Category: December 19

  • NATIONAL OATMEAL MUFFIN DAY – December 19

    NATIONAL OATMEAL MUFFIN DAY

    Enjoy a delicious breakfast or snack on National Oatmeal Muffin Day. It’s an excellent way to celebrate on December 19th annually.

    #OatmealMuffinDay

    Known for its health benefits, millions of people start each day with an oatmeal muffin. Oatmeal includes health benefits for our hearts. Finding ways to incorporate it into our diets increases the opportunities to reap those benefits. Oatmeal muffins are another way to enjoy oatmeal.  

    The American muffin is similar in size and shape to a cupcake. Recipes for oatmeal muffins began to appear in American cookbooks in the mid-1800s.  Raisins, bananas, blueberries and other healthy fruits often compliment oatmeal muffins. Add nuts for even more health benefits and texture, too. 

    HOW TO OBSERVE OATMEAL MUFFIN DAY

    Bake some oatmeal muffins to enjoy. Share them with your family and friends. 

    Try these oatmeal muffin recipes:

    Spiced Peach Oatmeal Muffin

    Oatmeal Muffin

    Use #OatmealMuffinDay to post on social media.

    NATIONAL OATMEAL MUFFIN DAY HISTORY

    National Day Calendar will be experimenting with tasty recipes while we continue seeking the origins of this baked up holiday. 

    Oatmeal FAQ

    Q. How many calories are in an oatmeal muffin?
    A. A 4-ounce oatmeal muffin contains approximately 160 calories.

    Q. Are oatmeal muffins healthier than other muffins?
    A. Oatmeal muffins can be healthier than other muffins depending on the ingredients used to make them. Adding oatmeal to a muffin recipe increases the fiber content, which is a good thing. Oatmeal is also known to be good for the heart. Combining oatmeal muffins with fruit will allow you to reduce the amount of processed sugar used, too.

    December 19th Celebrated (And Not So Celebrated) History

    1843

    Chapman & Hall of London publishes the novella A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. The holiday classic continues to be a perennial favorite.

    1918

    Robert Ripley begins writing his “Believe It or Not” column for the New York Globe.

    1973

    During his monologue on the Tonight Show, Johnny Carson jokes about shortages. “You know what else is disappearing from the supermarket shelves? Toilet paper! Ha, ha, ha! You can laugh now. There is an acute shortage of toilet paper in the good ol’ United States.” In the days preceding Carson’s monologue, Representative Harold Froehlich (R) of Wisconsin predicted a toilet paper shortage due to paper pulp shortages and pulp exports. But he also predicted shortages of all kinds of paper products. Shortages did materialize and shoppers faced empty shelves from coast to coast. Suppliers and purchasing agents were unable to fill orders.

    1980

    Raging Bull, starring Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, and Joe Pesci, is released nationally in the United States. Directed by Martin Scorsese the film follows the life of professional boxer Jake LaMotta who held the world middleweight boxing title from 1949-1951. The film won Academy Awards for Best Actor and Best Film Editing.

    1984

    Twenty-three-year-old Wayne Gretzky, playing for the Edmonton Oilers, becomes the youngest and the 18th National Hockey League player to score 1000 points.

    December 19th Celebrated (And Not So Celebrated) Birthdays

    Mary Livermore – 1820

    Livermore took up her pen to further social reforms such as women’s suffrage and temperance following the Civil War. She also volunteered her time and led several organizations.

    Carter G. Woodson -1850

    The American historian and journalist was the second African American to earn a doctorate from Harvard. As an author, he wrote several historical works including The Mis-Education of the Negro and A Century of Negro Migration. He also founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.

    Rudolf Hell – 1901

    The prolific German inventor revolutionized print technology. From scanning and printing to transmission, Hell’s inventions involved all areas of the print world.

    William C. DeVries – 1943

    In 1982, the American heart surgeon implanted the Jarvik-7, the first permanent artificial heart, into 61-year-old Barney Clark. Clark was terminally ill and survived for 112 days following the surgery.

  • NATIONAL HARD CANDY DAY – December 19

    NATIONAL HARD CANDY DAY

    A favorite of young and old alike, National Hard Candy Day on December 19th, recognizes the sweet tooth in all of us. 

    #HardCandyDay

    Most hard candies are 100% sugar with flavoring and colors added. To achieve a hard candy, confectioners boil a sugar syrup to 320 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the temperature is reached, the hot, pliable sugar is poured into molds or rolled and folded into shapes and left to cool. Once cool, solid sugar becomes hardened and brittle.

    The first hard candies, such as lemon drops and peppermints, were likely prescribed as a remedy for stomach ailments.

    Hard candy became popular in the seventeenth century as sugar prices fell. Previously, hard candy was something that only the well-to-do could afford. By the mid-1800s, over 400 companies were manufacturing this popular treat.

    In 2015, Jolly Rancher surpassed Werther’s Original as the best-selling hard candy. Other popular hard candies include Dum Dum Pops, Life Savers, Tootsie Roll Pops, and Charms Blow Pop.

    HOW TO OBSERVE HARD CANDY DAY

    Enjoy your favorite hard candy. While shopping for some to taste, be sure to pick some up to fill those stockings, too. National Hard Candy Day is also an excellent time to discover the history behind your favorite hard candies. You can read about many of the candy makers from bygone days or who are still producing our favorites. Watch videos showing you how these colorful candies are made, too. You will be amazed at how innovative each candy maker had to be to develop their own unique process. 

    Use #NationalHardCandyDay to post on social media.

    NATIONAL HARD CANDY DAY HISTORY

    While National Day Calendar has not discovered the origin of this sweet, sweet holiday, we encourage you to share a little sugar with your sweetheart while we keep researching. 

    Candy FAQ

    Q. Who holds the record for the largest lollipop?
    A. On July 12, 2012, See’s Candies Lollypop Factory created the largest lollipop. It measured 4 feet 8.75 inches long and 3 feet 6 inches wide and 5 feet 11 inches high without the stick. The stick alone measured 11 feet 10 inches tall.

    Q. Who holds the record for the largest candy cane?
    A. Fabiano’s Chocolates and Ice Cream set the record on December 5, 1998, in Lansing, Michigan. The candy cane measured 36 feet 7 inches long and 4 inches in diameter.

    Q. What is the most popular flavor of hard candy?
    A. Whether you’re talking candy canes, Life Savers, or some other hard candy, cherry seems to be the number one flavor.