All - Leep Calendar

Cocoa, the base ingredient of chocolate, is truly a family affair. Currently 90% of all cocoa is produced on family farms of fewer than 5 hectares each. The Mayans were the first to use cocoa beans with peppers for medicine, as a beverage and a spice. It is unsure if the ancient Olmec or the Mayans were the first civilization to purposely farm cocoa beans around 1000BC. What we do know is this delicacy of the new world was first encountered by Christopher Columbus when he landed on the island of Guanaja in 1502. However, it would have to wait until Hernan Cortez arrived in Tabasco in 1519 before its true culinary value would be realized. Cortez was presented with ample cocoa beans by the ruler of the Aztecs, Montezuma. For the Aztecs, the cocoa plant was sacred. Cortez brought the beans back to Europe and this time also brought the customs of drinking and preparing the bitter bean made heavenly by sweetening. The rest is history. On National Cocoa Day we appreciate the origins of the cocoa bean and enjoy the delicacies it creates. The most common way to celebrate in the cold months of December is with a cup of hot chocolate. National Cocoa Day is an unofficial holiday with no sponsor.

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Dec

Green Monday (E-commerce): December 13

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Dec

Nanking Massacre Memorial Day (CN)(1937): December 13

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One of the most horrific events in Chinese History, the Nanking Massacre (Nanjing Massacre), began on this day, December 13, 1937. Japanese troops invaded the city. For the next six weeks, through torture, summary executions, rape and violence, the citizens of the city were murdered in the hundreds of thousands. Estimates range from 142,000 to up to 300,000 people were murdered and victimized. This day is honored each year in China with reverence and solemnity.

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Dec

Pathologist Pal Day, Pick a: December 13

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Pick a Pathologist Pal Day is another Wellcat.com event. This day is meant to encourage people to overcome a fear of dying and make friends with a pathologist or coroner.

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Dec

Popcorn Day, On a String, Ntl.: December 13

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Dec

Republic Day, (MT)(1974): December 13

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Malta's Republic Day marks the anniversary of December 13, 1974, the day the island nation ended the monarchy and became a republic. This is a national holiday.

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Dec

Santa Lucia Day (SE): December 13

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Santa Lucia (Lucy), like Saint Sebastian, was persecuted and executed for her faith in pre-Christian Rome in the year of 304 AD at the age of 19. She is considered the barer of light and the patron saint of authors, salesmen, laborers and peasants. Sweden and other Christian countries celebrate her feast day on December 13 each year.

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Dec

Violin Day: December 13

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Italian Andrea Amati of Cremona (1511-1577) created the first four string violin, the type still used today in 1555. The oldest original violin in the world was created by Amati in 1560 and is currently on display at the National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota, United States of America. The most expensive violins in the world today include: The Titanic violin, played by Wallace Hartley as the ship sank at $1.7 million. The Lady Tennant by Antonio Stradivari, created in 1699 at $2,032,000. The Lady Blunt by Antonio Stradivari, created in 1721 at $15,900,00. Currently, the most expensive violin in the world, The Vieuxtemps Guarneri created by Guarneri Del Gesu in 1741, is valued at $16,000,000. This violin is currently played by violinist Anne Akiko Meyers. She is endowed the violin to use for the rest of her life by an anonymous donor.

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Dec

Asarah B'Tevet (J): December 14

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The 10th day of the Jewish month of Tevet is set aside as a fasting day from sunrise to commemorate the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem in the 6th century BC. It is also a day in Israel to honor the dead whose date of death is unknown.

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Dec

Bouillabaisse Day, Ntl.: December 14

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Dec

Christmas Bird Count (US/UK/CA): December 14-January 5, 2022

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Dec

Energy Conservation Day, World: December 14

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Created to promote energy conservation and prevent global warming and climate change, World Energy Conservation Day is observed in over 150 countries worldwide.

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Dec

Gita Jayanti (H): December 14

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Gita Jayanti is the birthday of Bhagavad Gita, (700-verse Hindu scripture) and the sacred text of the Hindus. It is celebrated on the Shukla Ekadashi, the 11th day of the waxing moon in the month of Margashirsha. It corresponds to November-December month in the Gregorian calendar. It is believed the Bhagavad Gita was revealed to Arjuna by Sri Krishna himself in the battlefield of Kurukshetra (in present day Haryana, India). Gita Jayanti is celebrated by all devotees of Lord Krishna. PLEASE NOTE: We use the Indian Civil Calendar, which is the official holiday calendar in India, the largest Hindu nation. The Hindu faith has many calendars, each specific to different regions and tribes with dates and celebrations marked by differing positions of the sun, moon and stars. Names of months and holidays, as well as the corresponding dates in the Gregorian Calendar, vary widely from one calendar to the next. Use our dates as a baseline. Find out which of the dozens of Hindu calendars is used in the region you live or plan to visit if you are looking to attend or witness a specific observance.

Africa

Dec

Halcyon Days: December 14-28

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Halcyon Days is an ancient tradition honoring the mythical bird of peace and tranquility, the halcyon. It always occurs during the seven days leading up to the winter solstice and the seven days following it.

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