A castle on Central Park West was the country’s first Cancer hospital. The building’s fairytale-like appearance, it turns out, wasn’t unusual for hospitals of the time. Many were …
The long, strange history of Groundhog Day has witches, magical elixirs, and a suicidal groundhog. Groundhogs, including the famous Punxsutawney Phil, Fred la Marmotte (Quebec) and Poor Richard (York, PA), …
There’s a story that Victor Hugo wrote naked to force himself to be productive. The author of Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame had his servant take all …
Legend has it when the US acquired Alaska they got the tasty ice cream dessert Baked Alaska as a fringe benefit. How did the dish known as “Norwegian omelet” …
As all gorilla suit aficionados know, National Gorilla Suit Day is the invention of the late Don Martin. National Gorilla Suit Day Bounces Back He was once known as “MAD’s Maddest …
This game of dice is not for devious maids. Dicing for Maids’ Money Dating from a 1674 legacy, two servant girls of Guildford throw a dice to win the …
Yodele yodele hee hoo! From this year, you can take your yodelling to degree level. The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts is adding yodelling to its …
Legends of the birth of the croissant involve war and a bright baker. Experts agree that the croissant was inspired by the Austrian kipfel. This was a crescent-shaped pastry …
‘From grand old Viking centuries, Up Helly Aa has come…’ the guizers sing. In fact, the Scottish festival is only just over 100 years old in its more civilized …
Bubble wrap was invented by mistake. In 1957 two inventors named Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes were working on a three-dimensional plastic wallpaper. By sealing two shower curtains together, they …
National Kazoo Day occurs annually (although in some regions, more often) on or about January 28 – or whenever convenient for the kazooist. The Kazoo doesn’t have any keys …
January 24th is Talk Like a Grizzled Prospector Day. Dagnabbit! ‘Nother one o’ them highfalutin’ special ‘talk like’ days from back East? (Bunch a lazy no-good claim-jumpin’ noaccounts ) On …
