November 13: Odd Socks Day
Odd Socks Day is held on the 1st day of the 3rd week in November: November 13, this year. The day encourages everyone to wear the most outlandish socks they can imagine to show off their unique personality and style. It’s a fun and lighthearted event that celebrates differences. But, it has a deeper meaning, as well. The day is meant to remind us to think about our words before we say them and their effects on others.
Odd Sock Day first began in 2017, in the United Kingdom, as a way to deter bullying in schools. Students have been bullied for wearing something out of the ordinary ever since schools were created. The Anti-Bullying Alliance created the day to remind people that it’s good to stand out in a crowd. Expressing oneself without fear of judgment reaffirms the idea that being who you are is more than enough. If we can appreciate someone else’s odd socks, we can also appreciate each individual’s differences. So, change out of ordinary black or white socks and opt for something, well, a little bit weirder. Wearing odd socks can be a great way for people to underline their unique style — and it works very well as a conversation starter. Win win.
Though not well-known, socks have been around since the Stone Age. Cavemen were actually the first people to wear socks after a wave of surprising ingenuity. They wrapped animal skin around their feet and tied them around their ankles for warmth. Although they looked much different than the versions worn today, these archaic socks were the prototypes of the future. Romans modernized the sock during the 8th century BC. The poet Hesiod wrote about them in his piece Works and Days, where he makes reference to “piloi,” socks made of matted animal fur. Worn under sandals, this revolutionized the cavemen model. Today, such a fashion statement would be looked aghast at, but back then it was modern. Later, Romans started wrapping their feet in strips of leather or woven fabric. In a 2nd century AD sock breakthrough, Romans sewed fabrics together for a more fitted and comfortable feel.
The Middle Ages: another major sock advancement. Trousers were lengthened and socks became tighter, with more colorful fabric. Elastic bands weren’t around yet, so garters were used to keep them up. Sock options multiplied. Then, in Scotland, during the 15th century, argyle socks were created.
Embrace your socks — odd or not — if not for love, then for money. It’s been estimated that lost socks cost a family of four nearly $300 a year.
November 14: National Pickle Day
National Pickle Day was created to celebrate the pickle — tart, sweet, even spicy — as one of the world’s favorite fermented foods (say that 3 times fast). Pickles are popular across the US, with more than 250 million consumed by the end of this year. No matter the type — dill, gherkin, cornichon, brined, kosher dill, Polish, Hungarian, lime, bread-and-butter, Swedish, Danish, there’s even a Kool-Aid pickle (ick) — we eat them all day long.
The term pickle comes from the Dutch word “pekel,” meaning “brine.” In the US, the word pickle typically refers to a pickled cucumber. However, just about any fruit or vegetable can be pickled. The process typically starts with a blanching process, depending on the fruit or vegetable. Next, the product is packed into jars with seasonings that give the pickles their flavor. A pickle’s tartness or sweetness comes from the brine. A basic brine includes vinegar and water. Sugar, in varying amounts, adjusts the level of sweetness in the brine.
Pickling has existed for thousands of years. The process ensured a degree of preservation otherwise impossible in pre-modern conditions. It was essential as a mobile supply of provisions for travelers, as well as a dependable source of nutrition for those living through barren winters.
Pickles’ popularity dates back to 2030 BC. At the time, traders imported cucumbers from India to the Tigris Valley. There, people first preserved and ate cucumbers as pickles. Cleopatra attributed her good looks to her diet of pickles. Julius Caesar craved the benefits of pickles. He so believed they lent physical and spiritual strength, he gave them to his troops.
Popular in the Old World (i.e., Europe), pickles first made their appearance in the New World (eg, North America) in 1492, provided by guess who. Yes, it was old Christopher Columbus. Pickles were included in sailors’ rations on his expeditions as a way to prevent the onset of scurvy. By the mid-17th century, cucumbers bought from Dutch settlers farming in the NY area were pickled and distributed throughout the region, paving the way for our state to be the perfect site for the introduction of the Kosher dill pickle. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Eastern European Jews immigrated to the US in great numbers and settled in the NYC area. They brought with them the unique methods that produce kosher dill pickles.
In the US, we consume a phenomenal 5,200,000 pounds annually (about 9 pounds per American). Yes, they’re high in sodium, but they’re also a good source of vitamin K. Eaten in moderation, they make a great snack. While on the subject of pickle snacks, food vendors sometimes serve pickles on a stick at fairs or carnivals. They are known, rather obviously, as “stick pickles.” A rising trend in the US is — wait for it: deep-fried pickles. The pickle is wrapped in dough or dipped in breading and deep-fried. No, we’re not kidding.
National Pickle Day traces its roots to International Pickle Week, which was started by the National Pickle Packers Association in 1949. Who else?
November 15: National Raisin Bran Cereal Day
It’s National Raisin Bran Cereal Day, celebrating one of the country’s favorite cereals. It’s allso a day for understanding US copyright law.
Raisin bran cereals (note the lack of capitals for most of that) are made from toasted wheat flakes with raisins added. No surprise there. Raisin brans have been a staple in many American breakfasts for generations as a healthy — while remaining tasty — breakfast choice. Healthy because it is high in fiber; however, the added sugar make it unhealthy. Yin and yang.
Bran is the outer covering of the wheat kernel; it is commonly used in cereals. Raisins are sweet, dried grapes, that became popular after a heat wave dried up a large portion of California’s grape harvest in September of 1873. A San Francisco grocer started marketing them as “Peruvian Delicacies.”
In 1925, Skinner Manufacturing Company, the largest producer of macaroni in the US at the time, introduced the first raisin bran brand to hit the market: “Skinner’s Raisin-BRAN.” Bran flakes had, since 1915, already been in existence, but Skinner was the first company to add raisins to the mix. They also trademarked the name “Raisin-BRAN” a year after introducing the cereal in the market. And that paid off. The cereal caught on and gained in popularity. And here’s where copyright comes into play. For 17 years, the Omaha-based company held the sole ownership of the name “Raisin-BRAN.” Then, in 1942, Kellogg’s and Post started to sell their own versions of the cereal, and Skinner fought back, filing a cease-and-desist to keep its monopoly on the raisin bran product. Skinner claimed trademark infringement and unfair competition from the other 2 cereal giants.
In 1944, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit came down on the side of Skinner’s competitors. It ruled that a name that described the ingredients of an item cannot be trademarked. The court claimed there was nothing revolutionary about the mixture of raisins and cereal flakes. Since that decision, brands such as Kellogg’s Raisin Bran, General Mills’ Total Raisin Bran, and Post Cereals' Post Raisin Bran have made up a large share of the market. Skinner is now part of Winland Foods, Inc., providing the company’s pasta and rice brands. No Raisin-BRAN.
November 16: National Button Day
National Button Day celebrates the function of buttons and the hobby of button collection.
Founded in 1938, the National Button Society recognized button collecting as an organized hobby. Both novice and advanced button collectors (yes, there are gradations) celebrate the enjoyment of collecting on this day.
Ancient humans formed buttons from natural and readily available substances such as stone, shell, bone, clay, or wood. The oldest known button — dating to 5000 BC — was made from a curved shell and found in the Indus River Valley. The first buttons were used for ornamentation and seals, and have been found in the Indus River Valley (c. 2800 – 2600 BC), China (c. 2000 – 1500 BC), and ancient Rome. The Roman Empire produced some of the first buttonholes (and buttonholes can also be found on footwear from the Middle Ages). In the 5th century AD, buttons were used by the Byzantine Empire to fasten cuffs and were also used to fasten tunics necks in Egypt at the same time. But buttons as we know them (along with associated buttonholes) didn’t come about until the 13th century. They first appeared in Germany. From there, their modern use began to spread. By the 14th century, buttons were in wide use all throughout Europe.
Today buttons are most often constructed out of hard plastic, metals, seashells, or wood. Beyond the factory walls — where they are made in huge quantities — buttons have been created in small quantities by artisans, artists, and craftspeople out of raw materials or found objects, such as fossils, or from a combination of both.
Remember your grandmother or your mother snipping the buttons off shirts headed for the rag basket? Those buttons were often collected in jars or tins. Maybe you even played games with them or strung them for ornaments and crafts. The buttons were fun to stack into piles, sort by color or size, or scatter and slide across the floor or table making up different games each time. A button jar can morph into a great craft project, extra game tokens, or fashion embellishment. Sure, we have zippers and Velcro now, but buttons are just more fun, interesting, and whimsical.
Button collecting, which is most popular in the US, varies from people having buttons in a container for future use, to casual collecting, to competitive collecting. The National Button Society was founded in 1938. Hobbies magazine had organized a hobby show in Chicago in 1938, and button collectors participated in the show. Later that year they formed the Society, and held their own button show the following year. They also established National Button Day, which celebrates the function of buttons and the hobby of button collection.
Many state and local button clubs were formed in the decades after 1938. They also put on button shows. Today the National Button Society has over 3,000 members in four continents. The Society focuses on educational research and exhibitions, the publication of materials about buttons, and the preservation of the importance of buttons.
November 17: National Farm Joke Day
Welcome to National Farm Joke Day, a day dedicated to all things funny and farm-related. From silly jokes to hilarious anecdotes, this day is all about spreading laughter and brightening up the farming community. Farming can be hard work, and what better way to take a break than by sharing a good laugh?
Over the years, the internet has played a significant role in promoting and celebrating National Farm Joke Day. It has become a virtual gathering place for farmers and agriculture enthusiasts to share their favorite jokes and connect with others in the farming community. Want a sample? Just go to Youtube.com and put “National Farm Joke Day” in the search bar. We’re not saying the comedy is, uhm, professional (most are just groaners), but the farmers are obviously really enjoying themselves. Here’s a taste:
What kind of vest should you wear in the fall? . . . A har-vest! (Fall Jokes)
Happy Labor Day! Oh wait… we live on a farm. Never mind! (Labor Day Jokes)
I turned to farming, but I wasn’t outstanding in my field. (Labor Day Jokes)
My friend got fired from his cow milking job because of his erratic behavior. He was a danger to himself and udders. (Milk Jokes & Cow Jokes)
There was a farmer who grew watermelons. He was doing pretty well, but he was disturbed by some local kids who would sneak into his watermelon patch at night and eat his watermelons. After some careful thought, he came up with a clever idea that he thought would scare the kids away for sure. He made up a sign and posted it in the field. The next day, the kids show up and they saw the sign which read, “Warning! One of the watermelons in this field has been injected with cyanide.” The kids ran off, made up their own sign and posted it next to the farmer’s sign. When the farmer returned, he surveyed the field. He noticed that no watermelons are missing, but the sign next to his read, “Now there are two!” (Watermelon Jokes)
In a farmers market, Farmer A sells pumpkins, Farmer B sells strawberries, what does Farmer C sell? . . . Medicine. (Doctor Jokes & Pumpkin Jokes)
How can you farm during the winter? . . . Use a snow plow.
If you crossed a zucchini with our first president, what would you get? . . . George Squashington.
What is a farmer’s favorite college football team? . . . The Nebraska Cornhuskers! (College Football Jokes & Nebraska Jokes)
What did the corn farmer say to his therapist? . . . An ear full. (Psychology Jokes & Farming Jokes)
Why don’t cows have any money? . . . Because farmers milk them dry. (Milk Jokes & Cow Jokes)
What did the farmer give his wife for Valentine’s Day? . . . Hogs and kisses. (Funny Valentine’s Day Jokes)
Why did the poultry farmer become a school teacher? . . . So he could grade his eggs. (Egg Jokes / Farming Jokes / Jokes for Teachers)
Why can’t tomatoes win races against lettuce at the Summer Games? . . . The lettuce are always a head, and the tomatoes are always trying to ketchup! (Lettuce Jokes & Summer Olympic Jokes)
What do you call a potato that has turned to the Dark side? . . . Vader Tots. (May the 4th Be with You Jokes)
What do you get when a bunch of sheep stand in a circle? . . . Shepard’s pi. (Pi Day Jokes for Teachers)
November 18: William Tell Day
The French are cultured. The Italians, passionate. The British, stiff upper-lipped. But how much do we ever think about the Swiss? Well, here’s something to think about. The Swiss folk hero William Tell is not believed to have been real, but the story of his courage in the face of power gave it importance in Swiss folklore. His national identity goes unquestioned. Tell is found in works of art and statues, and sites throughout Switzerland claim various associations with him. And his story has become a symbol of political and individual freedom. He is a father figure of the Swiss people. Even without ever really taking a breath.
William Tell Day honors Tell’s courage, skill, and determination and inspires people to stand up for their rights and values. According to legend, Tell was a 14th century farmer and famous hunter from the municipality of Bürglen, in Switzerland. One day he came with his son through the market square at Altdorf. Bailiff Gessler, an agent of the Habsburg duke in Austria, had put a Habsurg hat on a pole there and announced that everyone passing by had to uncover their heads. After Tell refused to do so, Gessler ordered an apple to be placed on Tell’s son’s head and said that if Tell didn’t shoot it off at a distance of 120 paces, he and his son would be put to death. Tell shot the apple and his son was saved. Afterward, Gessler asked him, “Your life is now safe, but kindly tell me why I saw you putting a second arrow inside your jacket?” William Tell answered: “If my first arrow had killed my son, I would have shot the second at you, and I would not have missed. Gessler then ordered Tell to be bound and carried to Lake Lucerne, put on a boat, and sent to a dungeon. On the way, a strong wind swept up. Tell was the only one with the strength to bring the boat to shore. When he made it there, he jumped off and kicked the boat back to sea.
Tell traveled to the site of the dungeon and hid behind a tree, waiting for Gessler to arrive. When Gessler appeared, Tell shot him with the second arrow. Later, he met with 3 other men who Gessler or other Habsburgs had wronged. They took an oath: “To assist each other with aid and every counsel and every favor, with person and goods, with might and main, against one and all, who may inflict on them any violence, molestation or injury, or may plot any evil against their persons or goods.” After they took their oath, bonfires were lit on the top of mountaintops to signal the start of a war of national liberation.
November 18 was the date that William Tell’s act of defiance set off a chain of events that led to national liberation for the Swiss people. That’s why William Tell Day takes place today.
November 19: National Play Monopoly Day
The game of Monopoly was invented 121 years ago — or, anyway, its prototype was. In 1902, Elizabeth Magie designed a board game called “The Landlord’s Game.” She designed the game as a protest against the big monopolists of the time, such as Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller. Magie created 2 sets of rules for her game: an anti-monopolist set in which all were rewarded when wealth was created, and a monopolist set in which the goal was to create monopolies and crush opponents. Her dualistic approach was a teaching tool meant to demonstrate that the first set of rules was morally superior. That game led to Monopoly, which, since its release by Parker Brothers in 1935, has been played by an estimated 500 million people. National Play Monopoly Day recognizes Monopoly as a favorite pastime of millions of Americans, as well as one of the most popular worldwide.
National Play Monopoly Day was created in dedication to this board game which brings joy to many families and friends. The object of the game is to collect as many properties as you can to create a monopoly. When players land on your property, you get to collect rent. The more properties you own, the more money you make, too. But watch out! Taxes and other fees are involved, as well. To win the game, you need to bankrupt your opponents and be the last landowner standing.
When Parker Brothers released the game, it had only 2 versions: regular and deluxe. In 1991, when Hasbro took over Parker Brothers, they developed a slew of new versions of the game — over 300 — including (but not limited to) those based on sports teams, bands and performers, individual TV/movie programs/ franchises and actors; books, travel, cars, anniversaries of great events, companies and products, or hobbies such as fishing. There’s also a digital edition and one where the winner is the first person to lose all their money. In 2003, Hasbro organized a championship tournament of Monopoly on a chartered train going from Chicago to Atlantic City.
But Monopoly has also gone beyond fun and games. During World War II, the British Secret Service asked the British publisher and manufacturer of Monopoly, Jack Waddington Ltd, to create a special edition of Monopoly for the prisoners of war held in Nazi Germany. The service hid objects like maps, money, and compasses in the game, to help them escape. The British Secret Service formed fake charity organizations to send this version of Monopoly to the POWs. And look what happened in WWII . . . just sayin’.