Oct 27

Oct 27 Knock Knock

Healthy Family, Holidays/National Days, Products & Gift Ideas

I love the meme that is going around social media these days that says: “Anyone else feel like Halloween is unnecessary this year? I’ve been wearing a mask and eating candy for 7 months now, I don’t think I need a day dedicated to it anymore...” We all know what Halloween is about. Candy, candy, candy, right? Maybe costumes and parties too. But did you know that on October 31st our nation also celebrates National Knock Knock Joke Day? Isn’t that so cute? I mean, it’s appropriate. Knocking + Halloween. Although unfortunately, knocking on doors will be rare, if at all, this year. Boo!

Oct 20

Oct 20 Nuts

Barb Pellicer Paton

Food & Beverages, Healthy Family, Holidays/National Days, Products & Gift Ideas

In a Gwyneth Paltrow interview I learned that she laughs every time she says the word “balls”. Just like her, I giggle whenever I say the word “nuts.” There, I said it and yes, I giggled. Although they are not the same thing - to anyone with adolescent humor - they are basically the same thing. All jokes aside, National Nut Day is coming up on October 22nd and well, it’s another opportunity to be thoughtful. This national food day has been celebrated since 2016 and according to Nationaldaycalendar.com, the day was founded by Liberations Foods (Choose Liberation). It’s inspiring to learn that this company advocates fair trade nuts and they promote healthy living.

Sep 29

Sep 29 National Days Giveaway!

Barb Pellicer Paton

Products & Gift Ideas, Holidays/National Days

At the beginning of the school year last year, I gave a copy of the National Day Calendar to Food Services at my children’s school. My hope was to influence them into considering some of the national food days for the school lunch menus. I plan on giving Food Services a calendar again this year. The reason I believe that this thoughtful pinch is worth giving away is because food connects people. Even the pickiest eaters will find connections. Celebrating some national food days at school would be fun because kids of all ages talk about food. They share their opinions, describe textures and comment about food scents. On National Broccoli Day, believe me, there will be some connections within the lunch lines!

Sep 22

Sep 22 White Chocolate Day

Barb Pellicer Paton

Food & Beverages, Holidays/National Days, Products & Gift Ideas

In full transparency, if I had my choice of dark, milk or white chocolate, white would be my very last choice. However, since I don’t have a choice, I eat white chocolate all the time! In fact, as I type away, I’m eating white chocolate peanut M&Ms right now. Yum!

Sep 15

Sep 15 Online Learning Day

Barb Pellicer Paton

Healthy Family, Products & Gift Ideas, Holidays/National Days

I hesitated to write about this national day because I feel like it hits too close to home too soon. Most of us are living a virtual lifestyle daily and we don’t want to get comfy with this new normal. Celebrating National Online Learning Day this year seems so BLAH. After all, if we have school-aged children, online learning is a double-edged sword. On one hand, we’re so grateful that learning can happen virtually and on the other hand, we are so bummed that learning can happen virtually.

Sep 8

Sep 8 Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Barb Pellicer Paton

Holidays/National Days, Products & Gift Ideas

Currently, the toy du jour for my dog Grady is a teddy bear. Cute, right? No, because the teddy bear is my daughter’s and she sleeps with it every night. Whenever she leaves her bedroom door open, Grady goes in, grabs her teddy bear with his teeth and brings it downstairs to “love” on it. He never rips the teddy bear apart. In fact, he doesn’t destroy anything he is not supposed to (well, one air pod but who can blame him?). My family quickly caught on that Grady loves soft stuffed animals. Under normal circumstances, Grady cuddling up with a teddy bear would be endearing but this teddy bear has sentimental value.

Sep 1

Sep 1 National Be Late for Something Day

Barb Pellicer Paton

Healthy Family, Holidays/National Days, Products & Gift Ideas

For the past week, I have been on a natural high about my special national day - National Thoughtful Day. I didn’t think it could get any better than that but I was wrong. When I was on the Nationaldaycalendar.com website, I came across another national day that was so perfect for me. National Be Late for Something Day. Ha! How is it possible that two national days which describe me can be celebrated within weeks of each other?

Aug 25

Aug 25 The Ask

Barb Pellicer Paton

Products & Gift Ideas, Healthy Family, Holidays/National Days, Thoughtful Pinch App

I recently publicly admitted that I had been a thoughtless judger and so I figured I might as well be a beggar too. At this rate, I could star in my own episode of the show, Shameless. I’m not comfortable with this version of thoughtfulness which makes it all the more reason for me to share it.

Aug 4

Aug 4 Root Beer Float Your Boat

Barb Pellicer Paton

Food & Beverages, Holidays/National Days, Products & Gift Ideas

Some people don’t like root beer; it just doesn’t float their boat. Others love root beer. For example for kids, root beer is the closest thing to an adult beverage as they could get, so naturally they will like it. Especially because the word beer is in the name! In our house we don’t drink much soda but my kids drink caffeine-free root beer once in awhile. Add scoops of ice cream to this rare occasion and you’ll witness the root beer floating our boats!

Jul 28

Jul 28 Thoughtful Day Top 5

Barb Pellicer Paton

Healthy Family, Holidays/National Days, Products & Gift Ideas, Thoughtful Pinch App

Every time I write about a national day, I use the resource Nationaldaycalendar.com. If it weren’t for this site, I would not have so many thoughtful topics to choose from. Over at nationaldaycalendar.com, they celebrate everyday and multiple occasions within the day. I am proud to be one of their ambassadors because it’s inevitable that every time I write about a national day, I bring awareness to someone who didn’t know that the day existed. I consider that a WIN because whenever there is awareness, thoughtfulness is sure to follow.

Jul 21

Jul 21 1, 2, 3...Slam!

Barb Pellicer Paton

Food & Beverages, Holidays/National Days, Products & Gift Ideas, Travel & Leisure

I just have to ask, is July the biggest drinking month of the year? There are so many national days that pertain to alcohol in the month of July: Anisette 7/2, Dive Bar 7/7, Pina Colada 7/10, Mojito 7/11, Grand Marnier 7/14, Daiquiri 7/19, Tequila 7/24, Wine & Cheese 7/25 and Scotch 7/27. If we celebrated each of those national days, it wouldn’t leave very many alcohol-free days in July.

Jul 14

Jul 14 Lollipop Lollipop

Barb Pellicer Paton

Food & Beverages, Holidays/National Days, Products & Gift Ideas

Nationaldaycalendar.com listed off so many cool lollipop pop culture moments that I just HAD to write a post about National Lollipop Day. At first I thought the topic of lollipops would be completely whimsical but when I dove in deeper, I decided that it was my “civic duty” (kidding) to share some information about lollipops in order to give this sweet treat the respect that it deserves. Get ready because on July 20th people throughout the nation should be celebrating the lollipop.