Celebrate Every Day

Welcome to December 3, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate beating the odds and rolling out the holiday spirit.

While the game of Bingo seems pretty straightforward, the game is far more complicated than you might think. It’s estimated that there are over 500 septillion combinations of numbers that could appear on your bingo card. A septillion is a 1 with 24 zeros after it. It was Edwin S. Lowe, a salesman from New York who came up with the idea. He then hired a math professor who created 6,000 cards, each with a different non repeating combination of numbers. Bingo halls could make more money with these cards because they cut back on the number of winners. Celebrate Bingo’s Birthday Month with a game that still makes us excited to beat the odds.

This is the week to roll out some dough and press it with your favorite holiday cookie cutters. Even the ancient Egyptians liked forming sweet cakes in various shapes and folks in Greece, Rome and Western Europe followed suit. By the 1500s Germans made carved wooden cookie molds and gingerbread men, women and houses popped out by the dozens. American tinsmiths 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!

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

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Welcome to December 2, 2022 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 little accidents.” While working dogs are bred for a specific purpose such as bird hunting or warming a lap, mutts seem to march to the beat of their own drum. And that’s the very best thing about mutts; their personalities. On National Mutt Day, celebrate the uniquely weird dogs that make the most loveable pets.

Fritters are associated with comfort and come in three types: the basic dough kind, the battered meats and vegetables and the small cakes made from chopped food such as corn. Frying food in oil has been around for thousands of years and almost every culture has a tasty version. The technique of batter frying, however, was introduced by the Spanish and Portuguese in the late 16th century. This culinary inspiration spread to Japan, where it became known as tempura. Today just about anything can be frittered from beignets to squash blossoms. And of course there’s always good ole’ apple. On National Fritters Day, celebrate your favorite comfort food, no matter what language you speak.

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

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Welcome to December 1, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a civil rights gamechanger and giving to our furry friends.

On December 1, 1955, after a long day of work, Rosa Parks boarded a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. She sat in the “colored section” but as the bus began to fill, the driver demanded that she give up her seat for other passengers. Rosa refused. She was arrested and was later found guilty of violating a city ordinance. What followed made civil rights history. Martin Luther King, Jr. and others had organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott for the day of Rosa’s trial. The boycott succeeded and lasted several months, devastating the transportation system in Montgomery. On Rosa Parks Day we honor the courage and heart of a woman that dared to change a nation.

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 cause encourages you to donate 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 at your local shelters between now and December 24th to bring the holiday spirit to our furry friends.

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

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Welcome to November 30, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate safety in the kitchen and online.

Believe it or not, before patent #22186, home canning wasn’t safe. Thanks to John Landis Mason, a tinsmith from New Jersey, the “Improvement on Screw-Neck Bottles,” made it possible to preserve produce right at home. The Mason Jar changed the way we pickle and pack food from our garden and those bumper crops from the Farmer’s Market. They also make a cool holiday gift when you layer dry ingredients for baked goods or other treats for the DIY enthusiasts on your list. On National Mason Jar Day enjoy this versatile vessel and all the gifts it can hold for the ones you love.

With so many people shopping online these days it’s important to remember that hackers are surfing the internet as well. Unfortunately, the season for deals is also big for identity theft. So while you’re getting your holiday shopping underway, pay special attention to your online security. Nothing will keep you completely safe, but there are some simple steps you can take to protect yourself. As tempting as it may be, don’t use public wifi to do your shopping and use strong passwords for your online accounts. Be sure to keep your software updated and firewalls in place. On Computer Security Day, take a few minutes to check that you’re browsing the web safely so that you have one less thing to worry about during the holidays.

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

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Welcome to November 29, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate convenient ways to stay connected and the season of giving.

When Neil Papworth sent the first ever text to his boss in 1992, he had no idea the impact it would have. The text was pretty simple—it said Merry Christmas—but this message changed the world. Texting has become a part of everyday life. In fact, it’s the most popular form of electronic communication in the world. Last year, 2 trillion texts were sent—and that’s only counting the United States. This form of communication makes it easy to keep in touch with friends and family, no matter where they live. And as we enter the holiday season, thank goodness for that. On Electronic Greetings Day, celebrate by reaching out to those you love.

It doesn’t take a lot to lift someone’s spirits during the season of giving. Take the story of Fred Barley. When policemen found 19 year old Fred living in a tent on the campus of a Georgia University, they made plans to evict him. But when they heard that the young student had ridden 6 hours on his little brother’s bicycle with only a tent, some water and a box of cereal, they changed their tune completely. Fred had arrived early for his second semester, planning to look for a job and housing, but was clearly down on his luck. Officer Richard Carreker and his partner put Fred up in a motel and started a GoFundMe for this worthy student. To date, more than 184,000 dollars has been raised for his education. On Giving Tuesday, celebrate your own good fortune by sharing it with those around you.

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

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Welcome to November 28, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate reclaiming lost bread and shopping in your PJs.

You may not realize it but French toast, it's actually not French at all. The first known recipe dates all the way back to the 5th century AD. That’s when the Romans whipped up eggs and milk, dipped in bread and fried it in oil or butter. And the recipe has remained more or less the same ever since. In France the name is “pan perdu” which means lost bread. What a perfect description for the magical transformation of stale bread into a golden toasted perfection. Try it with cinnamon and whipped cream, fruit or syrup and lots of melted butter. On National French Toast Day, celebrate this breakfast favorite made anyway you please!

Shopping from the convenience of your home has never been easier as we celebrate the phenomenon known as Cyber Monday. What began as a marketing gimmick in 2005 was actually a clever trend prediction by Ellen Davis and Scott Silverman of The National Retail Federation. They noticed the spike in online sales after Black Friday and figured that folks were using the faster internet at work to round out their holiday shopping. A simple press release launched the phrase and the Monday after Thanksgiving became the biggest online shopping day of the year. In recent years that has translated into more than 9 billion dollars in sales. It’s also a win-win for shoppers who enjoy the ease of purchasing from their mobile devices. On Cyber Monday keep calm and shop on.

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

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Welcome to November 27, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate protein on the go and making room for one more pie.

The preservation of meat by smoking or drying has been around for a very long time. Evidence of meat jerky is even found in the tombs of ancient Egypt. And this makes sense when you realize that refrigeration has only been around a relatively short while. But today we celebrate the artisanal flair of the folks who produce craft jerky with everything from elk to buffalo and even soybeans and mushrooms. Your taste buds may only be geared for the traditional beef kind originally produced by the South American tribes of the Andes. On National Craft Jerky Day prepare your palate for something savory and something more adventurous if you dare.

Today we celebrate an old world treat that began in the capable kitchen of Chef Carême. In the early 19th Century Carême established many of the French cooking techniques we still use today. One of them was using gelatin to stabilize custard cream. While he wasn’t the first to make Bavarian pastry cream, he is certainly known for perfecting the recipe. Gourmet restaurants around France have been serving this pie ever since. And while Bavarian cream shows up in crepes and other desserts, it’s worthy of being the star ingredient in this decadent pie topped with sweetened whipped cream. On National Bavarian Cream Pie Day, celebrate a smooth finish to this hectic week with your own sweet reward.

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

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Welcome to November 26th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate our favorite mom and pop businesses and a dessert there is always room for.

You know we’ve been plugging Small Businesses all month, but today it’s time for some specific shout outs. On Small Business Saturday, celebrate the moms and pops who put the fun and goodwill back into the season of giving.

Today is National Cake Day and while pie took its role in the spotlight this week, make no mistake; cake with ice cream is America’s favorite dessert. Maybe that’s why they say, “There’s always room for cake.” The word comes from the Old Norse “kaka” and because of the lack of ingredients the cakes made by the Vikings looked more like… gingerbread. Today it is easier than ever to bake light fluffy cake with a perfect crumb. It all starts with having your ingredients at room temperature which allows for plenty of little air pockets to develop in the batter as it is beaten. (Anna aside). That’s right cake baking all comes down to chemistry and with a few tricks you’ll be a master pastry chef in no time. On National Cake Day celebrate having your cake and eating it too.

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

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Welcome to November 25, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate feeling “blah” and being in the black

I know people are excited about shopping today, but I feel positively “meh.” The French have a word for this: blasé, meaning “to be indifferent or bored with life.” Blasé actually describes how many of us feel at this time of year. You may just need to hit pause and be unproductive for a while. So today we are giving you permission to blow off whatever is leaving you with that underwhelmed feeling. If you’re absolutely over “pumpkin spice everything” or the 20 page Christmas letter you’re supposed to read, go ahead and be blasé. On National Blasé Day, it’s okay to celebrate “doing nothing.”

Shopping today is hectic, but certainly not awful, so why does it have such a bleak name? Turns out that the phrase “Black Friday” was first used in 1869, when plummeting gold prices crashed the market. It was also used by traffic police in the 1950s to describe the surge in traffic jams caused by post holiday shoppers. The silver lining explanation goes something like this. Through most of the year, retailers are losing money, which is known as “being in the red.” When Christmas shopping starts, sales go way up, and they’re “in the black.” No matter how you see it, Black Friday is a great day to find amazing deals on gifts for friends and family.

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

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Welcome to November 24, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate freedom of choice and a meal that brings us together.

Anna: In this season of gratitude, perhaps some of you are grateful you don’t have to cook a turkey today. Is anyone out there celebrating Turkey Free Thanksgiving? Yep that’s a thing. I know you cook turkey two ways John.

John: That's right - roasting and smoking.

Anna: And you probably aren’t on the hook at all for cooking a bird, eh Marlo?

Marlo: I just show up.

John: Come on down!

Anna: But in case anyone else wants to take this off the menu it’s totally legit. Think of all the time you’ll save and wondering whether to brine or not to brine. We probably should have told you in advance this was an option. But if you find yourself with a roasting emergency, don’t call the turkey hotline, just announce that you’re proudly celebrating a Turkey Free Thanksgiving.

Sarah Hale, the author of Mary Had a Little Lamb, played a key role in our celebration of Thanksgiving. In 1862, she wrote to President Lincoln, asking him to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. Though he didn’t respond for another year, Lincoln fulfilled her request in the midst of the Civil War. He declared the holiday by asking Americans to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer. Today we carry on that tradition in many different ways but Thanksgiving Day is still an opportunity to bring family and friends together in the spirit of gratitude.

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

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