Historic Facts About Armed Forces Day
In the United States, Armed Forces Day is observed annually on the third Saturday in May. The holiday involves all branches of the U.S. military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard, and was established as a day for citizens to honor the men and women who give their all in support of their country.
“It is fitting and proper that we devote one day each year
to paying special tribute to those whose constancy and courage
constitute one of the bulwarks guarding the freedom of this nation
and the peace of the free world.”
—–U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower
Want to learn more about Armed Forces Day? Here are some Historic Facts that will put you in the know!
When Was Armed Forces Day Created? On August 31, 1949, Louis Johnson – then Secretary of Defense – announced Armed Forces Day. The holiday was intended to replace the separate holidays honoring the five branches of U.S. armed forces (though the individual days are still celebrated within each service), and also marked the unification of the military branches under the Department of Defense.
Who’s Idea Was Armed Forces Day? President Harry S. Truman first proposed a single Armed Forces Day, and led the effort to adopt it. Later, he said, “Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 20, 1950, marks the first combined demonstration by America’s defense team of its progress, under the National Security Act, towards the goal of readiness for any eventuality. It is the first parade of preparedness by the unified forces of our land, sea, and air defense.”
When Did Armed Forces Day Become an Official National Holiday? Under President John F. Kennedy, who on March 18, 1961, issued Proclamation 3399.
What Do People Do on Armed Forces Day? Celebrations often include parades – in fact, Bremerton, Washington, holds the record for the longest running city-sponsored Armed Forces Day Parade, now entering its 64th year in 2012- air shows, receptions, exhibits and exhibitions, flying the American flag, and lots more.
“This is the day on which we have the welcome opportunity to pay special tribute to the men and women of the Armed Forces … to all the individuals who are in the service of their country all over the world. Armed Forces Day won’t be a matter of parades and receptions for a good many of them. They will all be in line of duty and some of them may give their lives in that duty.” —–New York Times, May 17, 1952
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5 Marvelous Mother’s Day Moms
In the United States, Mother’s Day has been celebrated on the second Sunday in May (in 2012, this date falls on May 12th) since it was made an official U.S. holiday in 1914.
“Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs… since the payment is pure love.”
—–Mildred B. Vermont
Everybody’s mother is special, but some moms are a bit more special than others. For your enjoyment, here are 5 Marvelous Mother’s Day Moms for you. Now go outside and play, wipe your feet when you come in the house, do you call those ears clean?, go ask your father, and don’t forget to call your mother.
Oldest Mom: According to the Guiness Book of World Records, that would be Maria del Carmen Bousada Lara, an unmarried Spanish woman who lied about her age to receive IVF treatment in America when she failed to qualify in her native country. She was a week shy of her 67th birthday when her twin sons were born by Cesarean section in Barcelona.
Mom Who Had the Most Children: Hold onto your hats – the record goes to the wife of Russian peasant Feodor Vassilyev in the 18th century. In the period between 1725-1765, she gave birth to 4 sets of quadruplets, 7 sets of triplets, and 16 sets of twins for a total of 69 children! By that standard, Feodor’s second wife was a slacker – she only had 6 sets of twins and 2 sets of triplets.
Youngest Mom: Likely suffering from a rare condition called extreme precocious puberty, Lina Medina of Peru gave birth to a son by Cesarean section at the age of 5 years, 7 months, and 17 days in 1939. The father remains unknown. She still lives in Lima, Peru.
Extremely Brave Mom: In 2006 in Brooklyn, New York, the second-story apartment of Nabila Nazli caught fire. After calling for help from a window, she dropped her month old baby into a makeshift net held by neighbors, followed by his twin brother and her two older children. When her fifth child, a 5-year old daughter, refused to jump, Nazli remained in the blazing apartment with her until fire fighters arrived to rescue them.
Insanely Brave Mom: Inéz Ramírez Pérez performed a successful Cesarean section on herself in 2000 – the only known woman to do so in history. A peasant living in a cabin in rural Mexico, she was alone when her labor started. She had previously given birth to 8 children, of whom 7 survived. Lacking a phone, and fearing her newest child would succumb like the last to fetal death in labor, she decided to operate on herself with a knife. Both mother and child survived.
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Five Questions and Answers About Nurses Day
To understand the who, what, and why of Nurses Day on May 6th in the U.S. (Nurses Week is held annually May 6-12), we need to start with Florence Nightingale.
“It may seem a strange principle to enunciate
as the very first requirement in a hospital
that it should do the sick no harm.”
—–Florence Nightingale , the “Lady with the Lamp”
Briefly, Englishwoman Florence Nightingale was a volunteer nurse with the British Army during the Crimean War in the 1850s. Nightingale campaigned on behalf of better care and conditions for the men, and better sanitation and nutrition, and established the foundation of professional nursing with her nursing school in London. National Nurses Week ends on her birthday.
To put you further in the know about the medical professionals who make a difference in so many lives each day, here are Five Questions and Answers About Nurses Day:
When Did the Official Observance of Nurses Day Begin? Dorothy Sutherland, an official with the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, in 1953 proposed a “Nurses Day” celebration but it wasn’t approved by President Eisenhower. However, in 1974, President Nixon proclaimed “National Nurses Week,” and in 1982, Congress approved “National Recognition Day for Nurses” which became Nurses Day.
How Many Nurses Work in the United States? According to the U.S. Department of Labor, about 3.1 million licensed registered nurses are employed along with approximately 728,000 licensed practical nurses and licensed vocational nurses, and 1.5 million healthcare aides.
What Do People Do to Celebrate Nurses Day? Celebrations include parties and receptions, recognition ceremonies and proclamations, as well as giving gifts such as flowers or gift certificates. Greeting cards given by friends, family, and co-workers is a large part of the holiday.
What is the Florence Nightingale Pledge? A modified form of the Hippocratic Oath sworn by doctors, the Florence Nightingale Pledge was composed by Lystra Gretter and a Committee for the Farrand Training School for Nurses, Detroit, Michigan, in 1893, and named in honor of the founder of modern nursing.
Why Do We Celebrate Nurses Day? To foster awareness of the vitally important role nursing professionals play in the healthcare industry. Nurses bring care and comfort to millions of lives each year. Their contributions to quality healthcare, and their commitment and dedication to their profession, is worthy of recognition.
Recognizing the role played by RNs, LPNs, LVNs, CNAs, and healthcare aides and choosing a custom Nurses Day paper greeting card has never been easier. The variety of one-of-a-kind designs created by our international artists has one thing in common: they all say “thanks” to the people who help others every day of the year.
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Five Firsts For Tax Day
It’s mid-April, and we all know what that means, don’t we?
“I’m proud to be paying taxes in the United States.
The only thing is, I could be just as proud for half the money.”
—–Arthur Godfrey
For Americans, Tax Day isn’t exactly a holiday. It falls annually on April 15, the deadline to file U.S. federal income tax returns. When the date falls on a weekend (like this year) or an official federal holiday, the deadline is extended to the next business day. Which means in 2012, tax returns are due on April 17th.
To cheer you up while you wrestle with the forms and figures – it’s estimated that Americans as a whole spend 7.6 billion hours on their taxes – here are Five Firsts for Tax Day:
First U.S. Federal Income Tax: The United States government passed the Revenue Act in 1861 due to the start of the Civil War, which would eventually cost an estimated $2.5 million per day. The Act lapsed after the end of the war, but in 1913, Congress passed the 16th Amendment to the Constitution, allowing the federal government to levy taxes.
First Whistleblower to Pocket a Reward: From the IRS website – “The IRS Whistleblower Office pays money to people who blow the whistle on persons who fail to pay the tax that they owe. If the IRS uses information provided by the whistleblower, it can award the whistleblower up to 30 percent of the additional tax, penalty and other amounts it collects.” The first whistleblower to claim a reward under this program, first set up in 2006, received $4.5 million.
First Federal Tax Code: One of the things to come out of the Revenue Act of 1913 was a federal tax code – all 400 pages of it. Nowadays, the federal tax code rounds up to a stunning 70,000 pages!
First Federal Income Tax Form: Another innovation for the forward-thinking government of 1913 – the pre-printed federal income tax form. Form 1040 was four pages + one page of instructions. Taxpayers used the included tables to calculate their liability themselves. The draft of the form was created by a woman, Nina Wilcox Putnam, an author, screen-writer, and yes, an accountant. Today, more than 480 different tax forms are available.
First U.S. President to File Federal Income Tax: President Warren G. Harding in 1923 became the first American president to file a federal income tax return. He owed $18,000.
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Admin Professionals Day
What happens on the fourth Wednesday in April every year? Administrative Professionals Day! The unofficial holiday is observed by approximately 70% of businesses world-wide as a time to honor admin professionals, admin support, and office workers for their contributions to the workplace.
No one who achieves success
does so without acknowledging the help of others.
The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude.
—Author Unknown
What do you know about Admin Professionals Day? Here are some Fun Facts about this holiday…
FACT: The holiday was created by Harry F. Klemfuss, a New York publicist, who handled the Dictaphone Corporation account for the Young & Rubicam advertising agency. He wanted to persuade more women to enter the workplace, and believed secretaries deserved more recognition. Working with the National Secretaries Association, he proposed the idea of Secretary’s Day to Charles Sawyer, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and in 1952, the first Secretary’s Day was celebrated.
FACT: Originally Secretary’s Day, then changed to Professional Secretaries Day in 1981, the holiday became Administrative Professionals Day in 2000. The changes were made by the International Association of Administrative Professionals, once known as the National Secretaries Association.
FACT: In the United States alone, more than 4 million administrative professionals are employed + an additional nearly 9 million support staff!
FACT: Admin Professionals Day is one of the largest workplace celebrations in the world.
FACT: The most popular tokens of appreciation given on Admin Professionals Day by executives to their support staff? Flowers and greeting cards, followed by lunch on the company, gift certificates, or a day off.
FACT: Greeting Card Universe helps you celebrate and show your appreciation with our vibrant and unique collection of custom Administrative Professionals Day cards. It’s never been easier to find the perfect card to say “thank you” to the people who make a difference in the workplace.
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5 Easter Traditions and What They Mean
Spring is bustin’ out all over!
Nature renews itself, coming out in vibrant greens after the winter doldrums, the clocks “spring ahead” an hour, and Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the ecclesiastical full moon following the Vernal Equinox. This year (2012), Easter falls on April 8th.
Easter is, for many, a Christian festival celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ as well as the end of Lent. However, in the Western world, certain non-religious traditions have become part of the Easter celebration. Want to know more about your favorite parts of Easter? Here are…
5 EASTER TRADITIONS & WHAT THEY MEAN
Easter Parade: In America, the Easter parade tradition began in New York City when high society ladies and gents in the mid-1800′s, who attended services at Fifth Avenue churches, promenaded afterward, both to view the magnificent flower displays in other churches and to show off their new outfits and hats, which were, of course, the latest fashion. Lower and middle class people gathered to watch the spectacle, making it a popular festivity. Today,other cities host their own Easter parades including New Orleans and Richmond, VA.
Easter Eggs: The tradition of decorating eggs for Easter is believed to have pagan origins, as eggs are a symbol of fertility and the renewal of life. The practice of Christians decorating eggs to symbolize Christ’s tomb and His resurrection began sometime in the 13th century. The secular practice of egg-hunting began with egg rolling, first recorded in 1878 as taking place on the White House lawn when President Rutherford B. Hayes was in office. The annual White House Easter Egg Roll still takes place today on the Monday after Easter.
Easter Bunny: The precise origins of the Easter Bunny aren’t clear, but most folklorists and historians believe the egg-laying rabbit may have been brought to America by German immigrants in the early 18th century. Their children believed the “Osterhase,” a white hare, would lay colorful eggs if they were good, and the custom spread. In the 19th century, the Easter Bunny’s offerings grew sweeter, leading us to…
Easter Candy: The first Easter confections were made in Germany from pastry and sugar. In the early 19th century, including chocolate eggs in a child’s Easter basket became popular in Europe – likely due to the new industrial chocolate manufacturing – and the practice soon spread to America. Jelly beans, though first mass marketed by William Schraft in the 1860′s, began to be put into children’s Easter baskets in the 1930′s (note that flavors – such as cherry and black licorice- were not added to jelly beans until the 1970′s). Bonus facts: the world’s largest chocolate Easter egg was created in 2010 by Supermercados Imperatriz Ltda and Nestlé in Brazil – the egg weighed 14,917 pounds 2 oz. The largest chocolate rabbit stood 12′ 5″ tall, weighed in excess of 6,635 pounds, and was made for Duracell (the Energizer Bunny, anyone) in South Africa.
Easter Ham: In Europe, lamb has long been a staple of the Easter dinner table. However, in colonial America, ham was far more plentiful in many communities. Hams put up in November to cure would be ready to eat by April. By the 1930′s, home cooks were experimenting with various methods of glazing their hams for increased sweetness including pineapple, molasses, sugar, ginger ale, marshmallows, and honey. Today, many Americans enjoy a traditional ham dinner, although some prefer vegetarian or other healthful options.
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April Fool’s Day Around the Globe
April Fool’s Day (also known as All Fool’s Day), observed on the 1st of April, is a lighthearted holiday celebrated with pranks and practical jokes in countries around the world.
The first of April, some do say
Is set apart for All Fool’s Day:
But why the people call it so
Nor I, nor they themselves, do know,
But on this day are people sent
On purpose for pure merriment.
—–Anonymous, Poor Robin’s Almanac, 1790
Get to know more April Fool’s Day by learning how different countries celebrate this fun holiday.
ROME: The actual origins of April Fool’s Day are shrouded in mystery. However, it is known that the ancient Roman festival of Hilaria (March 25) was celebrated in part by playing practical jokes on friends.
FRANCE & ITALY: April 1st is known as Poisson d’avril in France and French-speaking Canada, and Pesce d’aprile in Italy (“April Fish”). The holiday is celebrated by taping a paper fish to a friend’s back, and then yelling, “April fish!” when the trick is discovered.
IRAN: On the thirteenth day of Norooz (Persian New Year) called Sizdah Bedar- which usually occurs on April 1st or 2nd – celebrants play pranks on one another. Because the practice goes back as far as 536 B.C., some historians consider it the origin of April Fool’s Day.
UNITED KINGDOM: In most of the UK (and the non-French speaking part of Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Cyprus), tricks can only be played on April Fool’s Day until noon.
SCOTLAND: April Fool’s Day is called “Hunt the Gowk Day” – a gowk is a foolish person. Traditional pranks are played.
POLAND: On Prima Aprilus (April 1st), apart from individual joke playing and avoiding serious activities, media such as newspapers traditionally publish false news stories.
SWEDEN & DENMARK: Both countries celebrate April Fool’s Day in the usual way, but they also celebrate May 1st as a kind of additional day for pranking and jokes.
UNITED STATES: While today, April Fool’s Day is celebrated with joking, pranks, tricks, and hoaxes, in early America our Founding Fathers delighted in sending friends and family on a “fool’s errand” by asking them to fetch things that don’t exist such as sweet vinegar or sending them on a fruitless undertaking.
April Fool’s Day is also celebrated in the Netherlands, South Korea, Germany, Russia, and Japan.
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5 Nifty Facts About Persian New Year
Persian New Year, also known as Norooz, Nowrooz or Nowruz, is a thirteen-day festival of joy celebrated annually by Iranians world-wide. For those who may not know much about the most important holiday in the Iranian calendar, here are…
5 Nifty Facts About Persian New Year
- Persian New Year always begins on the first day of spring – the Vernal Equinox – which is symbolic of new life, rebirth, new beginnings, and renewal. The celebration has its roots in Zoroastrianism, and has been observed by the Iranian people (once known as the Persians) for at least 3,000 years.
- An important tradition is the Haft Sin or Seven S’s, items on a table which symbols spiritual virtues. Customarily, the Haft Sin consists of apples for beauty (Sib), dried lotus tree fruit for love (Senjed), vinegar for patience (Serkeh), sumac berries for sunrise (Somaq), garlic for health (Sir), sweet wheat germ porridge for affluence (Samanu), and a dish of sprouted wheat barley for rebirth (Sabzeh). Additional items that may be included are coins (prosperity and wealth), decorated eggs (fertility), goldfish (life), and hyacinths and tulips (spring).
- The colors of Persian New Year are red, white, and green – the colors of the flag of Iran.
- Hajji Firuz is a singing, dancing figure playing the trumpet and tambourine who heralds Persian New Year. His face is painted black and he wears red. His visit to a family’s home is supposed to bring happiness, blessings, and abundance in the coming year. Hajji Firuz is also the assistant of Amoo Norooz, who, like Santa Claus, brings gifts to children.
- A divination ritual practiced by some during Persian New Year is to hide somewhere and eavesdrop on other people’s conversations. Hearing good news or a positive conversation means good fortune.
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5 St. Patrick’s Day Symbols and What They Mean
St. Patrick’s Day, celebrated annually on March 17, is a holiday rich in symbols, many with Irish and Celtic themes. Ever wondered about those particular symbols, their origins, and how they were chosen? Let’s find out with …
5 St. Patrick’s Day Symbols and What They Mean
1. The Shamrock
The ancient Celts revered the shamrock as a sacred symbol of spring. Fast forward a few centuries to the 18th century, when Ireland was ruled by the English. At this time, with speaking the Irish language and the practice of Catholicism forbidden by law, Irish nationalism was beginning to make itself known. The shamrock was adopted by proud Irish nationalists as a symbol of their heritage.
2. The Leprechaun
The leprechaun of Celtic folklore – the “lobaircin” or small-bodied fellows who were cranky and liked to play tricks – did not become associated with St. Patrick’s Day until after 1959. Why did it take so long? St. Patrick’s Day was considered a religious holiday until fairly recently. But in 1959, Walt Disney Productions released the film Darby O’Gill and the Little People, which introduced many Americans to the notion of a good humored, friendly, luck-giving little fellow who subsequently became part of St. Patrick’s Day lore in the U.S.
3. The Color Green
Again, we go back to the turbulent 18th century. The color originally associated with St. Patrick was blue, but when Irish patriots adopted the shamrock as a symbol, the color green came along with it. Green ribbons began to be worn to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day as early as the 17th century. In fact, “The Wearing of the Green” – taken from a song with the same title – came to mean wearing a shamrock on one’s clothing in support of Irish nationalism. During the United Irish Rebellion of 1798, Irish soldiers wore green uniforms to draw attention to their cause.
4. Corned Beef and Cabbage
Today a traditional St. Patrick’s Day meal served by Irish-American families and others, in fact the pairing corned beef and cabbage is not native cuisine to Ireland. The practice came about in the 19th century, when impoverished Irish immigrants living in New York City’s Lower East Side could not afford Irish bacon for the dish, and substituted cheaper corned beef (supplied by neighboring kosher butchers) instead.
5. St. Patrick’s Day Parades
Now a tradition in many American cities, when and why did St. Patrick’s Day come to be celebrated with parades? Reliable historical evidence is scarce before the 18th century. However, we do know that officers from primarily Irish infantry regiments of the British Army stationed in New York City – the 16th and 47th Regiment of Foot – formed The Society of the Friendly Brothers of St. Patrick. On March 17, 1762, soldiers from these regiments, joined by Irish immigrant civilians, marched in a parade and celebrated with music.
As for the green beer? We’ll leave that one up to you. 
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Seven Things to Know About St. Patrick’s Day
Observed for more than 1,000 years as the religious feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th) has become a popular, secular holiday in the United States and around the world, celebrated with parades, parties, and of course, the wearin’ o’ the green!
Saint Patrick was a gentleman, who through strategy and stealth
Drove all the snakes from Ireland, here’s a drink to his health!
But not too many drinks, lest we lose ourselves and then
Forget the good Saint Patrick, and see them snakes again!
—Anonymous
“LUCKY” SEVEN THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT ST. PATRICK’S DAY
- The first recorded parade honoring St. Patrick’s Day happened on March 17, 1762 when a group of Irish soldiers who served in the British Army were stationed in the American colonies. Homesick, they held a parade on lower Broadway in New York City, and sang Irish songs and played bagpipes.
- Since 1962, the city of Chicago dyes the Chicago River green on St. Patrick’s Day each year. The practice began when pollution-control workers, using dyes to trace illegal sewer discharges, chose a green dye because of the holiday.
- In 1848, several Irish fraternal and beneficial societies in New York City banded together to organize a single large St. Patrick’s Day parade officially sponsored by the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Continuing to this day, this St. Patrick’s Day parade has become the largest parade in the United States.
- St. Patrick’s Day became a national holiday in Ireland in 1903, but did not receive much official backing until 1995, when the Irish government began promoting the holiday as a way to boost tourism. Today, over a million people take part in Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day Festival.
- Forget green beer – more than ten million glasses of Guinness are sold on St. Patrick’s Day around the world.
- Why do we celebrate on March 17th? Because that’s the date of St. Patrick’s death in 461 A.D.
- 34 million Americans have Irish ancestry – 9x the actual population of Ireland itself
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