Bloody Mary day- January 1

Bloody Mary Day is celebrated for the Bloody Mary drink, a cocktail made of vodka, tomato juice and other spices.

It is commonly believed that the drink was named after Queen Mary of England, Mary Bloody Mary, because during her rule she brutally executed hundreds of Protestant Christians in order to bring the English back to Catholic Christianity after her father, Henry VIII, (And executed hundreds of English Catholics in horrific ways).

In the picture: A 1910 painting of Mary I entered London in 1553, with her sister Elizabeth behind her. The painter: John Biam Shaw.

There are those who believe that the drink is named after Mary Pickford, who appeared in silent films during the period when the cinema was only a motion picture.

In the photo: Mary Pickford

The reason for choosing January 1 as the Bloody Mary day is probably because it is described as the perfect remedy against the hangover (although it contains alcohol), and many people suffer from hangover the day after New Year's Eve.

The Bloody Mary is served with a slice of lemon or stirring made of plastic or a carrot / celery stick.  

French brewer Fernand Petiot claimed he invented the drink in 1921 when he worked in New York in a pub called Harry's Bar, frequented by writer Ernst Hemingway and other American expatriates at the time.  

The veterinarian who became a writer, James Rawlins, claimed that the drink had been invented at Hemingway Bar at the Ritz Hotel in Paris. In a gossip column in the New York Herald Tribune, it was written on December 2, 1939, that the drink had been invented at the bar of Club 21 in New York, just before 1939, by the actor George Jessel who came to the place regularly and asked for vodka with Tomato juice. Another version says the drink was also invented at Club 21 in New York, in the 1930s, by bartender Henry Zbickiewicz.   

How to celebrate Bloody Mary Day?  

The best and easiest way is to invite some friends to drink Bloody Mary. Even if you have never drunk your drink, this is your chance to try the one of the most popular alcoholic drinks in the world.

January 1 is also Polar Bear Plunge Day and  Euro Day

Polar Bear Plunge Day- 1st January

On January 1 of each year, there is"Polar Bear Plunge" or "Polar Bear Swim Day" in frozen sea water in the United States, Canada, the Netherlands and England. 

Polar Bear Day is a new year tradition, a day where participants enter the sea despite the low temperature. 

In the United States and Canada have this day typically to raise money for charity. However, in Canada it is also a day of celebration of the new year. 

The Netherlands celebrate this day, the top of every new year since 1960, about 10,000 people collectively dive ice-cold sea water in the resort town of Scheveningen, the Dutch central coast. 89 places at beaches and lakes all over the Netherlands, every year, about 30,000 people participate in "Nieuwjaarsduik" (with subtitles: New Year's dive), with a record of 36,000 participants was on January 1, 2012. 

 Britain celebrated the first day of the year the "Loony Dook 'annual meeting in South Queensferry, Scotland. Thousands of people come to attend dip in the sea. Participants usually also regularly get dressed crazy-style event and also meet local parade through the city, which normally act as "LOONY" (crazy) continue the "Dook". The significance of the icy water baptism tradition on this day is that the new year may start throwing yourself into the cold water and then later on it will be easier. 

What fun it is to feel like a polar bear one day. If you come to a place where celebrate the plunge of the polar bear and want also to try, remember our people, no fat and fur that protect the polar bears in the Arctic cold. If you enter the sea, come slowly, your body will not go into shock, and worry about the hot and dry clothes after leaving and something warm to drink and eat.

People in Ballston Lake, New York, welcoming new year by Polar bear plunge -source: Youtube

January 1 is also Bloody Mary Day and Euro Day

Euro Day - January 1

January 1 is Euro Day, the currency used in 19 European countries, out of the 28 EU member states.

On December 16, 1999, the name "Euro" was officially adopted for the single currency, and it began to exist on January 1, 1999.

For more than 30 years, European leaders have planned to issue one currency to the entire continent. After long and difficult negotiations, and much opposition from Britain (which to this day uses its own currency, the Pound Sterling), the currency was finally born in 1999 and is currently used by some 343 million Europeans in Austria, Estonia, Italy, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Greece , Luxembourg, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Portugal, Finland, France and Cyprus.

The name of the currency is adapted in each country to the pronunciation of the word Europe in the language used. In Germany, for example, the continent is called "Europa" and therefore the currency is called "Euro". In Italian and Spanish they also say "Europa" and the currency is called "Euro". In Russian they say Yevropa and the currency is called Yevro. In English, the currency is called "Euro" after the continent "Europe".

How to celebrate Euro Day?

Today is a perfect day to learn about the currency, which in the future will be used by more countries. One can also learn about the culture of the European countries that use it and their previous currencies.

January 1st is also Polar Bear Plunge Day and Bloody Mary Day

Printable Mazes for children

Easy mazes for kids on various topics.

PS- To save paper and help our planet, you can print on used pages, on the blank side ♥

Pet mazes

Puppy and bone maze

Girl and lollipop maze 

Maze- knight and castle

Henzel and Gretel maze

Help the Eskimo reach his igloo

Help the butterfly get through all the mazes and get to the flower

Novy God- 31 December

Novy God (Russian: Новый Год) is the Russian phrase for "New Year", and also designates the Russian New Year's Eve and New Years' Day celebration.

The Holiday Novy God is celebrated in Russia since 1937. Until then, the communist government banned celebrate religious holidays like Christmas. You could say that this is a secular holiday that people of all religions can celebrate it if they want.

In Novy God, the Russians use symbols similar to those of Christians on Christmas like a Christmas tree (Yolka) and Santa Claus (Grandfather Frost), but there are differences:

Yolka (Christmas tree)

The roots of the custom of placing a Christmas tree planted in pagan custom of placing a tree, symbolizing life, at the height of winter. Ancient mosaic discovered in Tunisia, it seems Dionysus, Greek god of wine, holding a fir tree branch as a symbol of life. Christianity appropriated the evergreen tree, a symbol of eternity of Christ.

Grandfather Frost (Santa Claus)

In Christianity, Santa Claus is a fictional character that comes in red dress from Lapland, Finland, with reindeer-drawn sleigh to distribute presents to all children. Grandfather's role is educational because the gifts he brings the good kids.

Russian version of Santa Claus is Ded Moroz (Grandfather frost in Russian translation). Ded Moroz's roots traced back to pagan beliefs. Also distributes gifts to children, but comes home not a sleigh, but on the troika (three horse-drawn carriage), The differences are evident in the clothes. Ded Moroz wears a long fur coat, fur hat round and tall boots and holding a magic wand. Determined that the coat color of Ded Moroz will not be red to differentiate it from Santa Claus west. Stalin, for example, ordered that "Grandfather Frost" wear only blue coat. However, the Russians are not careful about this, and often can be seen Ded Moroz in red but it does not come from desire to get close to Christianity.

Ded Moroz comes together with his granddaughter promenade "Snegurochka". According to one legend, Snegurochka is the daughter of spring and frost has atrract to humans. She does not know love, because her heart is frozen . Her mother feels sorry for her and gives her the ability to love, but then her heart heats up and melts. According to another legend, a lonely elderly couple made a snow girl and animated her.

Customs of the holiday are:

A costume party for children

Gifts giving

Placing Yolka (spruce, pine or spruce)

Holiday meal and hospitality

Drinking champagne

Bicarbonate of Soda Day- December 30

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a substance that has so many uses in our daily lives, that it deserves its own day.

It helps the cookies and cakes we make to be soft, it helps with cleaning jobs, teeth whitening, sore throats, abdominal pain, skin lightening and even cancer treatment and more. It is good for so many things besides baking. 

Soda water is not water with baking soda! Soda water that can be drunk is water (which consists of hydrogen and oxygen) in which carbon dioxide is dissolved. Their chemical formula is: H2CO3. Baking soda is a hydrocarbon sodium, and its chemical formula is: NaHCO3.

You may have known the baking soda from a science experiment you did in class, the volcano experiment - put in lemon juice or vinegar a little bit of food coloring, add baking soda powder and get a bubbling stream of trend on the classroom table.

Who discovered the baking soda?

The main industrial process for producing baking soda is called the Solvay process after the Belgian industrialist Ernest Solva who developed the method and built the first production facility in 1864. In this process CO2 carbon dioxide is transferred through a concentrated solution of NaCl cooking salt and NH3 ammonia.

How to celebrate the day of baking soda?

You can celebrate the day of baking soda by building your own volcano: put lemon juice or vinegar in a cup, food coloring (if any - optional), some baking soda and you will get lava bubbling from a volcano. If you also add some dish soap to the celebration - you will get a spectacular foam that will burst from the cup.

Besides, you should learn about the different uses of baking soda and how much it can help you in life. You may discover a new use for soda and drink that you did not know about, and thanks to this special day you will start to enjoy it.

The wonderful properties of baking soda:

1. Clarifying blemishes on the face - Applying a mixture of squeezed lemon juice with half a cup of baking soda on the face will help you get rid of blemishes, freckles, acne scars and more on the face. More on treating baking soda against acne.

2. Treatment of sore throat - Drinking 2 teaspoons of baking soda in a glass of warm water will relieve your sore throat immediately.

3. Teeth Whitening - Dipping your toothbrush in water with baking soda and brushing for a few minutes will help you whiten your teeth and keep them white. Just do not overdo brushing with soda water because it may erode your teeth.

4. Preventing bad breath and plaque on the teeth - mix in half a glass of water 2 teaspoons baking soda and a little lime juice, rinse your mouth and get rid of bad breath. With a solution of water with 3-4 teaspoons of baking soda will do the job.

5. Baking soda as a deodorant - If you sprinkle some baking soda under the armpit like talcum powder, it will neutralize the unpleasant odors of sweat and prevent the appearance of sweat stains on clothes. This is because baking soda is a basic substance. The bacteria that emit the smell of sweat need an acidic environment so baking soda neutralizes them.

6. Anti-rhinitis and phlegm remedy - If you cough and suffer from excess phlegm, add a teaspoon of baking soda to boiling water and drink before bed. To get rid of a runny nose, drip a solution of soda into the nose.

7. Treatment of aphthous ulcers - Aphthous ulcers in the mouth are painful and annoying wounds that are difficult to get rid of. Gargle baking soda with warm water for half a minute and you will see a significant improvement.

8. Get rid of itching - Applying a mixture of water and baking soda to an area of skin that has been stung by an insect or burned by a jellyfish sting or itchy burn while helping you get rid of the itch quickly.

9. Preventing and Treating Cancer - Baking soda helps lower excess acidity in the blood. It can therefore reduce the pH level of cancer cells and inhibit their spread in the body.

10. Get rid of dandruff - If you suffer from dandruff, moisten your hair and massage your scalp with baking soda. After you wash the scales will disappear. The process will make the hair a little drier, but soon the sebaceous glands in the scalp will regenerate and restore its moisture.

11. For relieving abdominal pain - drinking half a glass of water with a flat teaspoon of baking soda will help get rid of abdominal pain, heartburn and gas.

12. Get rid of stretch marks on the skin - Regular massage of the skin with 3 teaspoons of baking soda and the juice of half a lemon will make the tissues recover faster.

13. Against warts - lukewarm water baths with baking soda will help the skin of your hands and feet to be soft and pleasant.

14. Neutralize bad odor on the hands - When working with substances that make a bad odor like garlic or fish, apply baking soda on your hands and on the cutting board and get rid of the odor.

15. Neutralize bad odor in the refrigerator - If you have a bad odor in the refrigerator, put a glass of baking soda in it and the odor will disappear.

Warning - For external use of baking soda there are no side effects and dangers, but people who have low acidity in the stomach or who receive antacids, should not drink baking soda water (because it is an alkaline substance and they may suffer from too low an acidity level in the blood). Also, drinking baking soda can have side effects like loss of appetite, nausea, headache and abdominal pain. In such cases stop using it.

December 30 is also Bacon Day

Bacon Day- December 30

Bacon is a dish originating in the Middle Ages on the European continent. This is salted pork and is also often smoked. It is eaten like a sausage and serves as a staple of traditional English breakfast.

The popular method for making bacon is to grill it with special salt water. There are even special varieties of pigs that are grown to make bacon.

To be honest, I don't eat bacon because I don't eat aminals at all! do you know that pig is a very intelligent and friendly animal? eating a pig is like eating a dog or a cat or any other pet.

So even if it's bacon day- don't eat bacon and let pigs live! and if you really like the taste of a bacon, there are plant based options for bacon that are very good. 

 

Natural Coconut Bacon Sprinkles

December 30 is also Bicarbonate of Soda Day

Find the word - Word Search puzzles

Word search is an indoor activity for kids which helps to learn to spell words in a fun way. Here you will find word searches on various topics that you can print and make your children busy in.

PS- To save paper and help our planet, you can print on used pages, on the blank side ♥

Word Search - 15 words animals

Word Search- 12 words dolls

Find the words- 9 words family members

Winter word search - 15 words

Food word search - 20 words
Solution

Sustainability word search - 20 words
Solution