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NATIONAL BRING YOUR TEDDY BEAR TO WORK/SCHOOL DAY
National Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work/School Day provides a day to cuddle up with a sweet childhood toy. It is celebrated on the 2nd Wednesday of October each year. Teddy Bears provide comfort. Many of us have a childhood bear we snuggled up with when we were ill or scared. They were companions. Most Teddy Bears are the perfect size for children to hug at night while they drift off to sleep. They fit neatly into their tiny arms. For adults, teddy brightens up your day and brings a feeling of celebration to your office. In the classroom, the variety of Teddy bears brings delight and fascination. The day can also be an opportunity to give a teddy bear to someone who needs encouragement. In 1902, American President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear cub while hunting in Mississippi. This incident made national news. Clifford Berryman published a cartoon of the event in the Washington Post on November 16th, 1902. The caricature became an instant classic. The Berryman cartoon of Teddy Roosevelt and the cub inspired New York store owner Morris Michtom to create a new toy. Morris Michtom wrote President Roosevelt to ask permission to name the new toy a “Teddy Bear.” Since the advent of the Teddy Bear, a parade of famous characters followed.
National Take a Hike Day
National Take a Hike Day is celebrated on November 17th each year. It encourages us to get out there and hit the trails. Did you know that there are over 60,000 miles of trails in our National Trail System. These trails are in all 50 states. The oldest used trail in the UNited States is the Crawford Path in New Hampshire. The beginning of the path was cleared to summit Mt Washington in 1819. Other trails allow us to follow in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark or you could explore even more ancient history like Effigy Mounds National Monument. Besides experiencing majestic views and the great outdoors, we also exercise our bodies. Hiking not only gets our hearts pumping and our muscles moving, but being outdoors is good for our minds. Many of us spend too much time indoors behind a desk or infont of video games. Hiking can burn between 400-550 calories per hour. Your health and your heart will thank you for celebrating this day. When you participate in National Take a Hike day be sure to wear good shoes, take a snack and bring a buddy, but get out there and enjoy the fresh air, scenery and get a little exercise to boot!
When Hiking:
Here are ten essential items to bring with you before hitting the trails. With these survival items you will be able to handle most situations.
1. Warm Clothing - It's a good idea to bring along a warm hat, gloves and an insulated jacket if you are hiking after the sun sets. The amount of extra clothing you bring with you will depend on where and when you'll be hiking.
2. Extra Food & Water - You never know when you may be delayed by bad weather, by getting lost or having emergencies, so bring enough food and water to last you a day.
3. Compass & Map - Carry a map and compass with you even if you know the area you will be hiking. A detailed map will provide you information like landmarks, trail contours, national parks and nearby amenities.
4. Sun Protection - Bring a hat, lip balm and some form of sunscreen to prevent sunburn. Sunglasses are also necessary to protect your eyes, particularly in winter or on the water.
5. First-Aid - The simplest thing that you can do is purchase a small first-aid kit that has all the essential items you require inside - and always keep it with you when hiking.
6. Lights - You should have enough light that you can use during your hike after dark. A headlamp should always be part of your essential items list, as well as spare batteries.
7. Matches or a Firestarter - A great tool to bring with is a firestarter. Small and light wieght, but you should practice at home before hitting the trail.
8. Multi-Tool and Repair Kit - Another must have is a Swiss-Army knife or a multi tool. This single piece of gear has multiple uses for your needs.
9. Whistle - A plastic whistle is lightweight and incredibly shrill, and is the perfect tool for getting someone's attention. Find a plastic whistle that is pea-less -- as the pea inside metal whistles may freeze up if you are in the mountains.
10. Emergency Blanket - An emergency blanket is very useful if you get cold or wet or if you need to camp out.
Bear-Safe Best Practices
Following safe food storage practices protects both you and the bears:
- Never leave food or coolers unattended. All food, food particles, trash, and coolers need to be secured in a vehicle or trailer.
- Always keep a clean picnic area, campsite, or other area where you may be spending time.
- Don’t leave any food (including condiments), food particles, trash, and coolers out when not in use.
- Store food in bear-resistant units, hard-shelled vehicles or car trunks.
- Never store food in your tent.
Hiking Etiquette Fact Sheet - Read about proper hiking etiquette
Manasquan Reservoir - 5 mile perimeter trail and 1 mile nature walk
Ocean County Park System Hiking Trails - Find a park and trails near you
The Crawford Path - Learn about the oldest (still used) trail in the USA
Bear Safety - Learn about best practices for keeping safe from bears when hiking
Bear Safety Video - Watch this video on bears on hiking trails and campgrounds
National Park Posters - Check out these posters for each National Park
American Hiking Society - Learn more about this group
American Trails - Meet a that tends to the trails
Trails Near Jackson - More Trails near Jackson, NJ
Mickey Mouse Birthday
On November 18th, Mickey Mouse Birthday commemorates the debut of a lovable mouse that was once a rabbit called Oswald. His character got his start on film on November 18, 1928, but before that, the story begins in 1927, when Walt Disney first sketched a floppy-eared bunny while under contract to Universal Studios. The events that unraveled brought us Mickey Mouse. While his creator and studio have applied several different birth dates to the lovable mouse over the years, November 18, 1928, was finalized as Mickey’s birth date with stardom. Before that, Mickey Mouse came under the roller coaster events of Oswald’s success and Universal’s disappointing contract negotiations. Disney Bros. Studio took their leave of both the studio and Oswald and set to work, creating a character who would go on to lead the company into the future. From a rabbit named Oswald to a mouse named Mortimer, eventually, the squeaky-voiced rodent was dubbed Mickey. He flopped in two animated short films without any success. Then on November 18, 1928, Mickey’s star was born. The first animation synchronized to music and sound effects, Steamboat Willie premiered in New York.
Mickey Mouse Club
Within a year, a Mickey Mouse Club popped up in Salem, Oregon. This particular club offered admission as a fundraiser for the Salvation Army. Patrons donated either a potato or a small toy and a penny as admission. According to a December 22, 1929, Statesman Journal (Salem, Oregon) article, $12 and three truckloads of potatoes and toys collected by eager new members. Remember, the stock market crashed just 20 days before Mickey Mouse was born. That a cute little mouse could bring smiles to the faces of children at an uncertain time isn’t such a surprise. Generally, new members joined the club by completing an admission form obtained from a local merchant and attending meetings held during matinees at local movie houses. The price of admission often was reduced for good deeds and report cards. By the end of 1930, the Mickey Mouse Clubs had spread across the country.
New Look & Companions
In 1935, animator Fred Moore gave Mickey a new look that enabled a more fluid movement to the animation. A makeover in 1935 by animator Fred Moore gave Mickey the look we are familiar with today. The big eyes, white gloves, and the pert little nose. More lovable than ever before, he propelled himself even further into the hearts of children everywhere. His companions Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto joined him along the way, bringing vaudevillian comedy with them.
Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse - Watch this video news report for Mickey Mouse
Mickey Celebrates across the Globe and in Time Square - Watch Mickey celebrate around the world
Classic Mickey Mouse Birthday Short - Watch this classic Mickey Mouse Short
Birth of Mickey Mouse - Read to learn more
Mickey's 90th Birthday Party! - Watch Mickey's 90th Birthday Bash
Mickey's Birthday - Check out these stories about Mickey and Minnie
Harlem Globetrotter Day
The Harlem Globetrotters were established on January 7, 1927 by Abe Saperstein. Originally called the Savoy Big Five, this African American team of players were some of the most famous to ever enter the game. They were famous for their on court antics, and they showed them best when they won the World Professional Basketball Tournament in 1940. These guys were amazing and on fire, and loved entertaining the crowd with their uncanny basketball ability, juggling basketballs and making shots that were nothing short of outlandish.
In 1948 the NBA was formed, and the Globetrotters showed their skill by defeating the Minneapolis Lakers, and in 1950 things got competitive as African American basketball players were finally admitted into the NBA. Even with the new opportunities, the Globetrotters remained one of the biggest draws and began to live up to their name by travelling the world. They even got to perform for the Pope!
Harlem Globetrotter’s Day is best celebrated by enjoying the antics of this amazing team! You can get out and watch a solid game of basketball, or look up some of their videos of their antics on Youtube. Get together with your friends and watch the episodes of shows past where they showed up to do their amazing tricks.
If you’re really fortunate, you may be able to catch them performing in your area, and if they are you’re in for an amazing treat. These guys have some of the most astounding tricks you can imagine, and perform feats with a basketball that just seem impossible when you watch it happen. There’s little as amazing as watching them in action, and it’s a great day for the family!
Best of Trick Shots 2020 Video
HGT Break 9 World Records in 1 Day
Penguin Awareness Day
Penguin Awareness Day is celebrated on January 20th each year. There are currently over 18 different known species of penguin and some of them have been around the planet for well over 65 million years. However, what most people don’t realize is that penguin numbers around the world are dwindling. Every year, the penguin population shrinks at an alarming rate and most of the world doesn’t realize this because they don’t get to see “real” penguins in their natural habitat. That’s why Penguin Awareness Day is such a good opportunity to learn more about penguins and understand the situation they’re in.
It could lead to an appreciation for penguins and can help ensure that they can continue living on our planet for another 65 million years! Penguin Awareness Day is a time to celebrate and commemorate penguins, but unless we do something as a collective to help penguins thrive in the wild, there may be none left in the near future. That’s why the main focus of Penguin Awareness Day is to educate people on their situation, learn how climate change has affected them and also learn about the different species and where they live.
Here are some websites for you to explore and learn more about penguins.
International Sweatpants Day
The first pair of sweatpants was introduced in the 1920s by Émile Camuset, the founder of Le Coq Sportif. The first sweatpants to be made were simple knitted gray jersey pants that allowed athletes to stretch and run comfortably. Since then, traditionally, sweatpants have been ash-gray in color, but over the recent years, companies like Nike have put considerable effort into making them more attractive while at the same remaining just as comfortable as the original ones. International Sweatpants Day was created to show people that wearing sweatpants doesn’t necessarily have to be embarrassing—after all, why should anyone be embarrassed of being comfortable? Life is too short to be wearing tight clothing all the time.
How to celebrate International Sweatpants Day
International Sweatpants Day is not just about spending the day wearing sweatpants or something equally comfortable, although that is definitely part of the fun involved. International Sweatpants Day is also about giving yourself a break from the often stressful and rushed lives many of us live. Wearing sweatpants means we want to be good to ourselves for a change, put our own comfort before our worries of what other people think of of us. And that’s how we should spend this whole day: being good to ourselves, enjoying our lives without paying attention to what other people think about what we do, wear or say. So take a moment to think: what do you really feel like doing on this day? Today is the day to be good to yourself for a change. You deserve a break, to relax, to be comfortable, and this is your day to make that happen. International Sweatpants Day, as trivial as it sounds, may be just what a lot of today’s super-stressed professionals need to wind down after working every waking minute of every day.
History of the Company that Invented Sweatpants
Bubble Wrap Day
However, when two engineers created bubble wrap, the use as packaging didn’t pop into their minds right away. Marc Chavannes and Alfred Fielding first sealed two shower curtains together in 1956 in the town of Hawthorne, New Jersey. This technique created a smattering of air bubbles. The two engineers initially thought their creation would make a great wallpaper! However, sales for the wallpaper never materialized. So, Chavannes and Fielding moved to sell the product as greenhouse insulation. The product was originally named Air Cap and produced by the Sealed Air Corporation which was founded in 1960. In 1961, the product evolved into the Bubble Wrap we know today when it protected IBM’s 1401 computer when it started shipping. Sealed Air Corporation trademarked Bubble Wrap and has been filling shipping needs ever since.
Bubble Wrap was invented right here in New Jersey.
Learn more about Bubble wrap and how it is made here:
Bubble Wrap Smithsonian Article
National Puzzle Day
National Puzzle Day is the perfect day to do a little brain exercise. Whether it’s a crossword, jigsaw, or Sudoku, puzzles engage our brain in more ways than one. Scientists have discovered that when we work on a jigsaw puzzle, we utilize both sides of the brain, improving memory, cognitive function and problem solving skills in the process. By utilizing puzzles, people can stimulate the brain improve a number of skills. Try some of these online puzzles, or do a real puzzle at home.
Articles:
History of Jigsaw PuzzlesHistory of Jigsaw Puzzles
42,000 Piece Puzzle Time Lapse Video
Virtual Puzzles:
Barnsley Bridge in Winter 63 pc
Mickey and Mini Mouse Vacation 99 pc
Other Puzzles:
Crossword Puzzles Online by Topic
Valentine Day Crossword - select online
MLK Day Crossword - select online
Halloween Crossword - Select online
National Panda Day
Every year on March 16, we celebrate the fluffiest, bamboo-munching bears that are a source of national pride for China. There are two subspecies of panda: The Giant, black and white panda, and the ‘Qinling panda’ – A much smaller, brown subspecies of panda, discovered in 1985 in the mountain ranges of the southern Shaanxi Province in China. In the wilderness, giant pandas live only in the remote, mountainous regions of China. As of 2019, due to rapidly growing population numbers, the status of pandas was upgraded from “endangered” species to “vulnerable” species.
Still, it is reported that there are less than 2,000 pandas left in the wild, due to habitat loss, farming, fur hunting, and other factors. Pandas only live about 15 to 20 years in the wild, but those in captivity can live even longer. Panda bears play an important part in the ecosystem of China’s bamboo forests, by spreading seeds, and therefore, growing new vegetation, which serves both humans and animals. That’s why it is important to protect the panda and its environment.
One factor contributing to their endangered status is the low birth rate for pandas. Considering that female pandas are only fertile two or three days of the year, it makes sense that reproduction in the wild is more difficult for this species. There are about 27 zoos worldwide that protect Giant Pandas, and foster environments to encourage reproduction. The most important factor for preserving wild pandas is to protect their environment, especially bamboo forests, their main source of nutrition.
5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT PANDAS
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They spend 14 hours just eating
This amounts to consuming up to 83 pounds of bamboo every day, depending on what part of the bamboo they are eating.
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Their scientific name has an odd meaning
The scientific name for the panda is Ailuropoda melanoleuca, which means black and white cat food!
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Newborn pandas are blind
They start to see around 6 weeks old. Throughout their lives, they rely on spatial memory more than visual memory.
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Five fingers and a pseudo-thumb
Pandas use their enlarged wrist bones to eat, which function as opposable thumbs.
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The oldest panda in captivity
Jia Jia, a giant female panda at Ocean Park in Hong Kong, lived to age 38 from March 1978 - October 2016.
(https://nationaltoday.com/national-panda-day/)
Websites about Pandas to explore:
