December 5, 2014

Today we celebrate:

National Sachertorte Day – A Sachertorte is a type of chocolate cake that was invented by Franz Sacher, an Austrian, in 1832 for Prince Wenzel von Metternich. The story goes that the Prince asked his personal chef to create a special dessert for some important guests. The chef was ill so the job fell to 16 year old apprentice Franz Sacher who was in his second year of training. While we know that the guests loved the cake, we don't hear about it again until Sacher's son, Eduard Sacher, became a chef and perfected his father's creation in 1876 when he opened the Hotel Sacher in Vienna.

AFL-CIO Day – On this day in 1955 the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merged together into the largest federation of unions in the entire United States. For many years they represented nearly all of the unionized workers in the country.

Bathtub Party Day – I cannot find out where this day came from or what its' origins are but it's a fun day to celebrate anyway. You can either take a long, leisurely soak in your tub all by yourself or you can invite some friends. If your bathtub, like mine, isn't big enough for more than one, maybe you can fill it with ice and some beverages to share with your guests instead.

Repeal of Prohibition Day – On this day in 1933, prohibition was ended with the 21st Amendment to the Constitution. Prohibition was supposed to protect families, women and children from the effects of alcohol abuse but it didn't work and in fact, made things worse. It was found that child neglect and violence increased during the years of Prohibition so there wasn't much arguing when Congress decided to repeal it.

International Ninja Day – This is a day to dress like a ninja and spend the day sneaking around making sure no one sees you. You can also celebrate by checking out the schools of martial arts near you to see if one of them appeals to you. You, too, can learn to be a ninja, or at least, more ninja like than you are now.

International Volunteer Day for Economic & Social Development – This day was created by the United Nations and is designed to offer opportunities for volunteers and volunteer organizations to make their contributions to society known at local, national and international levels. You can find an organization near you if you search for it. I found one in Boca Raton, Florida where this picture came from before I added a few flourishes. You can find out more about them from this web site: http://bocahelpinghands.com/.

Faux Fur Friday – Faux fur is man made material that resembles animal fur in texture and appearance. It is cheaper than real animal fur and far less devastating to the animals in question. It was first invented in 1929 but has been increasing in popularity because it is very animal friendly. This day is celebrated on the first Friday in December.

Salesperson Day – Also celebrated on the first Friday in December, this is a day to recognize how much we depend on salespeople. They help us decide what we need, answer our endless questions, help us solve problems and offer advice. We depend on them to have all the answers we might ever need so they must keep up to date on the latest technology or fashion which are both constantly changing.  This is different from National Salesperson Day which is the first Friday in March.  Don’t bother asking me how it is different because the only thing I notice is that in March it’s a National day and today it’s just a day.

To celebrate today, invite all of your fellow volunteers and local union members to a bathtub party at your house. Have everyone come dressed as ninjas wearing faux fur and see who can sneak into your house without you knowing about it. Serve some sachertorte and alcoholic beverages, although not so much that they are a danger to themselves and others when driving home.