December 28, 2015 – NATIONAL CHOCOLATE CANDY DAY – NATIONAL CARD PLAYING DAY – PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE DAY – HOLY INNOCENTS DAY

                            NATIONAL CHOCOLATE CANDY DAY

There may have been a few pieces of chocolate candy tucked into your stocking.  Or perhaps you received a box of your favorite chocolates as a gift.  December 28 is the day to enjoy those delicious treats.  It’s National Chocolate Candy Day.
The word “chocolate” comes from the word “xocoatl” or “chocolatl”.  Mayan “chocol” means hot or bitter and the Aztec “atl” means water. Chocolate is made from the cacao plant.  Before it was ever made into a sweet candy, it was ground into a beverage.  In ruling class society, the beverage was used for medical purposes.
Chocolate Facts

• In 1828 technology was invented that allowed chocolate to be produced into a solid form.
• In 1828, thanks to the invention of Dutch chemist Coenraad Van Houten we are able to enjoy chocolate in the form we have today.  His hydraulic press made it possible to remove the cocoa butter from the cacao producing a powder opening the way for the first chocolate confections.
• In 1847 cocoa butter, cocoa powder and sugar where combined by British chocolate company J.S. Fry & Sons to produce the first edible chocolate bar.
• Whitman’s produced their first box of chocolate.
• The invention of the conching machine by Rodolphe Lindt in 1879 ushered in mass production of the creamy treat.
• The first chocolate Easter egg was made sometime in the early 19th century. In 1875 John Cadbury introduced his first chocolate egg.
• Hershey Chocolate company designed a special chocolate bar for the U.S. Army.  The D ration bar was included in the emergency rations and in the packs of soldiers when the Allied troops stormed the beach of Normandy on D-Day.
• Americans consume 12 pounds of chocolate each year.

OBSERVE
Enjoy a piece of chocolate candy.  Use #ChocolateCandyDay to post on social media.
HISTORY
Within our research, we were unable to identify the founder of National Chocolate Candy Day.  

National Card Playing Day – December 28

NATIONAL CARD PLAYING DAY

National Card Playing Day is annually observed across the United States on December 28.
According to Wikipedia,  a playing card is a piece of specially prepared heavy paper, thin cardboard, plastic-coated paper, cotton-paper blend, or thin plastic, marked with distinguishing motifs and used as one of a set for playing card games. Playing cards are typically palm-sized for convenient handling.
A complete set of cards is called a pack (UK English), deck (US English), or set (Universal), and the subset of cards held at one time by a player during a game is commonly called a hand. A pack of cards may be used for playing a variety of card games, with varying elements of skill and chance, some of which are played for money.
Some of the top card games include Spades, Poker, Solitaire, Spite and Malice, Hearts, Spoons, Gin Rummy, ridge, Black Jack and Texas Hold’em.  Of course there are thousands of card games, some of which are regional favorites.
OBSERVE
Play a card game of choice and use #CardPlayingDay to post on social media.
HISTORY
Within our research, we were unable to identify the creator of National Card Playing Day.