Today is December 13 2015

National Cocoa Day: More
From Wikipedia: 'The first chocolate beverage is believed to have been created by the Aztecs around 2,000 years ago, and a cocoa beverage was an essential part of Aztec culture by 1400 AD. The beverage became popular in Europe after being introduced from Mexico in the New World and has undergone multiple changes since then. Until the 19th century, hot chocolate was even used medicinally to treat ailments such as liver and stomach diseases.'.

• National Violin Day: More
  From Wikipedia: 'The violin, also called a fiddle, is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments (after the violino piccolo), which also includes the viola, the cello, and the string bass The modern word is derived from the Italian word violino, literally meaning 'small viola'.
• US National Guard Birthday - December 13: More
  From the website: 'The military organization we know today as the National Guard came into existence with a direct declaration on December 13, 1636. On this date, the Massachusetts General Court in Salem, for the first time in the history of the North American continent, established that all able-bodied men between the ages of 16 and 60 were required to join the militia. The North, South, and East Regiments were established with this order. '

• Animal and Pets
  • National Day Of The Horse: More
    Since 2004 by the United Senate Resolution 452.
• Other
  • Worldwide Candle Lighting: More
    From the compassionatefriends.org website: 'The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting unites family and friends around the globe in lighting candles for one hour to honor the memories of the sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and grandchildren who left too soon. As candles are lit at 7:00 p.m. local time, hundreds of thousands of persons commemorate and honor the memory of all children gone too soon'.
  • World Choral Day: More
    Second Sunday in December. Started by the International Federation for Choral Music.

• In 1636, The Massachusetts Bay Colony organizes three militia regiments to defend the colony against the Pequot Indians. This organization is recognized today as the founding of the National Guard of the United States.
  From Wikipedia: 'The National Guard of the United States, part of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, is a reserve military force, composed of National Guard military members or units of each state and the territories of Guam, of the Virgin Islands, and of Puerto Rico, as well as of the District of Columbia, for a total of 54 separate organizations. All members of the National Guard of the United States are also members of the militia of the United States as defined by 10 U.S.C. § 311. National Guard units are under the dual control of the state and the federal government.
  
  The majority of National Guard soldiers and airmen hold a civilian job full-time while serving part-time as a National Guard member. These part-time guardsmen are augmented by a full-time cadre of Active Guard abd Reserve (AGR) personnel in both the Army National Guard and Air National Guard, plus Army Reserve Technicians in the Army National Guard and Air Reserve Technicians (ART) in the Air National Guard.
  
  The National Guard is a joint activity of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) composed of reserve components of the United States Army and the United States Air Force: the Army National Guard of the United States and the Air National Guard of the United States respectively.
  
  Local militias were formed from the earliest English colonization of the Americas in 1607. The first colony-wide militia was formed by Massachusetts in 1636 by merging small older local units, and several National Guard units can be traced back to this militia. The various colonial militias became state militias when the United States became independent. The title "National Guard" was used from 1824 by some New York State militia units, named after the French National Guard in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette. "National Guard" became a standard nationwide militia title in 1903, and specifically indicated reserve forces under mixed state and federal control from 1933'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1903, Italo Marcioni patents a mold for making ice cream cones.
  From Wikipedia: 'Edible cones were mentioned in French cooking books as early as 1825, when Julien Archambault described how one could roll a cone from "little waffles". Another printed reference to an edible cone is in Mrs A. B. Marshall's Cookery Book, written in 1888 by Agnes B. Marshall (1855–1905) of England. Her recipe for "Cornet with Cream" said that "the cornets were made with almonds and baked in the oven, not pressed between irons".
  
  Edible cones were patented by two entrepreneurs separately in the years 1902 and 1903. Antonio Valvona, an ice cream merchant from Manchester, UK, patented a biscuit cup producing machine in 1902, and in 1903, Italo Marchiony, an ice cream salesman from New York filed for the patent of a machine which made ice cream containers. Abe Doumar and the Doumar family can also claim credit for the ice cream cone.
  
  At the age of 16 Doumar began to sell paperweights and other items. One night, he bought a waffle from another vendor transplanted to Norfolk, Virginia from Ghent in Belgium, Leonidas Kestekidès. Doumar proceeded to roll up the waffle and place a scoop of ice cream on top. He then began selling the cones at the St. Louis Exposition. His "cones" were such a success that he designed a four-iron baking machine and had a foundry make it for him. At the Jamestown Exposition in 1907, he and his brothers sold nearly twenty-three thousand cones. After that, Abe bought a semiautomatic 36-iron machine, which produced 20 cones per minute and opened Doumar's Drive In in Norfolk, Virginia, which still operates at the same location over 100 years later'.
  - At Wikipedia: More\
• In 1950, James Dean begins his career with an appearance in a Pepsi commercial.
  From Wikipedia: 'Dean's first television appearance was in a Pepsi Cola commercial. He quit college to act full-time and was cast in his first speaking part, as John the Beloved Disciple, in Hill Number One, an Easter television special dramatizing the resurrection of Jesus. Dean worked at the widely filmed Iverson Movie Ranch in the Chatsworth area of Los Angeles during production of the program, for which a replica of the tomb of Jesus was built on location at the ranch. Dean subsequently obtained three walk-on roles in movies: as a soldier in Fixed Bayonets!, a boxing cornerman in Sailor Beware, and a youth in Has Anybody Seen My Gal?'
  - At Wikipedia: More
  On YouTube: More
• In 1961, Jimmy Dean's, Big Bad John, album is country musics 1st million dollar seller.
  From Wikipedia: '"Big Bad John" is a country song originally performed by Jimmy Dean, who wrote and composed in collaboration with Roy Acuff. Released in September 1961, by the beginning of November it went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and won Dean the 1962 Grammy Award for Best Country and Western Recording. The song and its sequels tell a story typical of American folklore, reminiscent of Paul Bunyan or John Henry. Big Bad John was also the title of a 1990 television movie starring Dean'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More
• In 1962, NASA launches Relay 1, the first active repeater communications satellite is placed in orbit.
  From Wikipedia: 'The Relay program consisted of Relay 1 and Relay 2, two early American satellites. Both were primarily experimental communications satellites funded by NASA and developed by RCA. As of September 12, 2009, both satellites were still in orbit. Relay 1 provided the first television transmissions across the Pacific Ocean'.
  - At Wikipedia: More
  - On YouTube: More

Tomorrow's food holiday will be National Cocoa Day'. From Wikipedia: 'The first chocolate beverage is believed to have been created by the Aztecs around 2,000 years ago, and a cocoa beverage was an essential part of Aztec culture by 1400 AD. The beverage became popular in Europe after being introduced from Mexico in the New World and has undergone multiple changes since then. Until the 19th century, hot chocolate was even used medicinally to treat ailments such as liver and stomach diseases.'.
[The Hankster says] Some purest say that Hot Chocolate is only made from chocolate shavings and that cocoa is from cocoa powder. Who cares! Chocolate in a cup with milk and little marshmallows in any form would taste as good. I did mention the marshmallows, didn't I? Just checking.


Rosin up them bows. Tomorrow is 'National Violin Day'. From Wikipedia: 'The violin, also called a fiddle, is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments (after the violin piccolo), which also includes the viola, the cello, and the string bass The modern word is derived from the Italian word violin, literally meaning 'small viola'.
[The Hankster says] The violin (and it's country cousin) are my favorite instruments.

Tomorrow is the 'US National Guard Birthday - December 13'. From the website: 'The military organization we know today as the National Guard came into existence with a direct declaration on December 13, 1636. On this date, the Massachusetts General Court in Salem, for the first time in the history of the North American continent, established that all able-bodied men between the ages of 16 and 60 were required to join the militia. The North, South, and East Regiments were established with this order'.
[The Hankster says] Salute.


Awareness / Observance Days on: December 13
>o Animal and Pets
- 'National Day Of The Horse'. Since 2004 by the United Senate Resolution 452.

o Other
- 'Worldwide Candle Lighting'. From the compassionatefriends.org website: 'The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting unites family and friends around the globe in lighting candles for one hour to honor the memories of the sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and grandchildren who left too soon. As candles are lit at 7:00 p.m. local time, hundreds of thousands of persons commemorate and honor the memory of all children gone too soon'.

- 'World Choral Day'. Second Sunday in December. Started by the International Federation for Choral Music.


Historical events in the past on: December 13

In. 1636, The Massachusetts Bay Colony organizes three militia regiments to defend the colony against the Pequot Indians. This organization is recognized today as the founding of the National Guard of the United States.

In. 1903, Italo Marcioni patents a mold for making ice cream cones.

In1950, James Dean begins his career with an appearance in a Pepsi commercial.

In 1961, Jimmy Dean's Big Bad John album is country music 1st million dollar seller.

In 1962, NASA launches Relay 1, the first active repeater communications satellite is placed in orbit.

No. 1 song

• Let's Hang On! - Four Seasons: More
  'Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)' has been displaced by 'Let's Hang On!', which will hold the no. 1 spot until December 18 1965, when 'Taste of Honey - Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass', takes over.

Top movie

• A Patch of Blue More
  Having displaced 'That Darn Cat!', it will be there until the weekend box office of Dec 26 1965 when, 'Thunderball', takes over.

• FamousBirthdays.com: December 13 Birthdays More
• FamousDaily.com: December 13 History More
• History.com: Historical Events on 13th December More
• HistoryOrb.com: Famous Deaths on 13th December More
• On-This-day.com history 13th December More
• On-This-day.com music history 13th December More
• Wikipedia.com: History December 13 More

Monthly holiday / awareness days in December

Food
Buckwheat Month
Worldwide Food Service Safety Month

Health
Aids Awareness Month
Take a New Year's Resolution to Stop Smoking (TANYRSS) (12/17 - 2/7)

Other
Bingo's Birthday Month
National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month
National Impaired Driving Prevention Month
National Tie Month
National Write A Business Plan Month
Operation Santa Paws (1-19)
Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Universal Human Rights Month

December is:

December origin (from Wikipedia): ' December gets its name from the Latin word decem (meaning ten) because it was originally the tenth month of the year in the Roman calendar, which began in March. The winter days following December were not included as part of any month. Later, the months of January and February were created out of the monthless period and added to the beginning of the calendar, but December retained its name. '

' December is the first month of meteorological winter in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, December is the seasonal equivalent to June in the Northern hemisphere, which is the first month of summer. D ecember is the month with the shortest daylight hours of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest daylight hours of the year in the Southern Hemisphere. '

December at Wikipedia: More

If you couldn't afford 90 cents for a movie ticket, 50 years ago, or your 45 RPM record player was broke, you might watch one of these shows on TV.
From this Wikipedia article: More

Best selling books of 1965 More

• Astronomy Picture of the Day: More
• NOAA: - National Hurricane Center - Atlantic Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook: More
• Listen to Old Radio Shows: (streaming mp3 with schedule) More
• NASA TV: (video feed) More
  NASA TV schedule: More
• Public Domain eBook Links

  Sites for downloading or reading free Public Domain eBooks. Available in various formats. More

• Podcast: A Moment of Science. Approximately 1 minute general science facts.
  Home page: More
  RSS: More
• Podcast: The Naked Scientists. Current science, medicine, space and other science
  Home page: More
  RSS: More
• Podcast: Quirks & Quarks. Current science news.
  Home page: More
  RSS: More
• Articles and videos: Universe Today. Current space and astronomy news.
  Home page: More
  RSS: More
• Old Picture of the Day - "Each day we bring you one stunning little glimpse of history in the form of a historical photograph."
  Home page: More
  RSS: More

Below, are listed several holiday sites that I reference in addition to other holiday researches.

US Government Holidays

• 2015 Postal Holidays More
• 2015 Official Federal Holidays More

Holidays Worldwide

• List of holidays by country More
• Holidays and Observances around the World More