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Tuesday 20 Dec 2016

I dedicate this day to my G-Mother .. She would have been 101 today ... I love you G-Mother

National Sangria Day



What could be better than a day dedicated to wine? Sangria Day is the perfect excuse to meet with friends and sample the delicious, fruity drink that is one of Spain’s claims to fame in the area of the culinary arts. Make sure your December 20th really packs a punch!

The History of Sangria

Each year more and more people are visiting Spain for its food.

Over 2,000 years ago, when the Romans inhabited the area, they knew the water there was unsafe for drinking because of bacteria, and so it was common to fortify it with alcohol to kill it off. The first sangrias (whose name comes from sangre, or blood, and refers to its dark color) were likely heavily watered down mixes of wine, water, and herbs and spices.

Basically, the Romans added anything they could to kill off the bacteria in the water and to disguise the taste of mediocre table wine.

Today, spiced wine is an ancient and much- loved tradition, and even though it originates in Spain and Portugal it’s enjoyed world-wide today. It can be served as an iced outdoor treat in the summer, or as a great way to warm up indoors in the winter.



And



Go Caroling Day



Any fan of old classic movies knows that carolers were one of the hallmarks of any Christmas themed movie. Whether it was “It’s A Wonderful Life” or Charles Dickens “Christmas Carol”, you could be certain at some point some warmly bedecked singers would arrive at someone’s door belting out the traditional songs for Christmas.

While Caroling is slowly falling out of style, there’s still time to preserve this time honored tradition, and Go Caroling Day is your call to arms.

History of Go Caroling Day

Caroling has a long history in the world, potentially existing longer than Christmas itself and having moved into that religious practice from much older roots.

This is no surprise, given that the act of singing has long been a form of religious observance, and religious hymns are certainly not a new way of honoring one’s faith.

Caroling itself, however, is specifically used to reference those songs and traditions of Christmas, and for many years was a heavily practiced tradition that many people eagerly took part in, whether by joining the carolers, or by avidly awaiting their arrival at their doorstep as avatars of Christmas cheer.

Wassailing was another tradition that was quite similar in many ways, but was actually used to travel to the orchards and other places where cider was produced. It was believed that singing to the trees would promote a good harvest for the year, and was almost exclusively practiced in England.

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December 20 Birthdays


Peter Criss - 71



Dick Wolf - 70



Chris Robinson - 50








December 20th

2006: Former Procol Harum organist Matthew Fisher won a lawsuit granting him a songwriter’s credit and 40% of the royalties from their signature song “A Whiter Shade of Pale” for co-writing the music.

2001: Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee filed papers with the Los Angeles Superior Court claiming that his ex-wife Pamela Anderson is an unfit mother.

1980: Pat Benatar peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” which was Benatar’s first top ten single in the U.S.

1980: Motorhead drummer Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor accidentally broke a bone in his neck after a concert in Belfast after showing friends how he can bounce on his head.

1975: Former James Gang guitarist Joe Walsh replaced Bernie Leadon as the guitarist for The Eagles. Leadon left after the band decided to pursue a more “rock” sound.

1969: The Rolling Stones knocked The Beatles out of the number one spot in the U.K. Album Chart as Let It Bleed debuted at number one displacing Abbey Road which returned to the top spot the following week.

1969: Creedence Clearwater Revival peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “Down on the Corner” which was their fourth top ten single in the U.S.

1967: Ian Anderson and Glenn Cornick formed Jethro Tull, named after an 18th century farming tool inventor.

1966: The Beatles recorded the bells and vocal harmonies for “When I’m Sixty-Four” which was released as a single the following June.



Birthdays:

Peter Criss - Drummer for Kiss born in 1945

Chris Robinson - Singer for The Black Crowes born in 1966

Wednesday 21 Dec 2016

National Short Girl Appreciation Day



There’s something about a short girl, that delightfully compact and curvy phenomena that happens when a blessing of genetics realizes that less is more. It seems like evolution did them a favor and made up for their lack of vertical stature by packing those delightful frames with enough vim and vinegar to take on the world.

They may be physically smaller, but they sure seem to live larger. Short Girls are all the rage, and Short Girl Appreciation Day is our opportunity to raise them up above the crowds.

History of Short Girl Appreciation Day

Short Girl Appreciation Day is an interesting phenomena, with a date that wanders based on a floating set of criteria. It’s determined by the number of times it is mentioned on various social media sites, making Short Girl Appreciation Day the only holiday that can happen multiple times a year!

All of this began as part of a meme where “Today is Short Girl Appreciation Day” was announced and shared throughout various forms of social media.

Using unique analyzing software, the day with the most posts of this type was tracked, and announced as Short Girl Appreciation Day, with the caveat that should another day exceed this number then a new Short Girl Appreciation Day would be announced!



And



Ribbon Candy Day



Thin enough to melt in your mouth, ribbon candy is shiny, sweet, colorful ribbons of candy, distinctive in color and shape.

The holiday treat was created centuries ago in Europe, where confectioners first designed it to decorate their shops, and the curls were done by hand around the candy-maker’s thumb.

Today the candy is manufactured on a large scale with machines but is still carefully tended by candy-makers to make sure the delicate ribbons come out perfectly.

Ribbon candy eventually made its way to America, where it quickly caught on, becoming a sensation in New England and then spreading throughout the country. Although it is enjoyed as part of many family traditions, only a few companies still make it, and it is usually only found in stores beginning in the fall through the Christmas holidays.

The history of Ribbon Candy Day

For Judy Pancoast of New Hampshire, Ribbon Candy has a special meaning. “My father’s birthday was December 21st, and since it was so close to Christmas all he ever wanted for his birthday was a box of ribbon candy. He passed away in the spring of 1998. As his birthday approached I began to feel sad, thinking that I had no one to give a box of ribbon candy to that year.

Then it dawned on me- I could honor my Daddy by giving away boxes of ribbon candy in his name on his birthday. That year I purchased ten boxes and gave them away to random people I met, and I provided my children with boxes to give away at school. It has become a family tradition, and along the way many of my friends have picked it up as well.

My father wasn’t rich or famous; he was a quiet man who enjoyed the simple things in life, like a box of candy.

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December 21 Birthdays


Samuel L. Jackson - 68



Kay Robertson - 66



Kiefer Sutherland - 50



Ray Romano - 59



Jane Fonda - 79



Frank Zappa - (1940-1993)



Andy Dick - 51



Jane Kaczmarek - 61








December 21st

2001: Beverly Hills police launched an investigation into why Olivia Harrison listed a non-existent Beverly Hills address as the place of George Harrison’s death.

2001: Kiss made a guest appearance on Family Guy where they appeared in a holiday special Kiss Saves Santa.

1992: Albert King died of a heart attack at his home in Memphis just two days after performing his final concert in Los Angeles. He was 69 years old.

1991: “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen topped the U.K. Singles Chart for the second time as it entered the chart at number one. The song was re-released as a single worldwide in the wake of singer Freddie Mercury’s death one month earlier.

1985: Heart reached the top of the Billboard 200 Album Chart for the first and only time with their self-titled album which spent one week at number one. On the same chart, Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. passed Michael Jackson’s Thriller to become the second longest-lasting album in the top ten.

1978: Rod Stewart settled out of court with drummer Micky Waller who claimed he hadn’t received royalties for his work on Stewart’s 1974 album Smiler.

1974: During a Bad Company concert at London’s Rainbow Theatre, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones joined the group onstage for a rendition of B.B. King’s “Rock Me Baby”.

1970: Elvis Presley met with President Richard Nixon at The White House to volunteer his services in fighting the war on drugs. Presley gave Nixon a chrome-plated colt .45 gun and Presley also received a Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs badge.

1970: Traffic received their first Gold record for John Barleycorn Must Die which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 Album Chart.



Birthdays:

Frank Zappa born in 1940

Carl Wilson - Guitarist for The Beach Boys born in 1946

Nick Gilder born in 1951

Thursday 22 Dec 2016

Date Nut Bread Day



It’s worth laying on a spread to celebrate Date Nut Bread Day – but the question is whether to choose butter or cream cheese!

Nobody seems to know for sure who decided that this delicious fruity bread should get its own day, despite evidence that the holiday has been celebrated for years.

Published recipes for the bread “date” back to the 1920s, but fruited breads were also known in earlier centuries and many different parts of the world. A date nut bread eating championship was held in New York in 2006, with the winner eating 29 sandwiches in just 8 minutes.

However, a less nutty way to celebrate the date is by baking some bread and serving it up to friends or relations for breakfast or afternoon tea.

Although the bread tastes slightly sweet, it goes well with a cheese filling for a different taste sensation.

Why not try it for yourself?

Date Nut Bread

1 ½ cups pitted dates, coarsely chopped
¾ cup boiling/ very hot water
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. freshly ground nutmeg (or cinnamon)
¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts),
plus 5-8 pecan halves reserved

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease (or spray with a non-stick vegetable spray) a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.

Place dates in a medium-sized bowl, or large liquid measuring cup, boiling water.

Let stand at least 20 minutes.

Drain before use. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg;

set aside.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream butter and sugars. Add egg, then vanilla. Gradually incorporate the flour mixture and blend until just combined.

Stir in drained dates and nuts. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan. Top with reserved nuts in a preferred pattern.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until an inserted toothpick in the center comes out almost clean.

Place on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the bread from the pan and cool completely.

Makes one 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf.



And



Forefathers' Day



Few things are more important to Americans than heritage. Remembering where you come from, and how hard you’ve worked to get where you are are all integral parts of the concept of the American dream.

For those reasons, no holiday could be more American in nature than Forefathers’ Day, a holiday that celebrates the first ever pilgrims courageously sailing across the vast ocean they knew very little about at the time, in search of a better life and freedom from religious prosecution.

When they set foot on the shores of North America, they themselves were the beginning of a new country that would one day become a world superpower.

Now that’s definitely an event worth celebrating.

The History of Forefathers’ Day

Forefathers’ Day is a commemoration of the pilgrims who sailed the Atlantic Ocean aboard the Mayflower, in 1620. As they had left England in search of better days, the Pilgrim Fathers settled on US territory, which they subsequently christened New England. And as they had set sail from Plymouth, England, they decided to give their landing spot the whimsical name of Plymouth Rock.

Therefore, Forefathers’ Day is a holiday celebrated mainly in Plymouth, Massachusetts, on December 22.

The holiday was introduced to Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1769, so it has quite a long history and tradition.

However, the joyous occasion was first celebrated in 1769, because 149 years after the forefathers actually arrived in North America, some descendants decided to gather for a feast in honour of their ancestors, who would have been their great-great-grandfathers.

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December 22 Birthdays


Rick Nielsen - 68



Meghan Trainor - 23



Ted Cruz - 46



Diane Sawyer - 71



Lady Bird Johnson - (1912-2007)



Robin Gibb - (1949-2012)



Maurice Gibb - (1949-2003)



Hector Elizondo - 80








December 22nd

2002: Joe Strummer, singer and guitarist for The Clash died of an undiagnosed congenital heart defect after walking his dog in Broomfield, U.K. He was 50 years old.

1991: The movie Rush opened in theatres across the U.S. It starred Jason Patric, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Gregg Allman in his big screen debut as a drug dealer. The soundtrack was written by Eric Clapton, which contained “Tears in Heaven”.

1987: Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx overdosed on heroin and was pronounced dead on arrival. Sixx was revived with two shots of adrenaline in his chest which inspired Motley Crue’s hit song “Kickstart My Heart”.

1982: Bob Dylan visited Frank Zappa at his house and played Zappa a dozen songs, afterwards Dylan asked Zappa to produce his next album. Mark Knopfler ended up producing Dylan’s next album Infidels.

1979: The first of three concerts for the people of Kampuchea were held at London’s Hammersmith Odeon. Artists appearing at the concerts included Paul McCartney, Queen, The Who, The Clash, The Pretenders and Elvis Costello and the Attractions.

1978: The Who announced that Kenney Jones of The Faces would replace the late Keith Moon on drums.

1978: Todd Rundgren sued the British Musicians Union after they called a stop to a concert over the radio he was due to perform.

1976: Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band received their first Gold record for their live album Live Bullet which later went on to sell five million copies in the U.S.

1973: Todd Rundgren peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “Hello It’s Me” which was Rundgren’s first and only top ten single in the U.S.



Birthdays:

Barry Jenkins - Drummer for The Animals born in 1944

Rick Nielsen - Guitarist for Cheap Trick born in 1948

Friday 23 Dec 2016

Happy Festivus



Everyone likes to enjoy the holidays in their own special ways, but one holiday stands out more than the rest.

Festivus, a holiday that seems as a joke but in all reality is a popular holiday growing through the masses in the United States.

Let’s dig deeper into the past to find the origins of this plain, yet popular holiday.

History of Festivus

Ironically, Festivus has a very odd and amusing start. It was conceived by author and editor Daniel O’Keefe and was celebrated as early back as 1966 by him and his family.

But, how did Festivus become so popular if it was just a family tradition?

To find that out, we must move forward in time to an episode of the famous television show Seinfeld. While the holiday is extremely popular among people today, the first time Festivus was mentioned in American culture was in the episode of Seinfeld called “The Strike”, but there’s more to the name of Festivus than just a referenced television episode, right?

Indeed there is, because the word “festive” is derived from the Latin word “Festivus”. Sound familiar?

It should. Festivus is an adjective meaning “excellent, jovial, and lively” which in turn derives from Festus, which means “joyous; holiday; feast day”.

Plus, it brings one to think, maybe Festivus is to prove that we as humans don’t need material objects to be happy on a holiday, but all we really need is excellent company, jovial attitudes, and lively music to make the holidays the best we could have.



And



Roots Day



Many people are uninterested in where their ancestors came from…until they start researching the topic deeper. And then suddenly it turns out that their family history was a long and fascinating one, and they become obsessed with finding out everything possible about where their forefather come from that they talk the ear off of anyone even remotely interested.

Maybe they were related to a famous person who made a significant discovery or took part in an important battle or other historical event?

People have been migrating to all different parts of the world for hundreds of years in search of a better place to live, worship and raise their families, motivated by everything from religious prosecution to hunger and poverty in their own countries, to taking part in great wars that made our world what it is today, so it stands to reason that everyone would find something interesting about their own family history.

Your parents, grandparents, etc. and their decisions are what made you who you are today, and had they made different decisions than they did, then it would not have only been their lives that would have ended up affected.

Many times questions that have plagued us our entire lives can be answered with some solid family history research, and even spending just a few hours might reveal some valuable information.

The History of Roots Day

One of the most important aspects of Root Day is that it falls directly before Christmas, thus illustrating the importance and meaning of family during these times especially. Holidays are traditionally spent with any and all kinds of family, so it is only fitting that a holiday celebrating or ancestral heritage should fall during the same period.

Roots Day has been celebrated by many for over 40 years.

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December 23 Birthdays


Corey Haim - (1971-2010)



Eddie Vedder - 52



Naked Cowboy - 46



Susan Lucci - 70






December 23rd

2009: Metallica’s self-titled fifth album became the biggest selling album of the Soundscan era since Nielsen Soundscan began tracking album sales for the Billboard 200 album chart in May of 1991. Since its release in August of 1991, it’s sold over 15,620,000 copies.

2006: It was reported that U2 singer Bono would receive honorary knighthood from the U.K. in recognition of his contribution to music and humanitarian work.

1999: Unemployed musician Cristin Keleher broke into George Harrison’s home on the Hawaiian island Maui. Keleher made herself at home ordering pizza, drinking root beer, doing her laundry and calling her mother in New Jersey before authorities arrived and arrested her. Keleher spent four months in jail for burglary and theft.

1996: Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx married Baywatch star Donna D’Errico. The couple separated in 2006 and divorced in 2007.

1995: Pearl Jam debuted at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “I Got Id” which featured Neil Young on lead guitar.

1987: Roger Waters and David Gilmour of Pink Floyd reached an agreement where Gilmour could continue to use the Pink Floyd name and Waters would receive royalties for trademarks such as the flying pig and retained the rights to The Wall.

1978: The Cars peaked at number thirty-five on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with their second single “My Best Friend’s Girl”.

1964: The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson had a nervous breakdown on a flight to Houston for a concert. Wilson retired from touring, but remained in the band.

1959: Chuck Berry was arrested and charged with violating the Mann Act after taking a 14 year old girl across state lines. Berry was initially convicted and sentenced to five years in prison, but due to Judge George H. Moore Jr. making racist comments, Berry was freed.



Birthdays:

Jorma Kaukonen - Guitarist for Jefferson Airplane born in 1940

Harry Shearer - (Derek Smalls) - Bassist for Spinal Tap born in 1943

Ron Bushy - Drummer for Iron Butterfly born in 1945

Luther Grosvenor - Guitarist for Spooky Tooth, Stealers Wheel and Mott the Hoople born in 1946

Graham Bonnet - Singer for Rainbow born in 1947

Dave Murray - Guitarist for Iron Maiden born in 1956

Eddie Vedder - Singer for Pearl Jam born in 1964

Saturday 24 Dec 2016

National Eggnog Day

Quote:“The armored infantry was Santa Claus, the battle was our Christmas. What else for the elves to do on Christmas Eve but to let their hair down and drink a little eggnog.” ―Hiroshi Sakurazaka

We all know that famous holiday drink, the one sold in stores only during the length of November through December.

It’s eggnog!

Whether we buy it in stores so the whole family can have a glass or make our own, eggnog has always been a staple drink for the Christmas season.

The real question is, where did eggnog come from, and when did it come into existence?

That’s what Eggnog Day is all about!

History Of Eggnog Day

Eggnog is historically also known as milk punch or egg milk punch when it is mixed with an alcoholic beverage. It’s a rich, chilled, creamy, and sweetened dairy drink traditionally created with milk and/or cream, sugar, whipped eggs which helps it gain it’s frothy texture, and sometimes mixed spirits.

The origins of eggnog are highly debated as are the original ingredients used for it. The Oxford English Dictionary claims that nog was “a kind of strong beer brewed somewhere in East Anglia”

But where and when did the term Eggnog originate from?

The first time the term “eggnog” was ever used was in 1775 when Maryland clergyman and philologist Jonathan Boucher wrote a poem about the drink, which surprisingly was not published until thirty years after his death!

The poem, which you’re bound to be curious about, went like this.

“Fog-drams in the morn,
or better still egg-nogg.
At night hot-suppings,
and at mid-day, grogg.
My palate can regale”

The first printed use of the term was in 1788 in the New-Jersey Journal of March 26th, which referred to a young man drinking a glass of eggnog. Eggnog may have developed from posset, a Medieval European beverage made with hot milk that curdled up when mixed with wine or ale and was then flavored with spices.

And

Watch for Santa Claus!

btw.... I've heard that all those cookies have given ole Santa has diabetes, so maybe we should leave him some insulin

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December 24 Birthdays


Ryan Seacrest - 42



Ricky Martin - 45



Ava Gardner - (1922-1990)



Lemmy Kilmister - (1945-2015)



Howard Hughes - (1905-1976)






December 24th

2005: Iggy Pop was fined by the city of Lucerne, Switzerland for performing too loud during a Stooges concert at the Blue Balls festival in July.

1994: Pearl Jam’s third album Vitalogy reached number one on the Billboard 200 Album Chart for one week, the group’s second number one album. The album debuted at number fifty-five two weeks earlier when they issued it on vinyl two weeks prior to the CD and cassette release.

1988: Poison reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart for the first of three weeks with “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” which was their only number one single.

1988: Guns N’ Roses peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “Welcome to the Jungle” which was their second top ten single in the U.S.

1988: Nirvana began recording their debut album Bleach at Seattle’s Reciprocal Recording studios. The group borrowed $600 from a school friend to record.

1983: The Rolling Stones peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “Undercover of the Night” which was their twenty-first top ten single in the U.S.

1973: The Doobie Brothers’ guitarist Tom Johnson was arrested in Visalia, CA for marijuana possession.

1966: Elvis Presley proposed to longtime girlfriend Priscilla Beaulieu during Christmas celebrations at Graceland. They would marry the following May.

1963: The Beatles began an annual holiday tradition when they held the first “Beatles Christmas Show” at London’s Astoria Theatre. The show featured The Beatles and other musical acts performing their hits and doing comedy sketches in between.



Birthdays:

Lemmy Kilmister - Singer and bassist for Motorhead born in 1945

Sunday 25 Dec 2016

MERRY CHRISTMAS





And



National Pumpkin Pie Day



Pumpkin Pie Day celebrates the humble pumpkin pie, a national favourite in the USA. Pumpkin pie is a traditional North American sweet dessert, eaten during the fall and early winter, especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The pumpkin is a symbol of harvest time and featured also at Halloween. The pie consists of a pumpkin-based custard, ranging in color from orange to brown, baked in a single pie shell, rarely with a top crust. The pie is generally flavored with nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. This pie is often made from canned pumpkin or packaged pumpkin pie filling (spices included); this is a seasonal product available in bakeries and grocery stores, although it is possible to find year-round.

Why not try your hand at making one for yourself?

Ingredients:
Pumpkin: 1 medium sugar pumpkin (about 3 pounds)
Canola oil, for oiling pumpkin Easy Pie Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup (11 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Filling:
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs

Directions:
For the pumpkin:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Remove the stem from the pumpkin and scrape out the insides, discarding the seeds.
Cut the pumpkin in half and lay the pieces cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminium foil.
Rub canola oil all over the skin and bake until fork-tender, about 1 hour.
Let cool.

For the easy pie crust:

While the pumpkin is cooking, make the crust. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.

Add in the butter and work into the dough with a fork until the mixture is crumbly.

Stir in just enough cold water (4 to 5 tablespoons) with a fork just until the flour is moistened.

Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a ball and flatten slightly.

Wrap one ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for another use.

Roll out the remaining dough ball on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch round.

Transfer to a 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish.

Fold the overhangs under and crimp decoratively.

Pierce the dough all over with a fork.

Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Line the crust with foil, fill with dried beans or pie weights and bake until the sides are set, about 12 minutes.

Remove the foil and beans.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

For the filling:

Scoop out the pulp from the roasted pumpkin and puree in a food processor until smooth (you should have about 4 cups).

Add the condensed milk, cream, cornstarch, molasses, canola oil, cinnamon, ginger, salt and eggs and combine thoroughly.

Pour the filling into the crust and bake until the filling is set in the center, about 1 hour.

Transfer the pie to a rack and cool for 30 minutes.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.


(and don't forget the EggNog )

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December 25 Birthdays


Henry Vestine - (1944 - 1997)



Jimmy Buffett - 70



Annie Lennox - 62



Clara Barton - (1821-1912)



Humphrey Bogart - (1899-1957)



Sissy Spacek - 67



Rod Serling - (1924-1975)






December 25th

1987: Ted Nugent appeared on Late Night with David Letterman where he sang The Christmas Song with a bogus Letterman.

1981: The J. Geils Band performed a Christmas Day concert at the Norfolk Correctional Center outside of Boston. During the concert, singer Peter Wolf told the inmates “We wanna be the first to buy you all a free drink on the outside.”

1977: The Sex Pistols performed their last concert in the U.K. before their reunion in 1996 at the Ivanhoes Club in Huddersfield, U.K. The concert was a charity performance for children of firemen, laid-off workers and single parents.

1976: Boston peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “More Than a Feeling” which was their first top ten single in the U.S.

1967: Paul McCartney and his girlfriend of four years Jane Asher announced their engagement. The following July the engagement was broken off.

1965: The Dave Clark Five reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart for the only time with “Over and Over” which spent one week at number one.

1964: The Beatles performed their first Christmas Day concert at the Hammersmith Odeon in London.

1959: Ringo Starr received his first proper drum set as a Christmas gift from his parents as they couldn’t afford a proper set when he was a child.

1958: Alan Freed held the first show of a ten day Christmas Rock and Roll Spectacular at Lowe’s State Theater in New York City. Artists on the bill included Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran, Bo Diddley, and The Everly Brothers.



Birthdays:

Henry Vestine - Guitarist for Canned Heat born in 1944

Noel Redding - Bassist for The Jimi Hendrix Experience born in 1945

Jimmy Buffett born in 1946

Monday 26 Dec 2016

National Candy Cane Day



A lot of things have their own day dedicated to them; one you may not have known about is the candy cane. Yes, this veritable symbol of tasty festivity has a dedicated day, so if you ever needed an excuse to stockpile them or indulge, now you have one. So let the deliciousness begin!

The History of Candy Cane Day

Candy canes are so ubiquitous during the holiday season that they are practically considered part of Christmas itself. However, very few people know when, where or how candy canes came into existence, though it is a very interesting story.

According to German folklore, the first candy canes were made in the 17th century when a choirmaster in Cologne, Germany, needed to find a way to keep the children quiet during the exceptionally long Christmas Eve Mass. So he ordered peppermint-flavored candy sticks from a local confectioner, but with a few twists of his own, steeping them in religious symbolism.

Firstly, he requested the sticks to be on the shape we know them so they could be a visual representation of sorts of the canes that the shepherds coming to visit the baby Jesus might have had. Some also say that when turned upside-down, the candy cane becomes the letter J, which stands for Jesus.

Furthermore, the choirmaster asked for the sticks to be white (to represent the sinless, pure life Jesus lived) and red (to represent the blood Jesus lost when he was crucified for the sins of mankind).

Of course, there is no solid evidence for this, and modern candy cane historians, or whoever looked into it, have disputed the ideas presented here. Luckily, however, you can enjoy the candy cane on its special day with or without this kind of expert knowledge.



And



Thank You Note Day

Quote:“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” -Marcel Proust

Thank You Notes, the cards we see lined up on store shelves. Some have those silly little tunes and others are silent but filled with words that have a whole lot of meaning. They’ve been around for as long as we can remember, perhaps even longer, but do we know the true history behind them and their origins?

Let’s delve deep into the past to uncover the truth of the origin behind these cards.

History of Thank You Note Day

Starting in ancient times with Egyptian and Chinese societies, these two groups would use papyrus papers to write friendly letters or letters of good luck to those they cared about.

Now let’s do the Time Warp to the early 1800’s, where Europeans would write social notes and deliver them to friends and family, now this is what started the beginning of another card, the greeting card!

But let’s remain focused on what we’re here for, the history of these notes. Quite a while after the Europeans began using greeting cards, a man born in Prussian Silesia by the name of Louis Prang emigrated to America from Switzerland in 1850 after escaping the Prussian Government.

Why was he being pursued by his own government, we might ask?

He was involved in revolutionary activities in 1848. He then settled down in Boston, Massachusetts and on Christmas of 1873, Prang began to produce and sell greeting cards to the popular market of Europe and began selling the Christmas card in America around 1874, and since that day both Christmas cards and thank you cards have increased in popularity around the world.

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December 26 Birthdays


Lars Ulrich - 53



Chris Daughtry - 37



Mao Tse Tung - (1893-1976)



John Walsh - 71






December 26th

1991: Ted Nugent gave an anti-drug message to fans before a concert in Saginaw, MI telling fans “Jimi Hendrix thought I was stupid, and I thought he was a god. Now he’s dead, and I’m still Ted.”

1981: AC/DC reached number one on the Billboard 200 Album Chart for the first time with For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) which began a three-week run on top of the chart. They didn’t top the album chart again until 2008’s Black Ice.

1976: The Sex Pistols recorded “God Save the Queen” at Wessex Studios in London. The song went on to reach number two on the U.K. Singles Chart the following year.

1970: George Harrison reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart for the first time as a solo artist with “My Sweet Lord” which topped the chart for four weeks.

1968: Led Zeppelin began their first North American tour at the Denver Auditorium supporting Vanilla Fudge and the MC5.

1967: The Doors and Chuck Berry began a three night stand at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom.

1967: The BBC premiered The Beatles’ self- directed movie Magical Mystery Tour. The following day the British press and viewing public pronounced the movie a disaster. The U.S. television deal for broadcasting the movie was cancelled soon afterwards.

1966: Jimi Hendrix wrote the lyrics to “Purple Haze” in the dressing room of The Uppercut Club in London before a concert.

1966: John Lennon appeared on the British television show Not Only…But Also as a men’s room attendant.



Birthdays:

Phil Spector born in 1940

Lars Ulrich - Drummer for Metallica born in 1963

Tuesday 27 Dec 2016

Visit The Zoo Day



If animals are your passion then Visit the Zoo Day gives you a great opportunity to really get close to some of the most intriguing and engaging species on the planet.

No matter where you live, your usually not far from a zoo, so why not go for a visit and find out more?

Some people think of zoos only as cruel prisons where countless animals are kept, bored to death, from the moment they’re born till the moment they die. But these days zoos are at the forefront of much of the research which goes on into animal behaviour and how best to protect vulnerable animals from extinction.

Many zoos have breeding programmes running, where they work with other facilities around the world to increase the numbers of endangered populations. In most of the better zoos around the globe, the enclosures the animals are kept in are relatively roomy and attempt to mirror an animal’s natural environment as closely as possible.

Some zoos house indigenous species as well as or rather than those from further away. All in all, zos are fascinating (and often smelly) places where we can get a lot closer to nature than we would ever have the chance to otherwise, and that’s definitely worth trying at least once or twice in life.

The History of Visit The Zoo Day

The idea of having exotic animals confined to a certain area for other people to view or observe is not new at all. The earliest such enclosure , called a “menagerie” discovered by excavators in Egypt and is believed to date back to about 3500 B.C.

King Solomon of Israel was a known ancient animal collector, as were King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia and Alexander the Great.

Wild animals were also collected to be used in the arenas during the Roman Games, though most of those died violent deaths after being pitted against each other for the amusement of the crowd.

Later, British kings kept wild animals in the Tower of London, with the price of viewing them being a small dog or cat that could be used to feed them.

The first actual zoo, created not to stroke the ego of a monarch, but rather to educate and entertain, was opened in London in 1828.



And



National Fruitcake Day



Fruitcakes, we’ve all seen them in the movies or in grandma’s kitchen. The heavy and dark cake that looks like it went through seven stages of baking and sounds like a fist thumping against a wooden table when set down on a surface.

Yet, there is a day made for it. That’s right, this day is called Fruitcake Day and it’s made for the celebration of the cake that we all seem to find synonymous with a brick.

History of Fruitcake Day

While none of us know the true creator of the fruitcake, many historians believe that fruitcakes originated from Rome, and one of the earliest recipes known comes from ancient Rome listing pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and raisins that were mixed into a barley mash.

Then there are records from the Middle Ages documenting that they added honey, spices, and preserved fruits into the original mix.

Starting in the 16th century, sugar from the American Colonies along with the discovery that high concentrations of the sugar could preserve fruits, ended up creating an enormous excess of candied fruits, thus resulting in making fruit cakes more affordable and popular in regions around the world.

Fruitcakes have an incredible shelf life, they can remain on the shelves for many, many years and still be edible and non-harmful to the human body.

An example of this is in a 2003 episode of The Tonight Show, where Jay Leno sampled a piece of a fruitcake baked in 1878 which was kept as an heirloom by a family in Michigan.

For years now, the fruitcake has been a joke in American culture, being ridiculed for its name and how it appears. A recurring example of this can be found in a variety of television shows and movies, where the fruitcake will fall on a person’s body and they will complain about it being as hard as a brick.

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December 27 Birthdays


Mick Jones - 72



Larry Byrom - 68



David Knopfler - 64



Chyna - (1970-2016)



Bill Goldberg - 50



Louis Pasteur - (1822-1895)



John Amos - 77



Charmian Carr - (1942-2016)



Eva LaRue - 50






December 27th

2008: The Georgia home of The Allman Brothers Band’s singer and organist Gregg Allman was burglarized. Thieves stole a pistol, silver dollar collection and unreleased live recordings. The two burglars were charged two days later and all property except for the pistol was recovered.

2004: Hank Garland, guitarist for Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison and The Everly Brothers died of staph infection in Orange Park, FL. He was 74 years old.

1989: A former cook at Chuck Berry’s Southern Air restaurant filed a civil suit against Berry alleging that hidden video cameras were installed in the women’s restrooms. 200 other women also took action against Berry in a collective class action suit.

1986: Bruce Springsteen peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with his cover of Edwin Starr’s “War” which was Springsteen’s ninth top ten single in the U.S.

1976: Blues guitarist Freddie King died of a heart attack and complications from bleeding ulcers and pancreatitis in Dallas. He was 42 years old.

1975: Queen reached number one on the U.K. Album Chart for the first time with A Night at the Opera which spent two non-consecutive weeks on top of the chart.

1969: Led Zeppelin reached number one on the Billboard 200 Album Chart for the first time as Led Zeppelin II began a seven non-consecutive week run on top.

1967: Bob Dylan released his eighth studio album John Wesley Harding which marked a return to Dylan’s traditional roots and acoustic music.

1960: The Beatles performed a homecoming concert at the Litherland Town Hall Ballroom in Liverpool after their stint in Hamburg. Stuart Sutcliffe was still in Germany at the time of this concert.



Birthdays:

Mick Jones - Guitarist for Foreigner born in 1944

Larry Byrom - Guitarist for Steppenwolf, Neil Young and Steve Winwood born in 1948

David Knopfler - Guitarist for Dire Straits born in 1952

"1976: The Sex Pistols recorded “God Save the Queen” at Wessex Studios in London. The song went on to reach number two on the U.K. Singles Chart the following year"

It actually outsold what the public was told was the number 1 that week or so,Rod Stewart was given number 1 slot,the Pistols record was banned from any air play on the BBC and other radio stations,a lot of stores refused to stock it but it sold like hotcakes.Some stores displayed Rod as number 1,others just had a blank space where the Pistols should have been,funny in some ways.

At the time the record was deemed as bad taste by the powers that be so had to be censored as much as possible,hence no number 1 slot.
John Lydon(Rotten)was stabbed and slashed not long after the record came out by some thugs in a car park.


Imagine that happening nowadays?Nobody would care about a record like that,how attitudes have changed but the records lyrics still ring true.