Category: January 15

• NATIONAL BAGEL DAY – January 15

  NATIONAL BAGEL DAY

  Toast up your favorite flavor on National Bagel Day. On January 15th, don’t forget to pick your favorite schmear, too. Make it for breakfast, lunch, snack, or all of the above!

  #NationalBagelDay

  This kosher carbohydrate brings complex flavors to the deli and sandwich bar. In the United States, we love our crunch-on-the-outside-chewy-on-the-inside bread. So they’re a staple in our freezers and as a winter pick-me-up.

  Bagel History

  Polish-Jewish immigrants introduced the bagel to the United States. Throughout New York City and the surrounding boroughs, they grew thriving businesses. Of course, it didn’t take long for the bakers to organize. In 1907, they created the International Beigel Bakers’ Union. For decades, Bagel Bakers Local 338 held contracts with nearly all bagel bakeries for its workers in and around the city.

  Until the 1960s, bakeries made bagels by hand. Then Daniel Thompson invented the bagel maker, and along came a heated debate of man versus the machine. Thereafter, the question of the better bagel dangled before customers. Was it the handcrafted beigel or the manufactured bagel?

  The bagel became more common throughout North America during the last quarter of the 20th century. Credit for the bagel’s spread across the country goes in part to the efforts of bagel baker Harry Lender, his son, Murray Lender, and Florence Sender. Their pioneering efforts led to the automated production and distribution of frozen bagels in the 1960s. Murray also invented pre-slicing the bagel.

  HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL BAGEL DAY

  Have your favorite bagel combinations. Invite friends to get a schmear or two with you. Try new combinations. Do you like yours toasted or not? Breakfast bagels, pizza bagels, cinnamon bagels, they all sound so delicious right now. Which one will you choose?

  Brush up on the bagel’s history in the United States. It’s a vibrant and enduring one. Use #NationalBagelDay to share your favorites and give your favorite bagel shop a shoutout, too!

  NATIONAL BAGEL DAY HISTORY

  Once, the bagel shared a day with lox, but no longer. As of 2020, the bagel branched out on its own to celebrate all kinds of bagels.

  Bagel FAQ

  Q. I’m trying to watch what I eat. Can I still celebrate National Bagel Day?
  A. Yes! Bagel makers understand the need to take care of our health. That’s why many of them make mini bagels at a fraction of the carbohydrates and calories of a full-sized bagel.

  Q. What’s the best way to cut a bagel?
  A. Bagels are round and a bit awkward to slice. The best way is to lay the bagel flat and slice it horizontally with your dominant hand while holding it in place with your opposite hand. Keep your fingers and thumb out of the way. This video provides a detailed demonstration:

  November 5, 2019

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  National Day Calendar

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  January 15, National Day

• NATIONAL BOOCH DAY – January 15

  NATIONAL BOOCH DAY

  On January 15, National Booch Day (also known as National Kombucha Day) kicks off a delicious way to celebrate with kombucha fans.

  #NationalBoochDay

  WHAT IS BOOCH?

  Kombucha, or “booch,” is a lightly effervescent fermented beverage with a bold, invigorating taste. With flavor options from sweet to tart, KeVita Master Brew Kombucha pairs well with any meal and has billions of live probiotics in every bottle.

  Who drinks booch? Well, if you like tea, you will probably like booch, too. Thanks to the probiotics, booch contains a significant amount of B vitamins. Depending on the type of tea your kombucha is made from, you enjoy the same benefits that tea offers.

  HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL BOOCH DAY

  Kombucha fans can celebrate by sharing the love with a friend. Share all the reasons why you love kombucha. If you’ve never tried Kombucha, visit a local retailer.

  Share your love of kombucha by using #NationalBoochDay on social media.

  NATIONAL BOOCH DAY HISTORY

  KeVita founded National Booch Day on January 15, 2019, to celebrate kombucha and all the love around this effervescent bubbly drink. KeVita was founded in 2009 in Ojai, California, by an organic winemaker and holistic nutritionist.

  In December of 2018, the Registrar at National Day Calendar® proclaimed the day to be observed annually.

  Booch FAQ

  Q. Does booch contain caffeine?
  A. Yes. Because the tea leaves used in the fermentation process contain caffeine, so does the resulting beverage. However, it contains less caffeine than a cup of coffee. For example, 8 ounces of coffee contains 95 mg of caffeine while kombucha contains about 1 mg of caffeine per ounce.

  Q. What kinds of teas are used in making kombucha?
  A. Kombucha is made from a variety of teas including black, green, white, and oolong.

  January 7, 2019

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  National Day Calendar

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  January 15, National Day

• NATIONAL STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM DAY – January 15

  NATIONAL STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM DAY

  Each year, National Strawberry Ice Cream Day on January 15th celebrates one of the choicest flavors of ice cream. All flavors of ice cream are recognized on July 1st. 

  #StrawberryIceCreamDay

  Strawberry ice cream is made by blending either strawberries or strawberry flavoring with eggs, cream, vanilla, and sugar. Food coloring is often used to give it the pink or light red hue.

  During James Madison’s second inauguration in 1813, strawberry ice cream was served. It’s also one of the three flavors found in Neapolitan ice cream along with vanilla and chocolate. Other variations of strawberry ice cream include strawberry cheesecake ice cream and strawberry ripple ice cream. 

  HOW TO OBSERVE STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM DAY

  Holidays are best celebrated with someone else, so be sure to grab a bowl or two. Invite someone to join you while you enjoy a dish of strawberry ice cream. Strawberries tend to remind us of summer, too. So imagine the things you’ll do when the days are warmer.

  Use #StrawberryIceCreamDay to post on social media.

  NATIONAL STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM HISTORY DAY HISTORY

  National Day Calendar continues to pursue the origins of this frozen food holiday. While we do, we promise, there will be more ice cream days to celebrate in the days to come. And in between, there will be cake days. And donut days, too. Also, don’t forget the cookie days that we will most certainly sandwich our ice cream between. 

  Strawberry Ice Cream FAQ

  Q. What is the first ice cream holiday on the calendar?
  A. National Strawberry Ice Cream is the first ice cream holiday on the calendar.

  Q. Can I add chocolate to my strawberry ice cream?
  A. Yes. Chocolate and strawberries go very well together.

  January 15th Celebrated (and Not So Celebrated) History

  1943

  Contractors complete the construction of the United States Department of Defense’s headquarters, also known as the Pentagon. Architect George Bergstrom designed the five-sided building located in Arlington County, Virginia.

  1967

  The Green Bay Packers square off against the Kansas City Chiefs in the first Super Bowl Championship. Played at the LA Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA, the Packers took home the trophy by defeating the Chiefs 35-10.

  1919

  A flood of molasses kills 21 people in Boston. The Red Cross aided victims when a vat at the U.S. Industrial Alcohol Company of Cambridge burst causing between 1.5 and 2 million gallons of molasses to spill into the streets. It flooded and damaged buildings, knocked streetcars off their tracks, and sucked carriages into its wake.

  January 15th Celebrated (and Not So Celebrated) Birthdays

  Abigail Kelley Foster – 1811

  A resolute figure of the anti-slavery movement, Foster founded the Millbury Anti-Slavery Society and was known for her ability as a speaker, recruiter, and fundraiser. Her efforts to abolish slavery translated to women’s rights following the Civil War. Foster became one of the prominent figures in support of women’s suffrage.

  Edward Teller – 1908

  In 1943, the Hungarian-born American nuclear physicist joined the Manhattan Project. Teller would go on to lead the U.S. government’s development of the world’s first thermonuclear weapon – the hydrogen bomb.

  Martin Luther King Jr. – 1929

  The civil rights activist is best known for advancing the Civil Rights Movement using nonviolent civil disobedience. King’s speeches, activism, and marches influenced an entire generation, and his words still resonate today.

  June 11, 2014

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  National Day Calendar

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  January 15, National Day

• NATIONAL HAT DAY – January 15

  NATIONAL HAT DAY

  Hang on to your hats and celebrate in style on National Hat Day. Celebrated each year on January 15th, don your favorite fedora, cap, cloche, derby, or sunhat. Dig out your ceremonial best and tell the story behind it. Wear your warmest tuque, stocking cap, beanie, and share the name you give it. There are so many hats, fashions, and names we give them. Certainly, we could wear a hat a day and never get through them all. 

  #NationalHatDay

  We wear hats for numerous reasons. Many hats protect us from elements or harm. Others were worn for ceremonial or religious reasons. Some hats just make us look good or cover up what we think doesn’t. Through the centuries, we’ve given our hats a lot of meaning.

  • In the Middle Ages, hats indicated social status.
  • In the military, hats may denote one’s nationality, branch of service, rank, and/or regiment.
  • A Thebes tomb painting depicts one of the first pictorials of a hat.  The painting shows a man wearing a conical straw hat.
  • Structured hats for women began to be worn in the late 16th century.
  • Millinery is the designing and manufacture of hats.
  • The term “milliner” is derived from the city of Milan, Italy. The best quality hats were made in Milan in the 18th century.
  • Millinery traditionally began as a woman’s occupation, as the milliner created hats and bonnets and chose lace, trim, and accessories to complete any outfit.
  • In the mid-1920s, to replace the bonnets and wide-brimmed hats, women began to wear smaller hats that hugged their heads.

  Depending on where you live, if you are outside in the middle of a cold January, you may definitely want to wear a hat on National Hat Day!

  HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL HAT DAY

  Wear your favorite hat on National Hat Day. Celebrate an era or an occupation. Learn the history of a particular hat or try making a paper hat. 

  Be sure to wear a hat and use #NationalHatDay to post on social media.

  Educators, visit the National Day Calendar® Classroom for lessons designed around National Hat Day.

  If you’d like to learn more about hats, read 10 Iconic Hats From Pop Culture.

  NATIONAL HAT DAY HISTORY

  Since at least 1983, schools, libraries, and museums have observed National Hat Day has been observed in libraries, schools, and museums. They invited students and patrons to wear their favorite hats or hats of their occupation. People of all ages show up in pirate hats and football helmets. Patrol officers, postal workers, restaurant servicers also wear their hats to various events. That date also commemorates the day in 1797 when the first top hat made its appearance in court. Created by haberdasher John Hetherington, the judge claimed the tall hat, rather prominent hat disturbed the public. 

  Hats FAQ

  Q. When did hats become less fashionable?
  A. Before the 1950s, men and women wore hats as much for a fashion statement as for protection and warmth. However, several possible reasons that faded the hat fad include:

  • Improved technology – Heating buildings became more efficient and effective reducing the need for a hat indoors. 
  • Freedom – During World War II, hats were part of many uniforms including the military. When service members returned home, they ditched the hat with the uniform.
  • Transportation – Before affordable transportation and smooth roads crossed the country, most people rode public transportation or walked. With the increased popularity of the automobile came decreased headroom for hats. 
  • Hairstyles – Especially for women, hats covered big, fancy hairstyles.
  • Hatless public figures – One notable figure who may have started a lasting trend was President John F. Kennedy. 

  June 11, 2014

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  National Day Calendar

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  January 15, National Day, Pop Culture & Lifestyle