Do you know what Nutella is and if so, do you like it? The hazelnut and cocoa combo is spreadable, like peanut butter. Some don’t like it but most people really love it. I first learned of Nutella when my hub and I were dating. Before I met him, he lived in Milan, Italy, where Nutella was commonly found in baked goods. He said he would have a jar or two at his apartment so that he could spread it on fresh bread when he wanted a snack. When I tasted it for the first time, I remember thinking , “Where have you been all my life?”.

Before I dive into World Nutella Day, I have to share that I have recently been enlightened. For about a week, I reflected on some feedback from some surveys and interviews about me and Thoughtful Pinch.  I’m so grateful for a small team of women who can sift thru my clutter and find the gems. Hang in there, eventually this post will lead back to Nutella. 

Celebrating people and giving thoughtful pinches are fun for me. However, after I was able to dig way deep, I realized that what gives me energy is finding the perfect,  smallest way, to show how much I enjoy thinking of others. Making someone feel like they matter makes me feel giddy.  True, the tiny gifts are part of my passion, but the happiness comes from the OPPORTUNITY for me to show someone I’m thinking of them.  The real agenda that I’m pushing here is the joy or delight in expressing my thoughts. What I’m “selling” is the “it” factor: Finding joy when thinking of others.  If you’re not a thank you card writer, hate national days because you think they’re silly or don’t like giving gifts because you feel it obligates the receiver to have to write a thank you card for it, no problem.  Instead, let’s curate what does bring you joy when you’re being thoughtful.

My job as a thoughtfulness curator is to showcase, collect, inspire and create opportunities for people to show thoughtfulness. Whether I use a national day as a connection piece or I tell a story as to why thoughtfulness matters, I point out some unique situations that people can use as a vehicle for their thoughts. We all strive for authentic ways to show someone we care about them because we want people to feel special.  Some may wonder what does World Nutella Day, Hot Chocolate Day or Banana Bread Day have to do with thoughtfulness or pinches?  Such a good question.  

By presenting national days within my blog, I do so with the intention of giving a little story, illustrating some ideas and offering up the opportunity out to the universe to do something thoughtful for someone else. In the name of self-care, that someone could be YOU! My hope is that posts on my blog will make people react, laugh, cry, reminisce, enlighten and inspire. If a post accomplishes all of the above then I hit the jackpot. Thoughtful Pinch has always been like a restaurant menu.  Pick, choose and use it any way you want.  The one thing that was never clear before my enlightenment is that my “menu”, which offers opportunities to show thoughtfulness, could potentially bring you joy as well as the recipient of a pinch.

Circling back to the topic of World Nutella Day, it is celebrated around the world on February 5th every year since 2007. The day was founded by Sara Rosso and Shelley Ruelle.  Sara’s excitement about Nutella is so contagious and as a food blogger, she has so much passion for this food. If you’re a big fan of Nutella, you will love reading more about it here whenihavetime.com.

According to Nationaldaycalendar.com, “Adding hazelnuts when cocoa is hard to come by may have been an Italian trick during hard times. In the 1800s, in the northern Italian city of Piedmont, they made a paste of chocolate and hazelnuts at a time when the nuts were abundant, but the cocoa was not.

At the end of World War II, cocoa was once again difficult to come by. Pastry Maker, Pietro Ferrero, made loaves of this sweet paste and called it Giandujot. Soon after, the Ferrero Company was founded on May 14, 1946.

It wasn’t until 1951 that Ferrero made the paste into a spreadable form. We wouldn’t even recognize the spread by name until 1964 when Ferrero’s son Michele gave the jar of creamy hazelnut and cocoa the name Nutella.”

Now that we know a thing or two about this world day, we can decide if and how we want to be delighted with this information about Nutella. I’d love to help curate what brings people joy when we are being thoughtful. For instance:

• Do you enjoy community service? To honor this world day, purchase jars of Nutella and bring them to a food bank. 

• Do you like performing acts of service? - On February 5th, offer to go to the grocery store for your neighbor who just had a baby and include a jar of Nutella with the groceries.

• Are giving gifts your thing? - Give someone a Nutella filled hot cocoa bomb on Nutella Day. Added bonuses: cocoa bombs are a hot trend and you could possibly support a local business. 

• Craving connection? - Serve up some Nutella for a snack or in our house we make Waffle Tacos for breakfast. (Recipe: spread Nutella on a warm waffle and top with chopped up strawberries, fold into a taco and eat. Add some whipped cream for extra flavor and effect).

However way you want to celebrate - here’s hoping you go nuts on World Nutella Day!

Pinches,

Barb