Celebrate Every Day

Welcome to August 15th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate kicking up our feet and a cheerful pastry.

The world seems to go a million miles an hour and we all need time to ourselves to decompress. For some, it’s meditation. For others, it’s getting a massage. And for a select few, it’s putting your feet in water and letting small fish chew away at dead skin. No really. That’s a thing. Fish pedicures are perfectly safe but it’s not for the squeamish. The point is that anything you do to relax is a okay as long as it chills you out. Today, please feel free to lean back and prop up your feet while you celebrate National Relaxation Day.

If you’re taking things easy on this sunny Summer day, then boy do we have the dessert for you. Bright as the sun and as “easy as pie” a lemon meringue would do nicely right about now. Though lemons grow year round and nothing brightens up a meal come rain or shine quite like lemon juice, it’s time to bake up this old fashioned shortbread crust with tangy yellow custard topped with fluffy clouds of sweet meringue. It’s rumored that Elizabeth Goodfellow first whipped up the dessert as we know it today in the 19th century, when she also founded one of the first cooking schools in America. On National Lemon Meringue Pie Day, celebrate with an all time classic that reminds us of sunshine in the clouds.

I’m Anna Devere and I’m John McClain Filling in for Marlo Anderson.

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Welcome to August 14th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a frozen success and a code that changed the game.

You may have heard that the Popsicle was invented by a kid. That kid was 11 year old Frank Epperson, who kept right on dreaming after the huge success of his first frozen treat. At an age when most of us are trying out a paper route, young Frank experimented with vanilla ice cream covered in a shell of orange sherbert that he eventually called the Epsicle. Ok, so naming his inventions wasn't his strong suit, but the creamsicle made with vanilla ice cream and the dreamsicle, its ice milk cousin are now a frosty phenomenon. This kid certainly got something right when he set up a patent in 1923. Today over two billion popsicles are sold every year. On National Creamsicle Day, celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of a kid who knew how to keep on dreaming.

During World War II, the United States military became frustrated as the Japanese cracked every code used by the Allies. The solution to this problem came from an unlikely source, Native American tribes. Because many native languages such as Navajo and Comanche were unwritten and spoken only by tribespeople, they became the perfect basis for a new secret code. Native speakers were sent with army divisions to transmit and decode messages from the field of battle. The code they created could not be broken and helped change the course of history. On National Code Talkers Day, we celebrate these unsung heroes of World War II and the top secret role they played.

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

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Welcome to August 13th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate cute steaks and a game with a checkered past.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Where’s the beef?” after being served a filet mignon, then it’s probably not the steak for you. Mignon means “cute” in French and while filet refers to the most quality cut of the tenderloin, beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder. The French use the term filet mignon to describe pork not steak and you would have to ask for filet de boeuf in order to get a cute little steak in France. So where did this name come from? Turns out it was an American author, O. Henry who coined the term in his 1906 novel “The Four Million.” Apparently, he thought it was a more ironic way to size up a teeny, tiny steak, than asking the waiter, “Hey, where’s the beef?!” On National Filet Mignon Day, don’t get too cute with the waiter, after all this tenderloin is still delicious!

In the 1830s and 40s, officials in Connecticut passed a law to ban bowling. Apparently, the excessive gambling associated with the sport made it a threat to public welfare. Bowling at the time consisted of 9 pins, which is what the state outlawed. As a way to get around this, bowlers added an extra pin, creating the 10-pin game we know today. This new version of the game caught on in New England, though it took a few innovations before bowling caught on with the rest of the country. First, the material used for bowling balls was changed from wood to rubber. Then in the 50s the automatic pinsetter changed the game forever. On National Bowling Day get out and celebrate this family sport that’s still on a roll.

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

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Welcome to August 12th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate rocking the world and rocking around the clock.

What do Abraham Lincoln, Walt Disney, and Thor have in common? Go ahead. Take a second to think about it. Give up? They’re all middle children. Well, not the actual Thor. It’s Chris Hemsworth—the actor who plays him. And oddly enough, so is Tom Hiddleston, who plays Loki right beside him. Middle children are often ignored while their parents lavish attention on their older and younger siblings. As a result, many of them seek attention from other sources…and that can push them onto bigger and better things. So if you’re the sibling stuck in the middle of the pecking order, National Middle Child Day is the perfect time to put your stamp on the world.

If you’re still hanging on to a collection of vinyl records, you are not alone. While you may catch some grief from family and friends over these dusty old relics from the past, vinyl record sales are on the rise. The largest collection contains more than one million LPs. Fans know they are much more valuable than the CDs they replaced. For audiophiles, there is no better sound than the distinct quality of a classic vintage record, and if you’re a collector you probably know that five of the top ten most expensive vinyls ever produced came from the Beatles. The White Album alone fetched a whopping 790,000 dollars. On National Vinyl Record Day give your records a spin and celebrate a sound that still makes you rock around the clock.

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

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Welcome to August 11th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate desserts and one liners that are da bomb.

When something is really great, we say it’s “the bomb.” But back in the day we called a bombe dessert. This molded confection that’s layered with ice cream, fruit and nuts gets its name from its resemblance to a cannonball. These beauties showed up in the French cookbooks of the 1880s, when Europeans went over the top making food look festive. Though it’s unclear if the dome shaped dessert was meant as a threat, it has certainly been a favorite of State dinners and royal banquets for centuries. On National Raspberry Bombe Day try a festive treat that is truly the bomb!

The responsibility of being President of the United States isn’t a laughing matter, but some of them have been really funny guys. Or at least able to take a joke. Even Lincoln knew how to get in a quick one-liner. When accused of being a liar, he said, "If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?” But few had the quick wit of Ronald Reagan. He once rode horses with Queen Elizabeth II and her horse was a bit…gassy. When the Queen apologized on behalf of her mount, Reagan supposedly replied, “Quite all right, Your Majesty. I thought it was the horse.” On National Presidential Joke Day, have some fun learning about the silly side of our Commanders in Chief.

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

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Welcome to August 10th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a trying sport and a tried and true dessert.

Few pastimes have inspired so much anger and frustration as golf. For something so popular, it sure makes people angry. Take, for example, Winston Churchill, who called the sport “…a game whose aim is to hit a very small ball into an even smaller hole, with weapons singularly ill-designed for the purpose.” Even pro golfers aren’t immune. PGA champion Gardner Dickinson lamented: “People say golf is like life, but don’t believe them. Golf is more complicated than that.” So why do we play? Probably because it’s often more about hanging out with friends than the game itself. During National Golf Month, have fun hitting the links and if things don’t pan out, you can always celebrate National Lazy Day instead.

The next time you’re camping and spinning up stories around the fire, consider the origin of the s’more. Most believe that it was Alec Barnum that first created the treat in the late 1800s. Not much is known, however, about the entrepreneur that left a sticky trail of myths and legends. Enter Loretta Scott Crew. This leader taught hungry girl scouts how to perfectly toast a marshmallow, and her recipe for s’mores was printed in the 1927 guidebook. Today Trampling and Trailing With The Girl Scouts is still known for this treat, though everyone has their own secret for making the gooey, crispy delight. On National S’mores Day celebrate the dessert that’s become a right of passage and worthy of one more log on the fire.

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

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Welcome to August 9th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate leaders who made a contribution for better or worse.

When you vote for a President, the Vice President is part of the package, but originally things were quite different. In our country’s early years, the office went to whomever finished with the second most electoral votes. That was until the election of 1800, when Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr tied for second place. The messy outcome led to the passage of the 12th Amendment, which changed the system of voting at the time. Many of our Vice Presidents may have slipped into obscurity but on National Veep Day we celebrate the important office that can strongly affect a presidency.

Julius Caesar made many important contributions to Western civilization. But he also set the world of books back by thousands of years. During his siege of Alexandria, he accidentally set fire to the world’s largest library. Another historical figure is at the opposite end of the bibliophile spectrum: Thomas Jefferson. When the United States Library of Congress was burned in 1814, thousands of books were lost, but Thomas Jefferson came to the rescue, providing 6,000 of his own to rebuild the library. And since then, it’s grown to be the largest in the world with more than 38 million volumes, not to mention all the photographs, maps, music, and special collections. On National Book Lovers Day, celebrate your own collection by cracking open a good page turner.

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

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Welcome to August 8th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a well traveled bill and an overzealous fruit.

Here in the United States, it’s estimated that one dollar bills exchange hands at least 110 times a year. And because they’re passed around so frequently, they have a shorter lifespan than our larger currency. A one dollar bill lasts only about 6 years, whereas a one hundred dollar bill can last up to 15 years. Most paper would tear or fade from all that use, but here in the United States we have a solution. Our notes are made from an exclusive blend of cotton and linen, which is a closely guarded secret. Due to counterfeiting, the design of larger bills has changed over the years. But the dollar has remained the same for more than fifty years. On National Dollar Day we celebrate the bill that has probably already out traveled you.

Backyard vegetable gardens can be difficult to maintain. Carrots, tomatoes, beans…you never know what kind of harvest will come from weeks and months of care and cultivation. One summertime vegetable that’s easy—almost too easy—is the zucchini. This squash seems to grow no matter what the weather or quality of your soil. In fact, one plant can yield up to 10 pounds of fruit, leaving gardeners with more zucchini than is humanly possible to consume. And yes, it’s technically a fruit. If you’re overwhelmed by your zucchini harvest, enjoy National Sneak Some Zucchini Into Your Neighbor’s Porch Day and hope that they’re not celebrating 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 August 7th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a moveable feast and the oldest military honor.

John Montagu was obsessed with gambling. So much so that he played cards for hours on end, even forgetting at times to eat. Then one day, he devised a meal that could be eaten with one hand. He requested that a servant bring him some meat between two pieces of bread, and thus the Earl of Sandwich created the, well, the sandwich. Since then, this portable meal has become one of the most popular finger foods in the world. And with so many good choices, from a multilayered club to the humble peanut butter and jelly, we decided that you need a whole month to celebrate. During National Sandwich Month, enjoy packing your meal on the go and celebrate the Earl who started it all.

Purple Heart Day honors the extraordinary men and women who are of the Military Order of The Purple Heart. George Washington first created the Badge of Merit in 1782, which was awarded to six veterans of the Revolutionary War. The modern day Purple Heart, which bears Washington’s image, was given to General Douglas MacArthur in 1944. MacArthur helped to change the requirements that limit the award to only those wounded or killed in combat. Today it is estimated that the oldest military honor has been bestowed on nearly 1.9 million people since it was created. On Purple Heart Day we thank all those who have dedicated their lives in service to our country.

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

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Welcome to August 6th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate an age old condiment and the quest for perfect flavor.

On this day we celebrate one of the oldest condiments in the history of the world. No, it’s not that long-forgotten bottle of ketchup in the back of your fridge. It’s mustard. The ancient Romans ground mustard seeds into a powder which they combined with vinegar to make a paste. As the Roman Empire spread across Europe, so did the love of this condiment. Households during the Middle Ages used a lot of mustard, as did 17th century England, where the modern version was created. And that’s how mustard made its way from ancient Rome to the top of that hotdog you’re about to eat. On National Mustard Day enjoy a classic flavor that never goes out of style.

How far would you go to find perfect flavor? For 12 year old Scott Dunton it all began at the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. With one sip of Triple X Root Beer, Scott tasted heaven and his quest to recreate it began. For the next three decades he chased this dream. Tracking down Mutual Flavors in California, he asked for a recipe that would taste like cream. It took a few tries, but when Scott added caramel he struck gold. The rich, smooth taste has been bottled since 1992. Today Scott’s Old Fashioned Creamy Caramel Root Beer is served at Mr. D'z Diner on Route 66 in a bottomless root beer float. On National Root Beer Float Day, celebrate one boy’s dream to serve up the Holy Grail of perfect flavor.

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

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