National Spaghetti Day
About National Spaghetti Day
When is National Spaghetti Day? This holiday is always observed on January 4
Today is National Spaghetti Day, a January 4 holiday. Grab a big bowl, fill it with spaghetti, top it with a generous helping of your favorite sauce, and dig in. And, don’t forget the meatballs and parmesan cheese! Spaghetti is one of over 600 shapes of pasta. It is by far, the most popular shape. Spaghetti is topped off with any one of 15 types of sauce. Marinara sauce is the most popular.
Many people think of Italy and Italian cuisine, as the birthplace of spaghetti. In reality, pasta or macaroni dates back to ancient times. Ancient cultures were cooking pasta noodles well before they were introduced to Italy and other parts of Europe. Marco Polo is erroneously credited with bringing spaghetti and pasta to Europe. But, records show Europeans cooking pasta well before Marco Polo began his travels. Peering even farther back in time, Arab cultures were selling dried spaghetti-like noodles in open markets in the early 1200s. The Chinese were cooking pasta noodles as far back as 5,000 B.C.
While ancient cultures were making and eating spaghetti and other pasta well before it came to Europe, it’s the Italians who popularized it in cuisines. It was introduced into the United States through the travels of Thomas Jefferson, who brought it back from Naples, Italy in 1789. Italian immigrants also brought it over with them to the U.S., where its popularity quickly spread.
Spaghetti in Italian means thin string or twine.
Did you Know? Americans consume about 20 pounds of pasta per person per year.
We hope you thoroughly enjoy your bowl of Spaghetti today. To more completely enjoy this special day, make the spaghetti noodles yourself. It’s a cinch. All you need is flour, water, and a pasta maker.
Who Invented Pasta?
There are competing beliefs as to who was the first to invent pasta.
First, in Greek mythology, the god Vulcan used a device to make strings of dough. The exact date is unknown.
The city of Palermo, Italy also claims to have created pasta in the 12th century. Interestingly, at the time spaghetti was not topped with a tomato-based sauce. Tomatoes are native to South America. The New World had not yet been discovered. Arabs also claim to be the first to make pasta. Their claim also goes back to the 12th century.
Ways to Participate in National Spaghetti Day
- Eat Spaghetti. Have it with your favorite sauce.
- Use a pasta machine to make your own spaghetti.
Today's Deep Thought
Life always offers you a second chance. It’s called tomorrow.
History and Origin of National Spaghetti Day
We researched this holiday twice, once in the early 2000s, and again in the early 2020s. Our research found no information on the creator or origin of this day, or when it was first celebrated.
There is no evidence to suggest that this is truly a “National” day, which requires an act of congress. We found no congressional records or presidential proclamation about this special day.
Definition of “National” Days – and why it is important to distinguish true National days.
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