Celebrate Every Day

Welcome to January 10th, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate the green indoors and dream vacations come true. In 1989 NASA published a study that showed that plants may improve the air quality for indoor spaces. We all know that plants consume carbon dioxide and produce oxygen as they do their photosynthesis thing, so this makes sense. But apparently some plants are better than o...

Welcome to January 9th, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate clearing space and reaching great heights. Anna: Marlo, I know you don’t make New Year’s resolutions but I have a challenge for you right now, can you see the top of your desk? Marlo: Kind of. Anna: Well, you know I've heard this new thing about feng shui that if you're living in a messy world you're just going to feel m...

Welcome to January 8th, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate our mysterious universe and curious keys. On this day in 1851 French physicist, Leon Foucault made an important discovery. As a med school dropout and amateur photographer Leon had not yet made his mark. Then on January 8th he suspended a pendulum from the ceiling of the Meridian Room of the Paris Conservatory and invite...

Welcome to January 7th, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate delicious imports and wobbly heads. In the mid 16th century Nagasaki, Japan was a closed-port to most of the world, but the Portuguese were allowed to bring in Catholicism and with it, a food that they made during lent. The name tempura actually comes from the Latin quattuor anni tempora or Days of Ember when no red meat...

Welcome to January 6th, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate buttery biscuits and sneaky technology. Originally called Biscuit Bread, these buttery, delectable cookies or “biscuits” began life in the 12th century as leftover bread dough dried out to form a hard rusk. Made famous in Scotland by French pastry chefs working for Mary, Queen of Scots, these became known as “petticoat t...

Welcome to January 5th, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate sweet inventions and the wizards of words. The first recipes for whipped cream date back to 1549 when they used a willow branch to beat the cream into “snow milk.” This technique lasted for the next few centuries until a clothing salesman from St. Louis changed all of that. During WWII when cream was rationed, Aaron “Bun...

Welcome to January 4th, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate nerding out and seeing things in a different light. If you’ve ever attended quiz night at a local pub, you know how exciting trivia can be. There’s a thrill that comes from knowing that a seemingly useless piece of information holds the key to winning a game. Even in the early days of television, trivia was all the rage....

Welcome to January 3rd, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate the sweet life and having the last straw. If life is a bowl full of cherries, why not have yours dipped in chocolate? Folks in the 1700s knew what a perfect mid-winter pick me up this candy could be. In England they included kirsch or cherry liqueur. Here in the United States the treat evolved into a sweet liquid center...

Welcome to January 2nd, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a feast for everyone and a voyage of the imagination. Anna: Marlo, I have a bone to pick with you. I’m all geared up to celebrate National Personal Trainer Awareness Day and I see it’s also National Cream Puff Day and National Buffet Day. Is that a joke? John, help me out here. John: What do you mean? I'm gonna work out...

Welcome to January 1st, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a gruesome drink and a fresh start. If you’re looking for a “hair of the dog” that bit you during last night’s reveling, consider the Bloody Mary. It’s become a brunch staple, but how did this drink get such a gruesome name? Many people assume it’s because of Mary Tudor, Henry VIII’s first daughter. But the widely accept...

Welcome to December 31, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate memorable wines and forgettable songs. Nothing says celebration like a good champagne, and while the genuine article comes only from the Champagne region of France, there are plenty of good bubbly wines from California and Italy. If you’ve ever wondered why bottles of Dom Perignon fetch up to $50,000 a bottle, it’s becau...

Welcome to December 30, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate the power of ordinary ingredients. With only 24 hours left till the new year, it’s time for a quick science lesson. Trust us, you’ll wanna remember this. If you plan to tie one on for New Year’s Eve remember that not all hangover cures are made equal. Some swear by the hair of the dog, or an over the counter remedy like...

Welcome to December 29, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate making the most of the final countdown and a National soup for the soul. Most of us look forward to the end of the year, with the promise of a new year just around the corner. But before we break out the party hats and noisemakers, there are still a few things that need our attention. Are there business purchases or dona...

Welcome to December 28, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate the art of bluffing and kicking your clunker to the curb. The game of poker originated in Louisiana, and is believed to be a derivative of the game of dominos, which dates back a few thousand years. What’s common to both games is the art of bluffing. Even the best poker players in the world only have a 5 percent advantag...

Welcome to December 27, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate starting something new and being nutty as a fruitcake. Anna: You probably didn’t notice this Marlo, but December is Learn a Foreign Language Month. Marlo: You know, I didn't notice it obviously. I can't even say "Mario" correctly. Anna: You were too busy giving out calendars and hanging out with Santa Claus. John, didn’t...

Welcome to December 26th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate extending the flavor and good will of the season. Peppermint sticks have been around for at least 200 years, but the red and white striped candy cane that we all associate with Christmas did not actually appear until 1900. Many folklore tales describe the symbolism behind this iconic treat though they were assigned muc...

Welcome to December 25, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate holiday puns and the true spirit of gift giving. A’Phabet Day or No “L” Day is observed on December 25th. This day is for punsters who can’t resist the play on words and avoid using the letter “L” in jokes and correspondence. Groan if you will, but No “L” Day invites you to celebrate with the fun loving folks, who make b...

Welcome to December 24, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate clearing up the mystery behind two holiday favorites. Have you ever wondered how eggnog got its name? It turns out that alcohol was once served in carved wooden mugs called noggins. It’s believed that the first eggnog or posset was made as a cold remedy that included milk, spices, and alcohol. Some people added eggs to t...

Welcome to December 23, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate getting back to our roots and a Festivus for the rest of us. These days we have all become a little more interested in our roots. I’m not talking about the gray kind that we cover up with hair dye, I’m talking about family history. DNA testing has doubled in popularity since these kits began offering valuable information...

Welcome to December 22, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate the perfect holiday date and the rules of seasonal recycling. If you’re looking for a date for the holidays look no further than date nut bread. While it doesn’t have the shelf life of a fruit cake, its less gaudy appearance speaks for its excellent taste. Dates have been cultivated since ancient times from Mesopotamia t...

Welcome to December 21, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate an ancient tradition and turning your holiday frown upside down. One of the oldest celebrations still in existence today is the Winter Solstice. Ancient ruins like Stonehenge were even built around this event when the Earth’s poles are at their maximum tilt. If you don’t have a giant sundial in your yard, have no fear, y...

Welcome to December 20, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate festive drinks and songs that stick. Sangria originated in early Greek and Roman times when safe drinking water was not always available. Alcohol killed the bacteria in water and fruit made it even more drinkable. The word Sangria comes from the Spanish and Portuguese word for blood, which speaks to its color, though fol...

Welcome to December 19, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate healthy hearts and candies that go the distance. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens was first published on December 19, 1843. Today Christmas would not be complete without the story of Ebineezer Scrooge and his miraculous change of heart. Dickens’s own reason for the seasonal tale can be summed up in line from Scrooge’...

Welcome to December 18, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate elfing around and the festival of lights. Anna: Buddy, the Elf. What’s your favorite color? Marlo: Yellow, yellow, yellow! Anna: John? John: Red. No green! Anna: Did you guys know it's Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day? John: I do now! Anna: Right, I'm getting my "elf on!" Do you know what kinda music elves lik...

Welcome to December 17, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate being sappy and fueling our dreams. If you’ve ever wondered how maple syrup got its grades, here’s a tip, it’s all a matter of taste. In the past, Grade A syrup indicated an earlier harvest, hence a lighter color and milder taste. Grade C was harvested later and was best used as a substitute for molasses. Grade B was oft...