Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT TODAY?

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
March 24, 2019
485 replies
397275 views

Today is March 24th and it is:

World Tuberculosis Day

World Tuberculosis Day is a worldwide event that aims to raise public awareness about tuberculosis and the efforts made to prevent and treat this disease. This event is held on March 24 each year and is promoted by organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO).

March 24th marks the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch detected the cause of tuberculosis--the TB bacillus. This was a first step towards diagnosing and curing tuberculosis. World Tuberculosis Day can be traced back to 1982, when the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease launched World TB Day on March 24 that year, to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Dr. Koch’s discovery.

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I plan on posting interesting tidbits about each day/date of the calendar. I hope others will add to it as well. It can be related to any subject as long as it happened on or is correlated in some way with that particular date.

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DaveMcK

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

NATIONAL POINSETTIA DAY

Each year on the 12th of December, people across the United States celebrate one of the most recognizable plants of the holidays on National Poinsettia Day.

In 16th-century Mexico, the connection between the poinsettia plant and the Christmas season begins. According to legend, a girl wanted desperately to celebrate Jesus’s birthday. Worried, the girl feared she would have no gift to offer because she was so poor. An angel tells her to give any gift with love. After gathering weeds from alongside the road, the young girl placed them in the manger. Miraculously the weeds bloomed into beautiful red stars.

The poinsettia initially came to the United States with Joel Roberts Poinsett, an American botanist and the first U.S. Minister to Mexico. In 1825, he sent cuttings home to Charleston, South Carolina.

Posted by Dave the Lighthouse Keeper

DaveMcK

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

NATIONAL POINSETTIA DAY

Each year on the 12th of December, people across the United States celebrate one of the most recognizable plants of the holidays on National Poinsettia Day.

In 16th-century Mexico, the connection between the poinsettia plant and the Christmas season begins. According to legend, a girl wanted desperately to celebrate Jesus’s birthday. Worried, the girl feared she would have no gift to offer because she was so poor. An angel tells her to give any gift with love. After gathering weeds from alongside the road, the young girl placed them in the manger. Miraculously the weeds bloomed into beautiful red stars.

The poinsettia initially came to the United States with Joel Roberts Poinsett, an American botanist and the first U.S. Minister to Mexico. In 1825, he sent cuttings home to Charleston, South Carolina.

However, it wasn’t until the early 1920s that the poinsettia started taking root in American culture. Paul Ecke, a second-generation farmer in California, discovered a grafting technique that caused the seedlings to branch. Hawking their Christmas flower at roadside stands, Paul Ecke Jr. later advanced sales of the poinsettia through shipping and marketing.

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalPoinsettiaDay

Check out your local greenhouse or florist and fill your home with the beautiful poinsettia. While you’re there, order one for your neighbor or co-worker. Brightening someone’s day is another way to #CelebrateEveryDay. Don’t forget to offer a shout-out to the florist for their outstanding service. Use #NationalPoinsettiaDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL POINSETTIA DAY HISTORY

The House of Representatives in 2002 created Poinsettia Day to honor the father of the poinsettia industry, Paul Ecke. The date of December 12 marks the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett, the man responsible for bringing the plant to the United States.

Posted by Dave the Lighthouse Keeper

DaveMcK

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

BILL OF RIGHTS DAY

Bill of Rights Day (by Presidential Proclamation)

“Now, Therefore, I, Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, do hereby designate December 15, 1941, as Bill of Rights Day. And I call upon the officials of the Government, and upon the people of the United States, to observe the day by displaying the flag of the United States on public buildings and by meeting together for such prayers and such ceremonies as may seem to them appropriate.”

The first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. Passed by Congress on September 25, 1789, these rights place limits on government power.

Did you know?

The bill was introduced by James Madison. He later became the 4th President of the United States.
Congress passed 12 of Madison’s proposed amendments. The states only ratified 10 of them. One of the two rejected by the states concerned the number of constituents for each Representative. The other limited when and how members of Congress are compensated. Neither was ratified at the time.
The latter of the two rejected amendments was ratified 203 years later. The 27th Amendment restricted compensation for members of Congress.
The Bill of Rights is displayed in The Rotunda of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC.
There were 14 copies made; one for each of the 13 states to sign and one for the federal archives. Only 12 copies survive today.

Posted by Dave the Lighthouse Keeper

DaveMcK

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

What is R.E.D. Friday?

RED is an acronym that stands for Remember Everyone Deployed. R.E.D. Friday was created to remind people of our heroes overseas and show that we are thinking of them. People across the country wear red every Friday to serve as a reminder and spread the message of how important it is that we keep our troops in our thoughts.

How did R.E.D. Friday Get Started?

Remember those email chains you used to get asking you to forward to 10 friends – or all of your friends? There were all kinds: some claiming ridiculous things, some trying to raise awareness for campaigns or diseases, and some that were just plain silly. This is how R.E.D. Friday originated: an email chain back in 2005.

We Americans, who support our troops, are the silent majority. We are not "organized" to reflect who we are, or to reflect what our opinions are. Many Americans, like you, would like simply to recognize that Americans support our troops. Our idea of showing our solidarity and support for our troops will be continuing on each and every Friday, until ALL of our troops come home, that every RED - blooded American who supports our young men and women, WEAR SOMETHING RED.

Troop morale is as important as basic training. If morale is low, mistakes are made and people die.

Our job is to support our troops and in the process we can help to increase their morale by showing we care.

RED is more than just a color on Fridays. In fact, it stands for “Remember Everyone Deployed,” meaning the color red is a reminder for you to take the time every Friday to remember our troops. You may be excited for the weekend, but not everyone gets to come home, relax, or see their families. Those who are deployed may not even get the chance to see their loved ones for months on end.

Wearing red on Friday reminds us to not take these privileges for granted. By wearing red, you’re also showing support for the families who don’t get to come home to their loved ones every day. You become a voice for those who may not have it, like children who miss their mother or father.

It can be hard for anyone to go months without seeing a loved one, and when you share your red attire in person or on social media you become a bit of comfort they may need during the day. Our troops and their families need all the support they can get, and sadly, pride and patriotism have been declining over the years, that’s why we ask you stand with our insurance agency and wear red every Friday. Show remembrance for those who gave the ultimate price, so you can live with the privileges you have now.

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Posted by Dave the Lighthouse Keeper

DaveMcK

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Convoy of wreaths destined for Arlington National Cemetery begin arriving Friday
Several thousand volunteers will descend upon the cemetery to lay wreaths for Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday, December 18.

Join us on National Wreaths Across America Day
December 18, 2021
Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, our mission to Remember, Honor and Teach is carried out by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at more than 2,500 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea and abroad.
My Aunt Emma and Uncle Bruce are buried in Arlington cemetery because of Bruce's honorable service in the First World War! Emma was a civilian in the department of the Navy for 30+ years. She spent time in Israel with a team administrating the Marshall Plan.

Wreaths Across America's Trucking Tributes Presents Crowley

The Wreaths Across America mission to remember, honor, and teach is impossible without the transportation industry. Veterans’ wreaths move by planes, trains, and livestock trailers, but trucks and their professional drivers transport the lion’s share of America’s respect. Many of these drivers are veterans and say the truckload of fresh, balsam-fir wreaths is the most precious cargo they transport in their careers. Wreaths Across America highlights their steadfast commitment in the “Trucking Tributes” feature online and on Wreaths Across America Radio.

Professional drivers and trucking companies give so much to the nation. In December, arguably the busiest time of the year for the transportation sector, the Wreaths Across America mission brings them together in an effort of unparalleled unity. Combined with a “can-do” work ethic, that unity makes it possible for Americans to honor millions of veterans laid to rest here at home and overseas. With over 3,100 participating locations and Arlington National Cemetery, transportation logistics are immense.

We believe if Wreaths Across America were placing wreaths and saying their names when Crowley was founded back in 1892, Tom Crowley would have put them in his rowboat to deliver to mariners. We believe this because today, the third generation of Crowley’s is at the helm of the family-owned transportation logistics company based in Jacksonville, Florida.

Vice President of Crowley’s Government Solutions unit, Patrick Wallace, explains the relationship between Wreaths Across America and Crowley is one of happenstance. “One day, our product manager with Crowley, Jerome was at a trucking trade show and came across the Wreaths Across America booth and asked how we could help,” Patrick shares. “Ironically enough, it was getting wreaths to Puerto Rico. With the Crowley family history, our support of Puerto Rico, and being a Jones Act-carrier, it was the perfect synergy between our support of the armed forces and our support and pride in our relationship with Puerto Rico. When we first got involved, we really didn’t know what to expect, but with so many employees who are veterans in Puerto Rico, it just made sense to get involved with the Puerto Rico National Cemetery.”

Patrick joined Crowley to help support its transition from a maritime-only company to one that handling both land and sea transportation logistics. Their Defense Freight Transportation Services Contract supports the Department of Defense. In doing so, Crowley transports to all the military bases in the U.S. Subsequently, the U.S. military, veterans, and the Wreaths Across America effort are “near and dear” to their hearts. Patrick explains there’s a strong company culture of support for veterans at Crowley that goes beyond the relationship with Wreaths Across America. “Crowley operates on three basic values which are sustainability, high performance, and integrity. When I think of some of these core values veterans come to mind. Our customers and our team members who are veterans have some of the underlying characteristics that we look at and say they’re some of the best representations of our country, and that’s the kind of responsibility and integrity we want representing our team.”

In what Patrick refers to as “a coordination of chaos,” the Crowley logistics chain with the veterans’ wreaths involves trucks, containers, and an LNG vessel. “One of our partners goes up to Maine and brings the wreaths down to Jacksonville. They’re put into the warehouse, and one container supports the laying of wreaths in Jacksonville. We have another container that’s taken to the port and placed on the vessel for the three-day trip to Puerto Rico. I believe they get an escort to the cemetery, and a bunch of Crowley employees will participate in the wreath-laying activities.”

Patrick says the entire Crowley organization is honored to play a part in the Wreaths Across America mission. “The cost of getting those wreaths to the cemetery was the barrier to getting more wreaths down there. Crowley Cares, the charitable piece of the corporation, has matched all the donations that have been made, and all the transportation has been donated, so we removed that barrier. It goes beyond the fact that you’re delivering a wreath to be laid on a servicemember’s grave. You’re delivering so much more when you think of the families that will see that wreath, potentially for the first time, laid on their loved one’s grave. The opportunity to deliver that level of heart-felt thanks is why we do what we do.”

Posted by Dave the Lighthouse Keeper

DaveMcK

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

NATIONAL FRENCH FRIED SHRIMP DAY

On December 21st, seafood lovers celebrate National French Fried Shrimp Day. Enjoyed all year long, this delicious dish delights many across the country.

Americans eat more shrimp than any other seafood. I am truly a shrimp lover. I like them fixed about any way you can think of.

The word prawn is used loosely to describe any large shrimp, sometimes known as jumbo shrimp. Some countries use the word prawn exclusively for all shrimp.

Preparing the shrimp for consumption usually involves the removal of the head, shell, tail, and sand vein. There are many ways to cook shrimp. Common methods of preparation include baking, boiling, broiling, sauteing, frying, and grilling.

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Posted by Dave the Lighthouse Keeper

DaveMcK

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

National Date Nut Bread Day – December 22, 2021

We celebrate the healthy, wholesome, and flavorful bread that is enjoyed for breakfast and teatime on National Date Nut Bread Day, December 22. Dates and nuts such as walnuts and pecans are thrown into the mix and baked to perfection but, really, you can use any add-ons you like. Date nut bread is popular during the holiday season as it is sweet but not overly so.

I like all types of sweet breads be they banana, cranberries or wild Berrie.

What is your favorite sweet bread?

HISTORY OF NATIONAL DATE NUT BREAD DAY

National Date Nut Bread is a baker’s delight and we’d gladly lay a spread to celebrate this day. The origins of this holiday are unknown despite it being around for years. But that’s not the dilemma here, the big question is whether to choose cream cheese or butter to go with it!

Printed recipes for bread go as far back as the 1920s, but bread baked with fruit was eaten in various parts of the world long before that. It is widely believed that date nut bread was originally baked and first became popular in England.

The first-ever date nut bread recipe was published in 1939, however, dates are among the world’s oldest fruits. The seeds have been excavated by archaeologists in subtropical regions around the world. It is believed by historians that dates were brought to Spain by the ancient Moors and later distributed to America.

There are different traditions for eating date nut bread in countries where it is popular. Britain enjoys a date-and-walnut loaf made with treacle and paired with a cup of tea, of course. The sweet treat is also popular in Australia, New Zealand, and Scotland. In the USA, date nut bread is a go-to during the holidays. This is probably why National Date Nut day is celebrated on December 22, whereas the same holiday is observed on September 8 in other parts of the world. Date nut bread is packed with flavor and nutritious ingredients, without being overwhelmingly sweet. For an added punch, cheese frosting is often used as a topping or filling.

Posted by Dave the Lighthouse Keeper

DaveMcK

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Merry Christmas and Happy Christmas

We wish people a 'Happy Birthday', and if you're in the USA in November and December you might say 'Happy Holidays', so why do we say 'Merry Christmas' more often than 'Happy Christmas'?!

Saying 'Merry Christmas' rather than 'Happy Christmas' seems to go back several hundred years. It's first recorded in 1534 when John Fisher (an English Catholic Bishop in the 1500s) wrote it in a Christmas letter to Thomas Cromwell: "And this our Lord God send you a mery Christmas, and a comfortable, to your heart’s desire."

There's also the carol "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen" which dates back to the 16th century in England. It comes from the West Country in England and it was first published in the form we know it today in 1760.

In the English language of the time, the phrase 'Rest You Merry' didn't mean simply to be happy; 'rest' meant "to keep, cause to continue to remain" and 'merry' could mean "pleasant, bountiful, prosperous". So you could write the first line as "[May] God keep you and continue to make you successful and prosperous, Gentlemen" but that would be hard to sing! (This also explains why we don't say 'Merry Birthday', because it didn't mean the same as 'happy'.)

The comma in the phrase should be AFTER the 'merry' not BEFORE it! But it's often put after the merry which changes the meaning to make 'merry Gentleman' and so a 'Merry Christmas'!

The term 'Merry Christmas' might well have been made very popular in 1843 from two different sources.

The first Christmas Card, sent in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole, had this wording on it: "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You".

"Firstchristmascard". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens was also published in 1843 and the phrase 'Merry Christmas' appears 21 times in the book! Charles Dickens also quoted "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen" in A Christmas Carol, but changed it to: "God bless you, merry gentleman! May nothing you dismay!" moving the comma to before the merry!

The Carol "We Wish You a Merry Christmas [and a Happy New Year]" is another old carol from the 'West Country' (South West England) but was only first published in 1935 and this probably confirmed the use of 'Merry Christmas' over 'Happy Christmas'.

Posted by Dave the Lighthouse Keeper

DaveMcK

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

NATIONAL CANDY CANE DAY

National Candy Cane Day on December 26th gives candy lovers a day to celebrate the red and white striped candies found abundantly during the holidays.

In 1844, a recipe for a straight peppermint candy stick, which was white with colored stripes, was published. However, some stories tell of all-white candy sticks in much earlier times. Folklore tells of the origin of the candy cane, yet no documented proof of its real beginning. Literature begins mentioning the candy cane in 1866, and it was first known to be mentioned in connection with Christmas in 1874. As early as 1882, candy canes have been hung on Christmas trees.

Fun Candy Cane Facts:

The average candy cane is 5 inches tall.
While most candy canes are not sugar or calorie-free, they do not have any fat or cholesterol.
Striped red and white candy canes were first introduced in 1900.
The first machine to make candy canes were invented in 1921 by Brasher O. Westerfield. Until then, they were made by hand.
Bob McCormack and his brother-in-law & priest Gregory Keller brought the candy cane to the masses. What started out as candy-making for McCormack’s friends and family turned into mass production when Keller invented the machine that enabled Bob’s Candies to go big time.
Traditionally the flavor for candy canes is peppermint, but there are a variety of flavors.
Alain Roby, Geneva pastry chef, holdsthe Guinness World Record for the longest candy cane, measuring 51 feet long.

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Posted by Dave the Lighthouse Keeper

DaveMcK

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

NATIONAL FRUITCAKE DAY

Across the United States, fruitcake lovers young and old, commemorate National Fruitcake Day each year on December 27th.

Made with chopped candied or dried fruit, nuts, and spices and sometimes soaked in spirits, fruitcake has been a holiday gift-giving tradition for many years.

Dating back to ancient Rome, one of the earliest known recipes lists pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, and raisins mixed into barley mash. Records indicate that in the Middle Ages, makers added honey, spices, and preserved fruits. Recipes for fruitcakes vary from country to country, depending on available ingredients and tradition.

In the 16th century, two achievements crystallized to make fruitcakes more affordable and accessible. First, sugar from the American Colonies became abundant. Second, it was discovered that high concentrations of sugar could preserve fruits. These two actions resulted in excess candied fruit. Consequently, fruitcake making grew.

Typically, Americans produce fruitcakes abundant in fruit and nuts
In America, mail-order fruitcake began in 1913.
Charities often sell commercial fruitcakes from catalogs as a fundraising event.
In 1935, the expression “nutty as a fruitcake” was coined. The phrase came about as a result of excess nuts some Southern bakeries added to their fruitcakes due to their access to cheap nuts.
Most mass-produced fruitcakes in America are alcohol-free.
Some traditional recipes include liqueurs or brandy. Bakers then complete the fruitcake by covering it with powdered sugar.
Some fruitcake makers soaked their fruitcakes in brandy-soaked linens believing the cakes improved with age.

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalFruitcakeDay

Share a fruitcake story or recipe. Or maybe share both. Invite someone to enjoy some fruitcake with you. No matter how you celebrate, use #NationalFruitcakeDay to post on social media.

You can also explore the other 5 Time-Honored Christmas Foods to get a jump on next year.

NATIONAL FRUITCAKE DAY HISTORY

National Day Calendar will continue to experiment with recipes until we get it right. In the meantime, we’ve not found the origins of this immortal cornerstone of holiday baking, either.

Butter Rum Sauce is a buttery caramel-like-sauce that has a lovely flavor from the dark rum. Don’t worry it doesn’t taste like a cocktail as the liquor will boil out during cooking. It is made with 5 simple ingredients – butter, brown sugar, sugar, cream, and dark rum.

Posted by Dave the Lighthouse Keeper

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalPoinsettiaDay

NATIONAL POINSETTIA DAY HISTORY

BILL OF RIGHTS DAY

National Date Nut Bread Day – December 22, 2021

HISTORY OF NATIONAL DATE NUT BREAD DAY

Merry Christmas and Happy Christmas

NATIONAL CANDY CANE DAY

Fun Candy Cane Facts:

NATIONAL FRUITCAKE DAY

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalFruitcakeDay

NATIONAL FRUITCAKE DAY HISTORY

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