January 1st, 2021
Bloody Mary Day
Bloody Mary Day celebrates the drinking of the Bloody Mary cocktail, which is described by some as the perfect hangover cure despite containing the very thing that made you hung over in the first place: alcohol! The Bloody Mary is most often made with vodka, tomato juice and some spices, served on the rocks with a celery stalk or a dill pickle.
The History of Bloody Mary Day
The origin of Bloody Mary Day is as shrouded in mystery and intrigue as the history of the drink itself. Even the name is quite enigmatic, with various scholars suggesting it was named after Queen Mary I of England, Hollywood star Mary Pickford, or even a waitress named Mary who worked at the Bucket of Blood bar in Chicago all given as possible namesakes.
There are also three versions of the story of where the Bloody Mary drink was first made. Fernand Petiot, a bartender that was originally from France, claimed to have invented the Bloody Mary in 1921 when he was working at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris that was popular with Ernest Hemingway and other American expatriates at the time. Veterinarian-turned-writer James Rollins, on the other hand, claims) that the Bloody Mary was invented in the Hemingway Bar at The Ritz Paris. And an ocean away, New York’s 21 Club claims that the Bloody Mary was first made there, though they do have two versions of the story. One is that it was invented in the 1930s by a bartender named Henry Zbikiewicz, and another attributes its invention to the comedian George Jessel, who frequented the 21 Club.
How to Celebrate Bloody Mary Day
The best and easiest way to celebrate Bloody Mary Day is by inviting some friends over to mix up and then enjoy a Bloody Mary or two. Or three. If you’ve never tried one before, and the idea of combining tomato juice with vodka just doesn’t sound particularly appetizing to you, this is the time to do it—there is a good reason why this is one of the most famous and popular drinks the world over, find out for yourself what it is!
Classic Bloody Mary recipe:
(serves 2)
2 lime wedges
4 oz high quality vodka
8 oz Tomato juice
4 dashes Tabasco Sauce
4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
2 pinches celery salt
2 pinches ground black pepper
2 pinches smoked paprika
Put a little celery salt onto a small plate. Rub the juicy side of a lime wedge along the lip of a pint glass. Then, roll the outer edge of the glass in celery salt to coat it; repeat with the second glass. Put some ice cubes in both glasses and set aside. Put the lime wedges into a shaker and add the remaining ingredients. Shake gently several times, then strain into the prepared glasses. Garnish with a celery stalk and the leftover 2 lime wedges.
If you are looking for something to pair the drinks with, maybe try a platter of simple crackers with cubed cheeses or spicy salamis, as their flavor will complement the drink nicely. You could also put out some olives or pickles. Obviously, you should steer clear of anything sweet, like fruits, or heaven forbid, chocolates.
But the truth is that if there are enough Bloody Mary’s, nobody should care too much about what snacks there are!
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Z Day
People whose first or last name start with the letter Z must have it pretty rough—most processes, systems and organizations use alphabetical sorting as standard, meaning they are always last, not matter what the place or occasion. Could get a bit annoying after years and years, don’t you think?
Z Day was created to give those whose names begin with Z’s a bit of a break by letting them do things they may not get to do all that often, like go first in line, to get picked earlier and to stand in front instead for the back for a change.
The History of Z Day
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First Foot Day
The custom of firstfooting, or being the first to cross the threshold of a home in the early hours of New Year's Day, was so popular in England and Scotland during the 19th century that the streets were often more crowded between midnight and one o'clock in the morning than they would normally be at midday. If the ""First Foot,"" traditionally a man, was to bring the family luck, he had to arrive with his arms full of cakes, bread, and cheese for everyone to share. He should be dark-haired, not fair, and must not have flat feet.
Today the custom may still be observed in Britain and in scattered areas of the United States.
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Polar Bear Swim Day
Strip down to your bathing suit, take a few steps over the snow and ice covering the ground, and hurl your body into ice-cold water. Sound like fun? Well, there are plenty of people who think it does, and these people get together to to this every year! Sometimes itâ??s for charity and sometimes itâ??s just for a challenge, but either way, thousands of people worldwide take to the icy winter waters every year. These swims are understandably called â??Polar Bear Swimsâ?, and they usually take place in the sea.
The History of Polar Bear Swim Day
Polar Bear Swims have been practiced for well over a hundred years in different countries. The first recorded Polar Bear Swim took place in Boston 1904. In many Canadian communities, plunging into icy water for a swim is a New Yearâ??s Day tradition. Vancouverâ??s annual Polar Bear Swim Club has been active since 1920 and usually has 1,000 to 2,000 registered participants every New Yearâ??s Day, with a record 2,128 registrants taking part in the Polar Bear Swim in English Bay in 2000. It would seem that he Netherlands have greatly outdone North America, as about 10,000 people have been diving into the icy cold sea water at Scheveningen, The Netherlandsâ?? main beach resort town, every year since 1960. In fact, it is estimated that all over the Netherlands, 30,000 people take part in what they call â??Nieuwjaarsduikâ? New Yearâ??s dive) each and every year. New Yearâ??s Day is though to be the best day for this kind of swim, because as many participants have noted, after youâ??ve done that, no challenge the New Year could bring could possible phase you. However, some swimming clubs organize regular winter sessions. Plungapalooza is the largest polar bear plunge in the United States, held annually at Sandy Point State Park in Maryland. The event, that raises funds for the Special Olympics, has managed to collect millions of dollars. The largest Plungapalooza to date took place in 2008, with an estimated 12,000 people participating.
How to Celebrate Polar Bear Swim Day
Itâ??s actually quite simple: take part! Find out where the nearest Polar Bear Swim Day will be organized, and sign up. You can help raise money for those who need it, meet new friends and make some incredible memories! However, you should keep in mind that human beings donâ??t have the fat and fur that polar bears have to protect them from the cold. Enter the water slowly so itâ??s not too much of a shock, and be sure to have a towel and dry clothes ready for as soo as you come out of the water. You should also warm your body up afterwards from the inside out with a hot drink or bowl of soup. The Polar Bear Swim is also not right for everyone, as it triggers many intense bodily reactionsâ??you may start to hyperventilate because of the inability to take a deep breath for the first 30 seconds or so, and your heartbeat and blood pressure will probably increase drastically. So if you have any heart condition or have the tendency to panic, you may be better off standing on the shore in your nice warm coat, hat and scarf, taking pictures and laughing at the people running right back out of the water as quickly as they ran into it. Either way, you will be able to be part of the fun!
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Commitment Day
I do. I will. I promise. I vow. Such lovely words… These words have long invoked sweet feelings of assurance and hopefulness, and have been used in marriage vows and such for likely just as long. Commitment is beautiful thing, and Commitment Day is a day when you can show that special person in your life just how much they mean to you by committing in some way to them. Or perhaps there’s some sort of activity you’ve been meaning to start (or stop!) for a long while—Commitment Day is your chance to say, “right, that’s it, I’m going for it, and I am going to stick with it!”
The History of Commitment Day
Commitment day has been around for years, because let’s be honest: what could deserve its own day more than the beautiful thing that is commitment? The first known Commitment Day was celebrated in 1960 as an extension of the tradition of New Year’s Resolutions—however, commitments are different from resolutions in that they are more often made to people, so they can benefit others as well as you!
How to Celebrate Commitment Day
There must be at least one person or issue in your life that deserves your commitment, your promise that you will fulfill. Maybe you’ve been dating the same person for years and years and have never asked him or her to tie the knot because the whole wedding thing just seemed a bit daunting to you? If both people in the relationship feel that way, then making the decision not to get married is fine. However, if your significant other is the kind of person who longs for the romance of a wedding, even a small one, maybe it’s time to take that sped in your relationship?
Or maybe it’s not your partner who needs a bit more commitment—maybe it’s your children that you constantly plan to have more time for but somehow never manage to? Your job is very important, as it is what keeps a roof over your family’s head and pays for their various other needs and wants, but sometimes there is nothing a child needs more than just to spend some time with his or her parents. If your children often mention they wish you were around more, maybe it’s time to commit yourself to spending more time with them? Promise your children an hour or two of your time every day, and then stick to it—no matter whether you spend that time on a bike ride with them, sharing a banana split in a little ice cream parlor nearby, or just talking during a walk in the park, you will never regret taking the time to become closer to your children. For their part, your children are sure to reward you with plenty of trust they will show by telling you some of their secrets or asking for your advice, and that is something every parent would treasure.
You could also take this day to commit to an activity, like finally starting that diet or yoga class and then sticking with it. The satisfaction you will get from knowing you are capable of making a lasting decision will increase your self-confidence and the amount of satisfaction you get from life.
In other words, Commitment Day is the ideal time to make that heartfelt pledge and see it through to the end!
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