A DAY FOR EVERYTHING Who Creates All Those Wacky Holidays? Cynical people often suggest that greeting card companies invented Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day. They didn’t, though the industry did help popularize them. But what about all these wacky holidays that seem to pop up like weeds? For example, Sept. 17 is Batman Day, National Pet Bird Day, Puppy Mill Awareness Day, and International Eat an Apple Day — among many others. Where did all of these so-called holidays originate? You can’t blame Hallmark, but someone is behind the commemorative declarations. And while most of these holidays are unofficial, you can at least partially blame Congress. Requests for new holidays generally used to pass through them, and trade groups, nonprofits, and corporations constantly lobbied for new resolutions recognizing the special day they’d just invented. For years, Congress took the bait. But things eventually got out of hand. According to Holly McGuire, the editor-in-chief of “Chase’s Calendar of Events,” one in three laws passed in the 1985–1986 session established a new special day, week, or month. Realizing they couldn’t continue like this forever, Congress eventually declared a moratorium on new holidays. So, where could the holidaymakers turn? They mostly went to “Chase’s Calendar of Events.” The book originated after a journalist realized that people in his profession needed a way to keep track of an ever-growing list of holidays. The first edition in 1958 was 32 pages long; the 2017 edition was 752 pages.
While many off-the-wall holidays still come from the advocacy and promotional groups you’d expect, there is now a small collection of holiday hobbyists. Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith claims to have invented more than 1,900 holidays, including Lost Penny Day (Feb. 12). Thomas Roy, inventor of No Sock Day (May 8), has created only a measly 90 by comparison — but that’s many more than most of us can claim. You can get in on the fun yourself. The team at “Chase’s Calendar of Events” says they receive around 100 submissions annually and accept about a third of them. If these quirky holidays are not your cup of tea, you can rest assured that you’re not alone. Newspaper archives show that complaints about made-up holidays date back at least 100 years. Whether concepts like National Dry Shampoo Day (March 10) or Turtle Adoption Day (Nov. 27) fill you with delight or make you roll your eyes, the wacky holidays seem like they’re here to stay.
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Tasty Bruschetta Chicken
Ingredients
Directions
• 4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness • 4 tbsp olive oil • 2 tbsp lemon juice, divided • 1/4 tsp pepper • 1 tsp Italian seasoning • 3 tomatoes, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped • Salt and pepper, to taste • 4 slices mozzarella cheese • Parmesan cheese, grated
www.eversolelaw.com grill, top each breast with a slice of mozzarella cheese. Cover and cook 2–3 minutes, then serve topped with the tomato mixture and grated Parmesan cheese. 1. Add chicken to a large resealable bag. 2. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Pour over chicken and seal. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 3. Turn a grill to medium-high heat and add the chicken. Discard the marinade. Grill chicken 5–7 minutes per side or until fully cooked. 4. Combine the remaining lemon juice, tomatoes, garlic, and basil. Add salt and pepper, to taste. 5. Before taking the chicken off the
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is in session.” –Mark Twain
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