National Eggnog Day comes just once a year.  Also spelled “Eggnog Day”, this December 24 holiday celebrates a special, traditional holiday drink. It is consumed with or without Rum. And, if it’s an office or other adult party, the bowl is likely spiked with rum. The timing couldn’t be any better– the day before Christmas— Christmas Eve!

Eggnog is a seasonal holiday drink. Many people say a holiday party is not complete without a crystal bowl filled with it. It appears in stores just before Thanksgiving and is enjoyed by many at the Thanksgiving meal. Consumption then takes a break until the December holidays are in full swing.  Consumption of eggnog peaks on Christmas Eve. By the New Year, it is no longer available in stores. If you want eggnog after New Year’s you will likely have to make it yourself. See Grandpa’s Old English Eggnog Recipe.

No one seems to know who created National Eggnog Day. But, eggnog lovers are ecstatic that this day exists. It’s loaded with stuff that tastes really good. But, the stuff it is loaded with is not necessarily good for you. However, aficionados will tell you that it’s Mmmmm delicious!

Did You Know? Eggnog evolved from a Medieval drink called “Posset”. But, Posset did not contain eggs.

The Correct Spelling: This holiday drink is spelled “Egg Nog” and “Eggnog”, about equally. The carton in the store spells it “Egg Nog”. Which is correct? It depends upon how much rum is in your Egg Nog! … bottoms up!

Eat a Red Apple Day is today.  From Thanksgiving through New Years, we consume an overabundance of food. And not all of it is healthy for us. This December 1 holiday encourages us to take a break from all the candy, and high-in-fat sweets. Instead, eat a red apple. Apples are delicious. They are nutritious. That’s a great combination. They back to the Garden of Eden. In that garden, the Bible tells us it was the “Forbidden fruit”.

It is really easy to participate in this special day. There are thousands of varieties of varieties grown all over the planet. Your mission today is to pick an apple among all of these varieties and eat it.

A little apple trivia: The science of growing apples is called pomology.

Celebrate this special day. Select a juicy piece of the “Forbidden fruit” and have a happy and healthy holiday.

National Cotton Candy Day, a December 7 holiday. Cotton Candy was originally called fairy floss. It is made from Floss (or Flossine) sugar. Cotton Candy is a popular summertime treat. That being the case, why do we celebrate this day in the middle of December? Good question.

In 1899, William Morrison and John C. Wharton invented and patented the cotton candy machine (Then called the Fairy Floss Machine). They brought it to the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, where it was an immediate hit.

Cotton candy is a favorite at amusement parks, circuses, fairs, and sports venues. For many years it was made right on-site and served on a paper cone. Fresh from the Fairy Floss machine, it was warm if eaten immediately. Now, most cotton candy is manufactured at a factory and sold in bags.  It’s good, but not as good as fresh-made. However, automated, self-serve cotton candy machines are showing up in a wide range of places, including shopping malls (see picture above).

We suggest you create a carnival atmosphere today, as you celebrate National Cotton Candy Day!

Chocoholics rejoice again! This is the second “Chocolate” holiday this month. Aren’t we lucky!? We hope that you haven’t quite had your fill of chocolate and sweets during the holidays, as today is National Chocolate Day. This December 24 holiday comes on Christmas Eve. We’ve been eating Christmas cookies and candy all month. What’s a little more sugar to amp us up while Santa flies around tonight!?

As we researched this day, we were a bit perplexed. Most of us have been enjoying chocolate treats all month long. All of the holiday parties have ample supplies for chocolate candies, cookies, and other treats. Christmas get-togethers and Christmas stockings have plenty of chocolate. Wherever you go this month, chocolate of some kind has been less than an arm’s length away.

Equally confusing is the fact that National Chocolate Anything Day occurs earlier in the month. We wonder why there are two practically identical holidays so close together. Then the answer dawned on us…… Chocoholics! If you count yourself in this group, and we hope you do, then you will agree that every day should be National Chocolate Day! 

Ps. Don’t stay up satisfying your chocolate cravings, as Santa Claus will soon visit your house. 

Chocoholics rejoice! Today is National Chocolate Covered Anything Day. This December 16 holiday is a great day to indulge, binge, “pig out”, and otherwise consume to excess, your favorite 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, and 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 chocoholics, 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 favorite chocolate-covered treats today.

Happy National Chocolate Covered Anything Day!!!!

Today is National Ding-a-Ling Day, a very special day to “Ring your Bell”.  Nope, we’re not talking about the Salvation Army Bell Ringers, standing with their bells and kettles, outside of every store in the country. On this December 12 holiday, you should brace yourself for bizarre and crazy behavior, from all of the people you encounter today. Even normally conservative people have been known to go a little crazy on this day. 

Some people say this is a day for wackos, lunatics, and others who are off their rockers. We say it is simply a day to cut loose and act a little weird.

For the record: Ding-a-Lings and Ding Bats are not quite the same things. Ding-a-lings are just weird. They are funny and fun to be with and watch. Dingbats are bat crazy and not a lot of fun.

Song of the Day: My Ding A Ling (1972) by Chuck Berry. Caution: This is a catchy tune. Once you get it in your head, it is hard to get it out.

National Date Nut Bread Day is today. Enjoy this tasty bread for the holidays. This December 22 holiday is the perfect bread for the season. It contains nuts and sugar. But, it is not too much sugar. Date nut bread is quite popular. You can make it yourself or buy some at the bakery. We suggest a couple of loaves. In our house, a single loaf does not last long.

Get your fill of Date Nut Bread today. After all, that’s what this day is for.

Crossword Puzzle Day is today, a December 21 holiday. It is very puzzling to me, why this special day would be so close to Christmas. While we love crosswords. But, who has time to do them right now!?

Well, it just so happens that crossword puzzles were created and published on this day in 1913. It was published in the New York World newspaper. Arthur Wynne is credited with creating the modern crossword puzzle. These puzzles became so popular, that competitions were held, to see who was the fastest to complete them correctly.

We sure hope you find some time this busy holiday season, to complete a crossword puzzle today and every day. They are relaxing and help you to take a break from all the stress of the holiday season.

Did You Know? Doing crossword puzzles daily is good for memory and mind health. It helps to fight against dementia. Also, you can use it to learn new words and facts. Most people who don’t know an answer will research it. Ant, that expands your brain. 

International Civil Aviation Day promotes awareness of the importance of international civil aviation. This December 7 holiday was created to promote and bring awareness to the importance of civil aviation for social and economic development around the world. It is also intended to promote the safety and efficiency of air transportation.

Civil air transportation is an important part of a country’s infrastructure and transportation system. So, use today to appreciate the civil air system in our country.

Did You Know? There is a pilot shortage in the United States. There are fewer pilots today than in 1990.

Is your Christmas card list up to date? Christmas Card Day is a December 9 holiday. This holiday honors Sir Henry Cole (1818 – 1874) of England. Cole created the first commercial Christmas Card in 1843. It grew into a popular holiday tradition. People created a list of all friends and family members. The number of cards you received became a source of pride. And, you had to send a card out to everyone who sent you one. As a result, the list grew year after year. Some people had a list of 50 to 100 people or more. The cards were prominently displayed on walls and sometimes hung on a string across the room. It became a holiday decoration of sorts.

Just a few decades ago, sending Christmas cards through the mail was a holiday “must”. Now, sending cards through the mail continues decline in popularity. The cost of postage is a major expenditure that stretches the holiday budget. And, the time spent writing and sending them during the hectic holiday season adds to the stress of an already busy season. As a result, more and more stop sending them entirely. Yet, others have cut down their lists to just a choice few.

On the other hand, as mailed Christmas cards continually decline every year, free online Ecard usage is on the uptick. And, they take much less time to send. Animated Christmas and daily seasonal Ecards have made sending and receiving them a lot of fun.