Category Archives: Holidays

Fun Holidays

Punch Day

Punch Day

September 20 is Punch Day. Celebrate this unofficial holiday of unknown origins by drinking a tall glass of this delicious party beverage.

Typically made by mixing a variety of fruit juices, a punch can be alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Food historians believe that the beverage originated in India – its name comes from the Hindi word paanch meaning five. It is thought that the original punch in India included five ingredients.

From India

In the 17th century, the drink made its way to England via those who worked for the British East India Company and then spread all over Europe, soon becoming a popular drink served at parties and family gatherings. While no longer a popular drink, punch is still served occasionally at college parties and large events.

Punch is served in a large bowl called a punch bowl. In 17th and 18th century Europe, punch bowls were a common household item. Many bowls came with ornate stands and were passed down as heirlooms.

 

FYI…

…that a similar sounding drink, punsch, is a traditional liqueur in Sweden? Unlike punch, which is a mixture of multiple fruit juices and alcoholic beverages, punsch is made from arak – the fermented sap of coco palm or rice. Arak was brought to Sweden by the Swedish East India Company through Indonesia. Like punch, the name punsch also comes from the Hindi word paanch meaning five.

Fun Holidays

Rice Krispie Treat Day

 Rice Krispie Treat Day

September 18 is Rice Krispie Treat Day, an unofficial holiday dedicated to the no-bake, quick to make yummy gooey sweet treat.

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Thought to have been invented at the Kellogg Company in the late 1930s, the treats are made of Rice Krispie cereal and melted marshmallows, though sometimes the marshmallows can be substituted with caramel or syrup as the binding agent.

Rice Bubbles

Rice Krispies is a popular breakfast cereal made by Kellogs since 1928. While Rice Krispie treats were usually homemade, Kellogs trademarked the brand name Rice Krispie Treats and started selling a pre-packaged version of the treat in 1995.

Today, any sweet treat that uses Rice Krispies and some form of sweet binding agent is called a rice krispie treat. In Australia and New Zealand, where the cereal is marketed as Rice Bubbles, the sweet treat is called rice bubble slices or rice bubble cakes.

FYI…

…that rice is the seed of the rice plant?

Holidays

Labour Day

Labour Day in Canada is celebrated on the first Monday of September each year. It is a national holiday that honors the contributions of workers and the labor movement in the country. The holiday marks the end of summer and is often seen as the last long weekend before the school year begins.

Historical Background

Labour Day has its roots in the labor union movement, which advocated for workers’ rights, including fair wages, reasonable working hours, and safe working conditions. The origins of Labour Day in Canada date back to the 1870s, when workers began to organize strikes and demonstrations to push for better working conditions.

The first official Labour Day parade took place in Toronto on April 15, 1872, when the Toronto Trades Assembly organized a demonstration in support of striking printers. The event gained national attention and eventually led to the establishment of the holiday. By 1894, the Canadian government officially recognized Labour Day as a national holiday.

Modern Celebrations

Today, Labour Day in Canada is marked by various activities, including:

  • Parades and Marches: Many cities host Labour Day parades, organized by labor unions and workers’ associations, celebrating the achievements of the labor movement.
  • Community Events: Barbecues, picnics, and public gatherings are common, as people take advantage of the long weekend to relax and spend time with family and friends.
  • Last Summer Events: As it signals the unofficial end of summer, many people use the Labour Day weekend to engage in outdoor activities, such as camping, hiking, and visiting beaches or parks.
  • Sales and Shopping: Retailers often hold Labour Day sales, with discounts on a wide range of products, from clothing to electronics.

Labour Day in Canada serves as both a celebration of workers’ achievements and a reminder of the ongoing struggles for workers’ rights.

Holidays

On this day August 11

August 11

Today in History

  • 1999 Last Total Solar Eclipse of the Millennium

    The eclipse was visible from Europe, most of Asia and Africa and in parts of North America. Because of its path through heavily populated parts of the world, the solar eclipse is thought to be one of the most viewed eclipses in recorded history.

  • 1992 Mall of America Opens its Doors to Shoppers

    Located in in Bloomington, Minnesota, the mall is the largest shopping Mall in the United States. Spanning 4,870,000 sq ft, it has an indoor theme park and attracts about 40 million visitors each year.

  • 1962 The Soviet Space Agency Launches Vostok 3

    The spacecraft was piloted by Andriyan Nikolayev, the first cosmonaut to have orbited the Earth 64 times in 4 days.

  • 1960 Chad gains its independence from the French

    The Central African country came under French rule in 1900 after the Battle of Kousséri. Francois Tombalbay became independent Chad’s first president.

  • 1948 The first Olympic Games after the 1936 Berlin Olympics open in London

    The next two games after Berlin, scheduled to be held in Tokyo and Helsinki were cancelled due to the Second World War. The first Olympics to be broadcast on television, the London Olympics was popularly known at the time as the Austerity Games. This was because of the cutbacks the host nation had to do due to the post-war economy.