15th, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate causing a stir and the wise guys of bagel making.

On this day in 1797, John Hetherington—a London hat maker—stepped out into the street wearing his latest creation. A top hat. According to reports, Mr. Hetherington “appeared on the public highway wearing upon his head what he called a silk hat (which was of a shiny lustre and calculated to frighten timid people)”… Officers of the Crown stated that several women fainted at the unusual sight, while children screamed, dogs yelped and a boy was thrown down by the crowd…and had his right arm broken.” Mr. Hetherington was brought up on charges of inciting a riot and fined 500 Pounds. On National Hat Day, put on your favorite hat and try not to cause a stir.

The bagel makers of New York in the early 1900s were nothing to mess with. Referred to as the bagel mafia, these men conducted business in Yiddish to keep their trade secrets a secret. Bagel making was hard labor and the conditions of most shops were actually quite appalling, but in the 1930s Bagel Bakers Local 338 Union changed everything. These elite bakers tested their benchmen for 6 months until they could roll 832 bagels per hour. And, when workers went on strike in the 1950s, all but 2 bagel bakeries in Manhattan had to close, leading to what was called a Bagel Famine. Today bagels can be found almost anywhere thanks to the Lender family who automated the process, but on National Bagel Day, we celebrate the tough guys who made these chewy wonders part of the American Dream.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

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Welcome to January 14th, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a globe trotting sub and great moments in “Near Miss History.”

Pastrami was created by the Ottoman Turks. Their version was a salt-cured, spiced beef or lamb called pastirma. Because of its jerky-like texture it traveled easily and traders brought it to Eastern Europe. It became popular in Romania, where goose became the preferred meat rather than beef and it was called pastramă. When immigrants came to New York City, the recipe was switched back to beef brisket because that meat was cheaper and more readily available. The recipe was also changed to use a weaker salt brine, making for a softer cut of meat. The name was also changed to pastrami, but no one is exactly sure why. On National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day, order up one of these well traveled subs.

We nearly missed the official founding of our nation because people couldn’t show up on time. The United States colonies signed the Treaty of Paris to end the war with England on September 3, 1783. They were then given 6 months to ratify the agreement and send it back to England to make it official. However, the ocean voyage took about 2 months, so the Continental Congress needed to vote on the treaty by January at the latest. Although delegates were called to meet in November, not enough of them showed up. If Richard Beresford of South Carolina hadn’t left his sickbed to vote, the whole war could have been for nothing. On Ratification Day we celebrate one of America’s lesser-known holidays and one man who made all the difference.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

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Welcome to January 13th, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate ducky trivia and a centuries old pop star.

This toy was inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 2013 where only 52 other toys enjoy this status. Do you know what it is?

Marlo & John: G.I. Joe!

Anna: Nooooo! It's the rubber ducky. But do you know why we celebrate National Rubber Ducky Day on this day?

Marlo & John: No.

Anna: Okay. It first appeared on the Sesame Street Calendar in 1973 as Rubber Ducky's birthday.

Marlo & John: Very cool.

Anna: Okay, but do you know what the world’s largest rubber duck is called?

Marlo: No idea.

Anna: It's Mama Duck. She's more than six stories high and weighs over 30,000 pounds.

Marlo: What about the tub she's in?

Anna: She's on the lake, Marlo. On National Rubber Ducky Day celebrate with this and other trivia and see why this ducky is still the one!

One of the greatest songwriters in American history was born on July 4th, 1826, which seems only fitting. Over a century before Elvis Presley or The Beatles were topping the charts, Stephen Foster was making his indelible mark on American culture. While his name may not be instantly recognizable, his songs certainly are. In 1847, the song Oh Susanna became his first big hit and catapulted him to fame. It became even more popular when the miners in the California gold rush adopted it as an anthem. Later, songs like Camptown Races, Beautiful Dreamer, and My Old Kentucky Home cemented his place in the pantheon of American music. On Stephen Foster Memorial Day, we celebrate the man who created hits that have stood the test of time.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day!

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