Category: December 29

  • NATIONAL PEPPER POT DAY – December 29

    NATIONAL PEPPER POT DAY

    National Pepper Pot Day celebrates a soup with deep roots and a mythology to go with it. On December 29th, explore the flavors and history of the filling dish.

    #NationalPepperPotDay

    Pepper pot soup is a highly seasoned soup prepared with peppercorns, small bits of meat, tripe, vegetables, and broth. The dish may be more familiar by the name of Philadelphia Pepper Pot because it was brought to the area by people from Africa, the West Indies, and the Caribbean. Colonial Black women served the dish in their homes, the homes where they worked, and in markets. It’s considered an early street food by many historians.

    One legendary story credits this soup to George Washington’s chef. The story goes that during the brutal winter of 1777 and 1778, the Continental Army was camped t Valley Forge on December 29th. George Washington asked the army’s chef to prepare a meal that would boost morale and warm the troops. So the chef rounded up some ingredients and called it Pepper Pot Soup. The troops received the meal well and nicknamed it “the soup that won the war.”

    Though the story may be untrue, it receives some credit for increasing the popularity of pepper pot soup in Philadelphia and earning the dish its other name, Philadelphia Pepper Pot.

    HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL PEPPER POT DAY

    Experience the flavor of Pepper Pot Soup. If you need a recipe, we’ve found one to try. Invite some friends to enjoy it with you and share the celebration.

    Authentic Pepper Pot Soup recipe.

    Use #NationalPepperPotDay to post on social media.

    NATIONAL PEPPER POT DAY HISTORY

    Our search for the origins of this day resulted in an empty pot. So while we fill it back up with flavorful ingredients, we’ll keep looking.

    Pepper Pot FAQ

    Q. Is there pepper in pepper pot soup?
    A. Yes. The soup calls for peppercorns as one of the ingredients.

    Q. How do they make pepper pot in Guyana?
    A. Guyana claims pepper pot soup as its national dish. The primary ingredient in Guyanese pepper pot soup is cassareep, a thick sauce made from the cassava root.

    Q. Did George Washington create pepper pot soup?
    A. No. Though the popular story gives credit to the army chef under Washington’s command, it is unlikely to be true.

  • NO INTERRUPTIONS DAY – Last Work Day of the Year

    NO INTERRUPTIONS DAY

    No Interruptions Day on the last workday of the year sets aside the day to get organized for the new year by cleaning up your workspace without interruptions.  

    This is the day set aside for cleaning out emails, tossing long-saved memos, and delegating those tasks that, well, just need to be delegated. Clear out those menial tasks that you dread. Get them finished and cleared off your to-do list. 

    Everyone’s to-do list is different. The very nature of our job dictates what we consider an organized and cleared workspace. One career may be facing new regulations while another looks at all new technology to learn. A day without interruption allows us to focus on big things and small. 

    However, some people use this day to focus hard on those end-of-year tasks that always seem to slip through the cracks. Often these are the details of work one pushes off until the last minute. And today is that last minute.

    HOW TO OBSERVE #NoInterruptionsDay

    Turn off the phone, ignore your e-mails, close your door, and enjoy the peace of no interruptions for a full day. You can do this, right? Here are some of the things many of us will tackle on these quiet end-of-the-year-days:

    • Answer un-answered emails
    • Delete, file, and organize emails we’ve been saving
    • Scan needed receipts and shred unnecessary paperwork
    • Complete online training courses
    • Update calendar and address book.

    When you have reached that goal, use #NoInterruptionsDay to post on social media and tell the world how successful you were!

    NO INTERRUPTIONS DAY HISTORY

    We’re busy and have no time for interruptions while researching the origins of this day. 

    No Interruptions FAQ

    Q. How can I avoid interruptions?
    A. Interruptions slow us down. We lose track of what we were doing or lose our train of thought. Some ways to avoid interruptions include:

    • Turn off your phone.
    • Turn on the auto-reply on your email.
    • Close doors.
    • Hang a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door.
    • Make an announcement. “I will be unavailable for the next 2 hours. Please do not interrupt me.”
    • Take your work to an out-of-the-way place like a coffee shop, library or secluded outdoor spot.

    Q. Are there other productivity days on the calendar?
    A. Yes. Check these out:

    International Coworking Day
    World Productivity Day
    National Clean Off Your Desk Day
    National Fun At Work Day

    DATES:
    30 December 2022 
    29 December 2023
    31 December 2024
    31 December 2025
    31 December 2026
    31 December 2027
    29 December 2028
    31December 2029

     

  • TICK TOCK DAY – December 29

    TICK TOCK DAY

    Tick Tock Day, observed annually on December 29th, reminds us to complete any unfinished business that might need addressing before the end of the year.

    #TickTockDay

    As the end of the year approaches, many items call for our attention. Unfinished business usually needs to be wrapped up before the end of the calendar year. Things like larger business purchases and charitable donations for the tax year may need to be transacted before December 31st. 

    Another thing to consider is your medical plan. Does your deductible start over? Do you have a Flexible Savings Account with funds to use? Some employers offer annual benefits that will be lost if they aren’t used by the end of the year. Time is running out. 

    Tick Tock Day may also be a day to look at personal goals. Did you finish reading that book? Bucket lists call our names. Where do we want to travel? We may still need to explore some exotic foods, too. Maybe your goals are grander or simpler. Whatever they are, tick-tock. 

    HOW TO OBSERVE TICK TOCK DAY

    The clock is ticking. The count down has begun. Check your list. Get that unfinished business completed. Share your tips for checking off unfinished business. If you’re not sure what needs to be completed consider these timely items:

    • Check the tags on your car.
    • Schedule a routine physical exam.
    • Change the filter on your furnace.
    • Update your virus protection on your computer.
    • Did you miss your last wedding anniversary?
    • Order a National Day Calendar!
    • Plan your vacation.
    • Wind your clocks.
    • Complete a honey-do list.

    No matter how chose to wrap up unfinished business, be sure to use #TickTockDay to post on social media.

    TICK TOCK DAY HISTORY

    Thomas and Ruth Roy at Wellcat.com created Tick Tock Day. 

    Tick Tock FAQ

    Q. What does onomatopoeia mean?
    A. Onomatopoeia is a word that forms the sound associated with it. Tick tock is an onomatopoeia describing the sound of a clock.

    Q. What do other languages call the sound of a clock?
    A. In many languages, including French, Spanish and Italian, they use the phrase “tic-tac” for the sound of a clock.

    Q. What is the world’s largest clock?
    A. The Makkah Clock Royal Tower in Mecca, Saudi Arabia is home to the world’s largest clock face. It is part of a series of seven hotel skyscrapers called Abraj Al-Bait. It measures 43 meters in diameter or 141.076 feet.

    December 29th Celebrated (and Not So Celebrated) History

    1851

    Retired sea captain Thomas Valentine Sullivan establishes the first Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in Boston, MA. He modeled the organization after the YMCA created by George Williams of London, England. Sullivan opened the Boston YMCA in the Old South Church, where volunteers coordinated its operation.

    1890 

    The 7th U.S. Cavalry kills between 150-300 Lakota Sioux Indians at Wounded Knee Creek located on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.

    1902

    The ragtime tune “The Entertainer” by the classically trained musician Scott Joplin is registered with the U.S. copyright office. He also registered two other songs: “A Breeze from Alabama” and “Elite Syncopations.”

    1952

    Sonotone began selling the first hearing aid with a transistor.

    December 29th Celebrated (and Not So Celebrated) Birthdays 

    Charles Goodyear – 1800

    On June 15, 1844, the U.S. Patent Office issued patent No. 3633 to Goodyear for his process for vulcanized rubber. The chemist spent years of experimentation studying rubber until Goodyear developed a rubber that withstood the elements.

    Andrew Johnson – 1808

    Johnson served as President Abraham Lincoln’s second Vice President. Following the President’s assassination, the southern Democrat from Tennessee swore the oath of office and became the 17th President of the United States. Even though his home state had seceded, Johnson remained in Washington and loyal to the Union. However, during his term as president, tensions over reconstruction grew. Following Johnson’s veto of the Tenure of Office Act, Congress brought articles of impeachment against Johnson. He was the first U.S. president to be impeached.

    Annie Alexander – 1867

    In 1908, the explorer, naturalist, and paleontological collector founded the University of California Museum of Paleontology and the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology.

    William “Billy” Mitchell – 1879

    Mitchell’s military experience in the Army Signal Corps led to numerous achievements. While the aviator is considered the “Father of the United States Air Force,” Mitchell’s forthright opinions earned him a career-ending court-martial before he ever saw the fulfillment of a separate Air Force.

    Mary Tyler Moore – 1936

    The American actress is best known for her roles in the sitcoms The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

    Ted Danson – 1947

    Some of the actor’s most notable roles include Sam Malone in Cheers, Jack Holden in Three Men and A Baby, and Michael in The Good Place.