All - Leep Calendar

Chocolate Covered Cherry Day celebrates the cordial of cherries covered in chocolate. The idea of covering fruits, nuts, and even nougat with chocolate wasn’t possible until the 19th century. The technology needed to separate the chocolate from cocoa butter wouldn’t be invented until 1828 by Conrad Van Houten in today’s Netherlands. Before this process, chocolate was used as a spice. Other techniques, including conching, invented by Rudolph Lindt in 1879, would eventually lead to that box of chocolates and candy bars we are familiar with today. Chocolate Covered Cherry Day is an unofficial holiday with no sponsor.

Africa

Jan

Dog Days of Summer (Southern Hemisphere): January 3-February 11

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The Dog Days of Summer in the Southern Hemisphere are the year's hottest days. They received their name because, in ancient times, this period coincided with the star Sirius, also known as the "Dog Star." In pagan societies, brown dogs were sacrificed to the god represented by Sirius in an attempt to mitigate extreme heat over the coming weeks.

Africa

Jan

Festival of Sleep Day: January 3

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Now that Christmas is over and New Year's Eve is behind us, it is time to take a day (or a few hours) and get that well-deserved rest! Ergo the Festival of Sleep Day on January 3rd. Before jumping back into your everyday lifestyle, consider finding a person/pet or a stuffed animal to cuddle. Today is your day to sleep!

Africa

Jan

Fruitcake Toss Day: January 3

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This event was a joke but has become an excellent fundraising opportunity for charities. It's always newsworthy, and the dense consistency of fruitcakes makes them highly mobile when thrown. Fruitcakes are a dessert popular during Christmas. In some ancient cultures, it was a custom to bury one's loved ones with fruitcakes; today, it is more customary to re-gift fruitcakes! Most of us are guilty of this, or at least 38% of Americans report doing so. Those that re-gift have likely never tried a good fruitcake. Many are marinated in brandy and make quite a delicious addition to afternoon tea.

Africa

Jan

J.R.R. Tolkien Day (1892): January 3

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J.R.R. Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892, in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Tolkien is the father of modern fantasy literature. The professor's most famous works are the Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and The Silmarillion, and all are still read and loved worldwide. Celebrate each January 3 at 9 pm by raising a toast for the professor.

Africa

Jan

Memento Mori (Mortality Day): January 3

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Memento Mori, or Mortality Day, is a day to remind us of our mortality and the unavoidable fact that one day, we will all die. It's essential to keep that in mind, not as a scare tactic, but to remain mindful of how short life is and how important it is to spend our time well. Today is about evaluating your life and legacy, then making adjustments where needed.

Africa

Jan

Straw (Drinking) Day (1888): January 3

06:20 AM | -

Straw Day or Drinking Straw Day marks the anniversary of the patent received by Martin C Stone for this tool made from paper and thus disposable, January 3, 1888. First used by Sumerians (4500 - 1900BC in Mesopotamia) for drinking beer, it's believed straws allowed them to avoid the sedimentation caused by fermentation at the bottom of the glass. Today we use straws for various drinks, from non-alcoholic beverages to cocktails, though straws are most often associated with children and soda. They're also beneficial to people with disabilities and the ill.

Africa

Jan

Adult Entertainment Expo, Las Vegas (US-NV): January 4 - 7

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The Adult Entertainment Expo is the largest gathering of products and services related to the adult entertainment and the adult products industries globally. It is an awards program for those in the industry and a trade show of products and services within the legal adult industries. PLEASE NOTE: Treat all televised and venue-specific events (sporting, concerts, trade shows, etc.) as estimated. Several factors can cause an event to move dates at the last minute, including weather, strikes, natural disasters, political upheaval, conflicting programming, pandemics, and current events. Because of this, always verify the event with the promotor before committing resources. LEEP often estimates dates based on the previous year's schedules, as the final dates are unknown until a few months, weeks, or days before the event. If the date is known to be estimated, you will see an (est) following the date in the title.

Africa

Jan

Braille Day, World (1809): January 4

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Promoted by multiple organizations, including the World Blind Union, World Braille Day celebrates the birthday of Louis Braille on January 4, 1809. Braille was a Frenchman who lost his sight at a very early age. Braille learned to read using the Haüy system using Latin letters embossed on thick paper or leather. The Haüy system was complex and didn't allow for writing. Frustrated, Braille came up with a new code when he was only 15. Touch made this system of dots in small rectangular blocks far easier to read. More importantly, it allowed for writing. Today Braille's original code exists in several variations that accommodate different languages. His new language revolutionized communication for millions of people and opened up a world of learning, opportunity, and independence.

Africa

Jan

Dimpled Chad Day: January 4

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Dimpled Chad Day or Hanging Chad Day is a Wellcat Holiday that honors the 2000 US presidential election snafu created by the vote recount hampered via hanging and dimpled chads.

Africa

Jan

Hypnotism Day, World: January 4

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World Hypnotism Day acknowledges and spreads the word about the positive effects of hypnosis: weight control, self-control, stress management, dealing with anxiety and panic attacks, pain management, improving sports performance, improving academic performance, and achieving one's goals.

Africa

Jan

Independence Day, (MM)(1948): January 4

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Independence Day in Myanmar marks the anniversary of January 4, 1948, when Burma achieved independence from Britain. Independence Day is a national holiday.

Africa

Jan

Perihelion Day: January 4

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Perihelion Day is the day when the Earth is closest to the Sun. This day changes yearly, but it's usually in early January. The word "perihelion" comes from the Ancient Greek words "peri," meaning "near" or "close," and "helios," which translates to "the Sun." Perihelion is the opposite of Aphelion when the Earth is at its furthest point from the Sun. "Apo" means "away, off, apart."

Africa

Jan

Pop Music Chart Day (1936): January 4

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Pop Music Chart Day marks the anniversary of Billboard Magazine publishing its first music hit parade, or chart of the most popular songs, on January 4, 1936. This day marks the advent of "pop" or popular music.

Africa

Jan

Spaghetti Day, Ntl.: January 4

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National Spaghetti Day celebrates the round wheat noodle known as spaghetti. The ancient Greeks first wrote about spaghetti nearly 3,000 years ago. Later the lauded Roman statesman and poet Cicero documented his love for spaghetti and his propensity to overindulge. When archaeologists uncovered the remains of the Mount Vesuvius and Mount Etna eruptions of the first century, they found spaghetti and the instruments used to make the pasta. During this period, and well before the Islamic era, Arab cultures of the Gulf and Levant fashioned dried pasta in strips. Arabians of western Asia were nomadic peoples who shared their version of dried pasta throughout East, South, and West Asia. When Islam conquered Sicily in June 827 AD, the culinary arts of Europe and Asia met. To this day, they share similarities in cuisine. During the 12th century, Abu Abdullah Mohammed al Idrisi wrote of the importance of spaghetti to Sicilian culture in "The Book of Roger," noting specifically the town of Trabia in Sicily. Here, the natives made the dough using hard wheat into long strands that they then exported to other areas. A century later, Marco Polo traveled to and lived for several years in China, and he may have carried spaghetti with him. The Chinese also create noodles, not from wheat but rice. For some reason, the legend persists that Marco Polo brought pasta to Europe. No, the Greeks ate it first. What about the red sauce now associated with spaghetti? Tomatoes arrived in Europe from Central and South America via the Spanish Conquistadors during the 16th century. The Aztec word "xitomati" is the original name. It would take a while for the funky fruit to catch on, nearly 200 years. Legend suggests its popularity soared after being rumored to be an aphrodisiac in aristocratic circles. The French called tomatoes "love apples." Tomatoes proliferate quickly, making them accessible to ordinary people. By the mid-18th century, this inexpensive and easy-to-grow food became a staple in southern European diets. However, the sauce would not be complete until the mid-19th century, when India's contribution of fresh basil was added. Therefore, if you sit down to a plate of spaghetti today, thank the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Aztecs, Spanish, Indians, and Italians. Your plate of pleasure is 3,000 years and three continents in the making!

Africa