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National Lollipop Day

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national lollipop dayToday is National Lollipop Day! Early incarnations of the lollipop date back thousands of years. Archaeologists* have found evidence that ancient Egyptians used honey to preserve fruit, then inserted sticks to make it easier to eat.

New Haven, CT, confectioner George Smith claimed he got the idea for the lollipop from the stirrers he used when mixing sweets. They became coated with candy, and Smith often took them home as a treat for his children.

Smith trademarked the name in 1931, stating that it was inspired by a famous racehorse called Lolly Pop. Many linguists contend it is derived from Northern English slang: “lolly” (tongue) and “pop” (slap).

You can whip up a batch using only four ingredients: sugar, water, corn syrup, and the flavoring of your choice. And the stick, of course.

Happy National Lollipop Day!

*For word nerds (like me) who wonder about the difference between “archaeologist” and “archeologist.”

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National Daiquiri Day

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national daiquiri day

Hemingway statue at El Floridita

Today is National Daiquiri Day. Although conflicting legends abound, the most likely origin story credits an American engineer named Jennings Cox with inventing the drink.

In 1898, Cox supervised an iron mining operation in a town off the coast of Cuba called Daiquiri. Every night, he and his crew gathered at a local bar after work.

One evening, when the bar ran out of gin, Cox blended Bacardi with sugar and lime and named it after the Daiquiri mines.  It quickly became a staple in Havana.

In 1909, the U.S.S. Minnesota docked in the area. Captain Charles Harlow brought junior medical officer Lucius Johnson with him on a tour of the 10-year-old Spanish-American battlegrounds. They met Cox at Daiquiri and enjoyed his creation.

Johnson brought the recipe to the Army and Navy Club in Washington, D.C., where it became a favorite — except during Prohibition, of course. By the 1940s, the daiquiri had become a fixture in bars across the country.

National Daiquiri Day falls just two days before the birthday of Ernest Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961). The author immortalized the cocktail in his novel, Islands in the Stream: “This frozen daiquiri, so well beaten as it is, looks like the sea where the wave falls away from the bow of a ship when she is doing thirty knots.”

He’s also quoted as saying, “Don’t bother with churches, government buildings or city squares, if you want to know about a culture, spend a night in its bars.”

He certainly followed his own advice. El Floridita, a bar Hemingway frequented in Havana, Cuba, has immortalized him with a life size statue. The bartender there, Constantino Ribalaigua, created a doubly strong, sour version of the cocktail for the writer, who was diabetic and apparently worried more about the toxic effects of sugar than alcohol.

The following is based on that recipe, according to A. E. Hotchner, who documented his stay at the author’s home in Cuba in his book entitled Papa Hemingway.

Papa Doble
Ingredients:
3 oz Bacardí Carta Blanca
Juice of 2 limes
½ oz grapefruit juice
6 drops of Maraschino liqueur

Preparation:
Blend all ingredients with crushed ice and serve in an ice-cold coupe glass.

Whether you like your daiquiris sweet, strong, or virginal, raise a glass and have a happy National Daiquiri Day–or evening, if you prefer. Cheers!

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Insurance Nerd Day

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Insurance Nerd Day

July 18th is Insurance Nerd Day, created in 2016 to celebrate everyone employed in the insurance industry. It originated as a social media campaign to dispel the myth that insurance is a “boring” career path and to attract young people entering the workforce. Since then, the movement has been gaining momentum and, thanks to the efforts of a dedicated group of self-described insurance nerds, has become an annual holiday.

Insurance Nerd Day Worldwide Weird HolidaysWhat is an Insurance Nerd?

Insurance Nerd
\in-ˈshər-ən(t)s  \ˈnərd\
noun: A term of endearment for a person who is enthusiastic and passionate about working in insurance. Hobbies may include talking about insurance in his or her free time, convincing others to join the insurance industry, reading insurance publications for fun, collecting insurance company memorabilia and posting about insurance on social media to their non-insurance friends.

 

History of Insurance Nerd Day

Insurance Nerd Day Worldwide Weird HolidaysAccording to a recent study conducted by McKinsey and Co., 25 percent of insurance professionals will reach retirement age by 2018. Another study by Griffith Insurance Education Foundation found that only 5 percent of college students indicated they were “very interested” in pursuing a career in the insurance industry. As a result, the field is facing a critical talent gap.

To call attention to this issue, Pioneer State Mutual Insurance Company declared July 18, 2016, Insurance Nerd Day and took to social media to celebrate its employees and encourage other insurance professionals to help break the stereotype that the industry is boring.

 

How to Observe Insurance Nerd Day

Dress up like an Insurance Nerd to show your pride and honor those who work in the insurance industry. Check out more photos on Pioneer’s Facebook page. Use #InsuranceNerdDay to join the fun on X, snap and share pics on Instagram, and spread the word on Bluesky.

Have a happy and healthy Insurance Nerd Day and always remember to be as nerdy as you want to be, every day of the year!

 

 

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National Hot Dog Day

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national hot dog dayToday is National Hot Dog Day, according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC), an august body created by the North American Meat Institute, which has declared July to be National Hot Dog Month.

The NHDSC serves as a clearinghouse of information about the preparation and nutritional quality of hot dogs and sausages, funded by contributions from manufacturers and their suppliers.

National Hot Dog Day was established in 1991 to coincide with the annual Capitol Hill Hot Dog Lunch in Washington, DC. As a result, the holiday’s date is dictated by the congressional calendar and falls on the third Wednesday in July.

Here are a few stats:

  • In 2024, 896 million pounds of hot dogs were sold at retail stores. That number represents more than $3 billion in retail sales.
  • Ten percent of annual retail hot dog sales occur during July, which is why it is designated as National Hot Dog Month.
  • Hot dog producers estimate that an average of 38 percent or $1.16 billion of the total number of hot dogs are sold from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
  • The NHDSC predicts that major league ballparks will sell 20 million hot dogs during baseball season this year.
  • According to sales data for 2024, New Yorkers spent more money on hot dogs in retail stores ($111.7 million) than any other market in the country. Residents of Los Angeles came in second, spending $90.6 million on hot dogs.

If you’re curious, NHDSC has a video showing how hot dogs are made. We can’t say whether it will make you more or less hungry for a hot dog. Results may vary.

Have a happy National Hot Dog Day!

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