Not every food holiday is as delicious as this January 30 holiday. For example, while Bean Day and Turkey Neck Soup Day are indeed food holidays, they don’t get your salivary glands going. Though, most likely your mouth began to water when you discovered that today is Croissant Day. Also unofficially called National Croissant Day, this holiday is specifically for French pastry chefs along with anyone who likes this flaky and buttery roll. I suspect that would be all of us! On this day, we celebrate by enjoying as many of these French pastries as we can consume in a day. 

Once you’ve eaten one today, can you resist a second? We hope not. After all, this holiday is all about consuming croissants.

Do you see spots before your eyes? Well, it’s no surprise. Today is National Polka Dot Day. Walt Disney Corporation created this January 22 holiday to celebrate Minnie Mouse. Disney honored this holiday with a “Rock the Dots” event. Minnie is always seen in a polka dot dress. Since its creation, this fun holiday has expanded to celebrate an iconic pattern that is found on practically anything and everything. Why, you can even use this holiday to celebrate and spend time with your multi-spotted Dalmatian. One could say this dog sitting atop a fire truck, is a classic symbol of the ever-popular pattern.

Which came first, the dance or the dots? A pattern consisting of a solid color and multiple spots existed since Europe’s Medieval times or earlier. However, this pattern originally represented disease and impurity. It was often associated with smallpox. So at the time, wearing this pattern was considered taboo. Then in the mid-1800s, the “Polka” became a dance craze. Along the way, dots were added to the hats, dresses, shirts, and other clothing worn while performing the lively dance. This led to the creation of the term “Polka Dot”. As a result, the pattern was no longer considered taboo. Rather, it became associated with the cheerful and liveliness of the Polka dance. To this day, the pattern continues to be popular. You can find it on virtually everything, from clothing to furniture artwork, paper goods, and more.

Song of the Day: Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini (1960). Sung by Brian Hyland

Our Favorite Cartoon Movie: 101 Dalmatians (1961)

Are you getting hungry? If so, that’s good because today is National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day. On this January 14 holiday, sink your teeth into a real deli treat. Pastrami is a delicious, old-fashioned deli meat. It tantalizes the taste buds. Pastrami is a Jewish creation. It was originally made ages ago, as a way to preserve meat. Over time, the rest of the world discovered how good it tastes. Now, it is carried at virtually all delicatessens and grocery stores. Like any other food holiday, the best way to enjoy this holiday is to eat a hot pastrami sandwich… or two.

The process of making pastrami takes several days. The process includes soaking the meat in brine, rubbing it with a variety of spices, smoking, and curing the meat. From start to finish, the whole process takes several days. But, it is well worth the effort. The result is a tender, juicy, and mouth-watering treat.

You can enjoy this deli meat in a variety of ways. You can enjoy it as the main course for dinner tonight. It is an ingredient in some soup recipes. And, Pastrami is the perfect cold cut for a charcuterie board. Or, have a cold sandwich. But, in keeping with today’s holiday, we recommend you have a piping hot pastrami sandwich.  

Did You Know? A hot pastrami sandwich is commonly called “The Rachel”. No one knows why.

Are you hungry? Satisfy your hunger with an apricot or two. The fruit is small. So, you can have a couple of pieces without overeating. It is a fruit that is delicious, sweet, nutritious, and healthy for you. This good-looking, somewhat tart fruit, is all of that and more. And, today is the perfect day to indulge in this fantastic fruit. It’s National Apricot Day. On this January 9 holiday, we are encouraged to enjoy plenty of colorful and flavorful apricots in a variety of ways, to satisfy your taste buds as it satisfies your hunger pains.

Humans have enjoyed eating apricots for thousands of years. Native to China, the first recording of their discovery dates back to around 4,000 B.C. Yes, that’s over six thousand years ago! But, ancient Chinese were likely consuming apricots tens of thousands of years before Man even began recordings on the wall of his cave. That was 40,0000 years ago. While this delicious fruit originated in China, However, like other good things, you can’t keep it away from the rest of the world. Over thousands of years, apricot trees spread their limbs westward. Their migration to the Mediterranean region and Europe was aided by merchant traders traveling the Silk Road and other trade routes. Along the way, they traded some of the seeds. Today, the trees grow on every continent, except Antarctica.

While this amazing fruit has been feeding us for many thousands of years, National Apricot Day has been around for just a scant few years. But as you enjoy this fruit today, simply be thankful that the holiday is here.