National Chocolate Covered Anything Day
Chocolaholics rejoice! Today is National Chocolate Covered Anything Day.
It’s a great day to indulge, binge, “pig out”, and otherwise consume to excess, your favourite food….chocolate! We believe the timing of this day, during the holiday season, couldn’t be better.
Today, we get to enjoy our beloved chocolate by covering something…just about anything… in a generous amount of chocolate. Pour, spread, or drizzle chocolate over cakes, cupcakes, pies, pancakes or waffles, nuts, raisins, even ants (yes, some people actually eat chocolate covered ants!). We will let you decide what is too extreme, and how much is too much, if any.
As chocolaholics, we shouldn’t need any added incentive to enjoy our chocolate. In the giving spirit of the holiday season, make sure to give or share some of your favourite chocolate covered treats today.
Happy National Chocolate Covered Anything Day!!!!
National Bouillabaisse Day
We think that you will agree that this is a somewhat fishy day. It’s National Bouillabaisse Day, a day to celebrate a tasty Mediterranean fish stew or soup.
Bouillabaisse is believed to have originated in Marseilles, France. It is extremely popular all around the Mediterranean, and is a specialty in ports across the region.
Bouillabaisse is a fish stew or soup. All agree the fish should be white fillets. Recipes call for variety of fish, including cod, snapper, flounder, halibut, sea bass, monk fish, and more.
Celebrate National Bouillabaisse Day with a cup or bowl or this tasty stew.
Violin Day
Violin Day is today. Pick up your stratovarius, and let’s play some sweet music together. The violin is a classy musical instrument.
The violin is sometimes informally called a fiddle, regardless of the type of music played on it. The word violin comes from the Medieval Latin word vitula, meaning stringed instrument; this word is also believed to be the source of the Germanic “fiddle”.The violin, while it has ancient origins, acquired most of its modern characteristics in 16th-century Italy, with some further modifications occurring in the 18th and 19th centuries. Violinists and collectors particularly prize the instruments made by the Gasparo da Salò, Giovanni Paolo Maggini, Stradivari, Guarneri and Amati families from the 16th to the 18th century in Brescia and Cremona and by Jacob Stainer in Austria. Great numbers of instruments have come from the hands of “lesser” makers, as well as still greater numbers of mass-produced commercial “trade violins” coming from cottage industries in places such as Saxony, Bohemia, and Mirecourt. Many of these trade instruments were formerly sold by Sears, Roebuck and Co. and other mass merchandisers.
A person who makes or repairs violins is called a luthier. The parts of a violin are usually made from different types of wood (although electric violins may not be made of wood at all, since their sound may not be dependent on specific acoustic characteristics of the instrument’s construction), and it is usually strung with gut, Perlon or other synthetic, or steel strings.
Those who play this instrument, can create some awesome music. If you are a violinist, we salute you.
On this special day, you should:
- Pick up the violin and play a few songs
- Take steps to start playing the violin
- Attend a symphonic orchestra event, or a violin concerto
Poinsettia Day
Today is Poinsettia Day! These beautiful flowers are a well-recognized symbol of Christmas. Poinsettia Day was officially declared by an Act of Congress. It is in honour of Joel Roberts Poinsett, who died on December 12, 1851. Poinsett was the first Ambassador to Mexico . Poinsett brought this colorful plant back to his plantation in the U.S. He grew the plants in his Greenville, S.C plantation and gave them out as gifts to friends.
According to Mexican folklore, there is a story of a little poor girl who had nothing to bring to church for Christmas. On her way to church, she picked some plants by the side of the road. As she entered the church, the leaves at the tips of the branches turned into bright, brilliant red flowers. You guessed it… Poinsettias.
National Noodle Ring Day
National Noodle Ring Day is a December day that kids young and old have been impatiently awaiting……yeah, right!
What would cooking be like without the noodle ring? We shudder to think about it. We are certainly relieved that the Noodle Ring exists, so we can cook them in one recipe after another. And, doesn’t it make sense that we honor the Noodle Ring with its own very special day!?
BTW: Is the proper term “Noodle Ring” or “Ring Noodle”? We will let you make the call on this important question.
Get your fill of noodle rings today. After all, that’s what this day is for.
Human Rights Day
Human Rights Day, created by the United Nations, promotes awareness of the importance of Human Rights issues around the world. On this day in 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Each year, the United Nations, establishes a new theme for the year.
Human rights is something we easily take for granted here. Elsewhere, freedom and basic human rights are not a given.
Participate in this day by learning more about human rights issues around the globe. Offer your time and money in support of a human rights issue that is important to you.
Christmas Card Day
Christmas Card Day, honours Sir Henry Cole (1818 – 1874) of England. Cole created the first commercial Christmas Card in 1843.
Just a few decades ago, sending Christmas cards through the mail was a holiday “must”. Sending cards through the mail continues to be very popular. The cost and time for writing and sending cards has caused many people to stop sending them. Free Ecards have surged in popularity. Animated Christmas and seasonal Ecards have made sending and receiving them a lot of fun.
Today is a good day to send out your Christmas cards and holiday greetings. If you have yet to do so, use today to get a start!
National Brownie Day!
National Brownie Day celebrates chocolaty, chewy brownies.
Brownie lovers, love chocolate. Conversely, chocolate lovers, love brownies. Therefore, its only natural, that we have a special day to celebrate brownies.
It’s fun and easy to enjoy this special day. First, select your favourite brownie recipe, and bake a batch of brownies. You can add nuts, if you prefer. Topping the brownies with chocolate frosting is a good thing, too. Finally, eat them! You can have them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a snack.
P.s. Don’t forget the glass of milk!
Happy National Brownie Day.
Pearl Harbor Day
Pearl Harbor Day, commemorates the Japanese attack on the U.S. Naval base at Pearl Harbor. The attack began at dawn December 7, 1941. It crippled the U.S. Pacific Fleet, and caused the U.S. to enter World War II.
During the attack at Pearl Harbor, over 2,400 American servicemen and 68 civilians were killed. Five of the eight battleships at Pearl Harbor were sunk or sinking, and virtually all ships were damaged.
On Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, U.S. flags are to be flown at half staff.
On December 8, 1941 President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated in a speech to Congress it was “..a day that will live in infamy”. The U.S. then declared war on Japan.
St. Nicholas Day
St. Nicholas Day is today. Yes, there really was a christian Saint Nicholas. He lived in the country of Greece, just a couple hundred years after the birth of Christ. This day is in honor of Saint Nicholas and his life.
Saint Nicholas became a priest, and later, a Bishop of the early Catholic Church. True to the christian concept of giving up belongings and following Christ, St. Nicholas gave up all of his belongings. He was well known for giving to needy people, especially children. There are may stories and tales of him helping out children in need.
The practice of hanging up stockings originated with Saint Nicholas. As the ancient legend goes, Saint Nicholas was known to throw small bags of gold coins into the open windows of poor homes. After one bag of gold fell into the stocking of a child, news got around. Children soon began hanging their stockings by their chimneys “in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there”.
It wasn’t until the 1800’s that the spirit of St. Nicholas’ life evolved into the creation of Santa Claus. And, this happened in America. Santa Claus emerged (or evolved) from the stories and legends of St. Nicholas. Santa Claus was kind and generous to children. Unlike “St. Nick”, Santa Claus is largely a non-religious character.
Have a happy St. Nicholas Day.
Origin of St. Nicholas Day:
St. Nicholas Day has been celebrated for hundreds and hundreds of years. It commemorates the death of this very special, very holy person on December 6th. Record keeping was not perfect in his time. His death is believed to have been in either 345A.D., or 352 A.D.