Many people describe Llamas as mystical and magical creatures. While other people see these members of the Camelid family as cute and fuzzy farm animals or pets. Yes, that’s right. You can have one as a pet. Or, you can keep a Llama as a therapy animal. And, they are a common attraction at zoos around the world. Wherever you see them, you quickly become enamored with this lovable creature. Today is National Llama Day. It is sometimes called Llama Appreciation Day. Appropriately on this December 9 holiday, we celebrate them and spend time appreciating adorable llamas.

Today is a perfect time to visit your local zoo to see them. They make good animals in petting zoos, too. But, don’t irritate them as they are known to spit. If you can’t get to see them live today, spend some time learning more about them. And, pull up pictures of them on the internet.

Today is not just a day for Fat Cats. It’s a day everyone can enjoy, except Jack Sprat of course. Today is National Lard Day, perhaps the fattest day of the year. The Healthy Fats Coalition created this day to promote the benefits and versatility of lard. They seek to improve the bad reputation of this animal fat. On this December 8 holiday, we are encouraged to eat foods that either have lard in them, are cooked in lard, or are made with lard. Fortunately for you, there are thousands of recipes on the internet with lard as one of the ingredients. 

Lard is not all bad. It enhances the flavor of many foods. Over the years, its popularity has ebbed and flowed with every article written about it, especially when referencing its impact on your health. But, before you go off to get your fill of lard, let’s understand what lard is. It is the rendered fat of pigs. It is high in mono-saturated fats and saturated fats. However, it is certainly better than trans fats. And, it has benefits in the kitchen. Lard makes pie crust flakier. It makes cookies and other baked goods softer. Lard is added to deer meat and the meat of other livestock to make it lighter and juicier. And, many people say it makes food taste better. And, it has uses outside of the kitchen, too. Read on…..

Did You Know? Lard has less fat than butter.

Healthy soil is vital to the ecosystem of our world. Unfortunately, like other things in our world, Man pollutes the very ground we walk upon. Scientists estimate that over a third of the planet’s soil is impacted by pollutants. Any kind of pollution is bad for the ecosystem and it’s bad for you. International World Soil Day brings awareness to this troubling problem. On this December 5 holiday, governments and organizations provide educational programs and information to both make us aware of the problem and to educate us on how we as individuals can stop it. And there are things we can do to improve the health of the soil.

Soil is home to land-based plants and many creatures from mammals to insects and tiny, unseen microbes. Most of the food you eat comes from the soil. Clean, unpolluted ground, results in healthier food for your family.  That’s why we value organic foods so highly. 

This holiday is an annual celebration.  Each year, the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) announces a new theme for the year. Governments and organizations are encouraged to create programs based on the theme for the year.

There are many things we as individuals can do. This holiday brings awareness to what we are doing to the soil. Armed with this knowledge, don’t you think it’s time to do something about it!?

Cookies are one of the top all-time snacks. In addition to snacks, we also eat them for dessert. And more than a few people will admit they have them for breakfast, too. Around the world, people young and old love them. As a matter of fact, 95% of us eat them. So, today we celebrate National Cookie Day. Appropriately, this special day was declared by none other than Cookie Monster from Sesame Street. Do you have any doubts as to how to celebrate this very special December 4 holiday? Grab a glass of milk on the way to the cookie jar and chow down. And while you are munching, browse our Cookie Trivia (see below).

By definition, a cookie is a small, baked flat cake that is usually sweet. And, you hold them in your hand to eat them. Everyone has a favorite cookie. What is yours? Depending upon what survey you read, the top cookies are Chocolate Chip or Oreos. We’ll just let you decide.

National Cookie Day comes at the perfect time of year. Among the traditions of the Christmas season, is baking Christmas cookies. A pleasant aroma wafts out of the kitchen as we make several varieties of our favorite cookies. Even the kids get into the act of making and baking. Then, in the spirit of giving, we heap them onto cookie trays. Then, we give them to family, friends, and neighbors.

Today’s Slogan: That’s the way the cookie crumbles!

Black Friday has come and gone. Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday are also in the rearview mirror. You energetically shopped them all. Yes, some if the big shopping days have come and gone. Yet, you still have a lot of people to shop for. Perhaps it’s time to change your approach just a little bit. Make a Gift Day has arrived to help you with your holiday shopping. On this December 3 holiday, you can finish all of your gift-giving needs by making the perfect present for those on your list that are hard to buy for. It makes gift-giving more personal, too. In addition to all of the fun you will have making the presents, you will save money, too.

Once upon a time, everything was hand-made. There were no factories. Nowadays, most products come from a factory, most likely one in China. So, anyone can buy a ready-made gift from a store. You can even buy hand-made items from craft shows and craft stores. And, they can be very personal, too. But, the true personal gift, is one you make with your own two hands. Hand-made is special when the hands are yours. Making a unique gift is fun for the giver and cherished by the recipient. 

Today’s Slogan: “Yesterday is the past. Tomorrow is the future. But today is a gift. That’s why it is called the present.” – – Bil Keane 

Today is World Pollution Prevention Day. Today gives notice to all humanity that pollution is bad for the environment. It’s bad for wildlife. And it’s bad for you.  Awareness is the first step to doing something about it. So, this December 2 holiday is a call to action. Governments and many organizations can and should hold educational programs and seminars today. However, this call to action is also meant to energize you to do what you can. And, as you think about it, there is no shortage of ideas about how you can make a difference. 

Mother nature produces a fair share of natural pollution all by herself. Just look at a volcano erupting for proof (see below). However, the biggest miscreant is man-made pollution. There are many types of man-made pollution. It includes the air we breathe, the ground, materials we use and discard into the waste stream, and pollution of the ocean with both chemicals and solids.

Man-made pollution has a major impact on the earth and your health. And it is deadly. Many people die every year due to the effects of air pollution. Each year, factories and other man-made sources release enormous amounts of pollutants into waterways.  Many products we put into the environment cause cancer. There is an endless list of examples. But, most importantly, pollution affects your health and the health of your family. So, don’t you think it’s about time you do something about it!? If you sit back and think someone else will do it, improvements won’t get done. Rather, as you think about pollution, you will quickly identify things you can do to make a positive difference.

Today’s Motto: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Do you know the old saying “If the shoe fits, wear it”? Well, ignore it. Put on Your Own Shoes Day is today, a December 6 holiday. There isn’t much to say about this holiday. The message is clear…. wear your shoes. But, don’t you do this every day? You sure wouldn’t want to intentionally put your stinky toes into someone else’s shoes. And, the opportunity to make this mistake is pretty infrequent.  

We understand the meaning behind Wear Brown Shoe Day, celebrated just a few days ago.  But, what could possibly cause someone to create Put on Your Own Shoes Day….hmmmmm. Perhaps, it was created by young mothers teaching their children how to put their shoes on for the first time!?

Well, regardless of what you think of this special day, we celebrate all of the holidays and special days. We are going to put our best foot forward as we put our own shoes on today. And we will enjoy doing so. As for you…. please put your stinky toes into your own shoes!

Have a happy Put on our Own Shoes Day.

National Violin Day is today, a musical December 13 holiday. Pick up your Stratovarius, and let’s play make some sweet music together. The violin is an elegant musical instrument, a classy musical instrument. 

If you are thinking about playing a stringed musical instrument that is a member of the violin family, then you have a lot of instruments to choose from. They each sound a little different and play a little different. There are so many types of violins that you may consult the opinion of a musical instructor to help you determine which specific violin is best for you.

Those who play this instrument can create some awesome music. The sound is fantastic when played as a solo. And, in a concert band or orchestra, the sound blends well with just about any musical piece. If you are a violinist, we salute you.

Unlucky Day is today, a December 31 holiday. Unfortunately, not every day can be a lucky day. We sincerely hope that today is not unlucky for you. However, it will be unlucky for some of us. It seems fitting that Unlucky Day is the last day of the year. You get the chance to get all the bad things out of the way, so next year will be happy, healthy, prosperous, and above all a lucky year. And, look for things that will change your luck. Pick up a lucky penny off the ground. But remember, heads bring good luck, while tails bring bad luck.

Friday the 13th: Any day when the 13th of the month falls on a Friday, it is considered an unlucky day. This happens from 1 to 3 times in a given year. You would think that’s enough unlucky days for a year.

Do you have….  Paraskevidekatriaphobia? If you are afraid for Friday the 13th, an unlucky day for most, then this is the diagnosis.

Get all the unlucky things out of your life. And do it early, so you can celebrate the new year tonight. It’s going to be a wonderfully lucky year!

On this last day of the year, we hope that you have a very lucky Unlucky Day, and that the new year is a very lucky, healthy, and prosperous one!

What’s for dinner tonight!? Who would have ever thought we’d ever be celebrating a pig of any kind or for any reason? And, not just any pig, specifically a suckling pig. National Roast Suckling Pig Day is a delicious December 18 holiday to enjoy and remember. While everyone is running around, frantically preparing for the holidays, mom or grandma is busy in the kitchen. She has taken a break from the hubbub to cook a fancy meal…. a roasted suckling pig. As you read this, how many of you thought to yourselves… “Yeah, right… fat chance that will happen.”

In case you didn’t know….  a “Suckling Pig”, also called “Sucking Pig”, is a young piglet that has not yet been weaned from its mother. One might argue “how cruel”. This author would not disagree.

Roasting a whole pig takes a long time and is a fair amount of work, even a small one. But, the result is well worth it. If you are too busy to roast a pig today, take a well-deserved break. Go out to a local restaurant and order a roasted suckling pig dinner. It’s quicker and easier!

Have a happy and delicious National Roast Suckling Pig Day!!!