By dallaschamber DACC • General Information • Uncategorized • Upcoming Events • • • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

No Housework Day

No Housework Day is your chance to do anything, except housework. Better still, have someone else do the chores for a day. Housework is a daily, seemingly endless and repetitive group of tasks that just seem to become undone as soon as you turn away. It often goes unrecognized, and worst of all… taken for granted. But, watch out! If the dishes aren’t done, or there are no clean towels, somebody notices.

There are two ways to celebrate this day.

If you normally do the housework around the house, cease and desist for this day. Instead, kick back and enjoy the day. Relax and do anything, except housework. The chores will still be there tomorrow, instead take this time to read that book you have been meaning to get to. Take the family to the park, enjoy the weather. Do anything except housework.

Our research did not uncover a particular person who started this day, or when it was first celebrated.

We’re pretty sure it originated by someone who was a wee bit tired of doing the daily chores, and jjust needed a day off. Most likely, they threw up their hands and said something like, “That’s it! I’m taking a day off from all of this work.”

Whoever the genius was who first created this day, we salute you!

By dallaschamber DACC • General Information • Uncategorized • Upcoming Events • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day

March 29th is National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day which celebrates small business owners. These individuals spend countless hours nurturing and growing their young enterprises. The workload demands, and lack of a hired staff, often translates into long and late hours, and many missed family and personal events. But, all in all, they love what they do. After all, they are their own boss.

New businesses have always been a vital, yet not fully appreciated, part of the US economy. On the retail side, they bring different and unique products to the marketplace. They provide stellar and personal service support. When you call, you are most likely getting a real, live person. And unlike big national chains, they know their products. They are outstanding performers in the niche markets. In manufacturing, they create many new concepts and ideas, making them creators of new products.

Celebrate National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day by showing your support and shopping their stores today and every day. Dallas is blessed to have many Mom and Pop Businesses, people that you know and who know your name in return. Businesses such as Grandma’s Attic, Dallas Antique Mall, and Main St. Emporium for shopping. For food be sure to visit West Valley Taphouse, El Pique, or Washington Street Steakhouse and Pub. Stop in today as they are always happy to see you!

By dallaschamber DACC • DAVC • General Information • Uncategorized • Upcoming Events • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

St. Patricks Day

Saint Patrick’s Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick, is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (c. AD 385–461), who was the foremost patron saint of Ireland.

Saint Patrick’s Day was made an official Christian feast day in the early 17th century and is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion (especially the Church of Ireland), the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Lutheran Church. The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, and celebrates the heritage and culture of the Irish in general. Celebrations generally involve public parades and festivals, céilís, and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks. Christians who belong to liturgical denominations also attend church services and historically the Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol were lifted for the day, which has encouraged and propagated the holiday’s tradition of alcohol consumption.

Saint Patrick’s Day is a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador (for provincial government employees), and the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat. It is also widely celebrated by the Irish diaspora around the world, especially in the United Kingdom, Canada, United States, Brazil, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand. Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated in more countries than any other national festival. Modern celebrations have been greatly influenced by those of the Irish diaspora, particularly those that developed in North America. In recent years, there has been criticism of Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations for having become too commercialized and for fostering negative stereotypes of the Irish people.

By dallaschamber DACC • General Information • Uncategorized • Upcoming Events • • • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Tell a Fairy Tale Day

Fairy tales are a genre of literature that features fantastical and magical characters. Usually in the form of short stories with fairies, elves, trolls, and witches as central characters, fairy tales are set in a magical world with events that take place “once upon a time.” February 26th encourages celebrators to read, tell and listen to fairy tale from around the world.

A form of folk tales, fairy tales have a strong oral and written tradition all around the world – with cultures adopting whole or parts of tales from other cultures. Before the 17th century, fairy tales often had themes unsuitable for children and were written mostly for adults.

Today, fairy tales are considered to be a genre of children’s literature and the term fairy tale is used to refer to happy events and happenings, such as a fairy tale romance or a fairy tale ending.

So tomorrow, visit your local library with the little ones. Set your imagination free on this very fantastical holiday and re-read all your favorite fairy tales. Bring out your inner writer and pen down a fairy tale. Who knows, you could be the next Hans Christian Andersen. Watch movies based on fairy tales.

Host a fairy tale party. Instruct your guests to come as their favorite fairy tale character, decorate the venue as if you were in an enchanted land of fairy tales and serve foods from all your favorite fairy tale stories. Some ideas include caramel apples, pea salad, pumpkin soup and porridge or rice pudding.

Did you know…

That at least 500 versions of Cinderella have been found around the world?

By dallaschamber DACC • DAVC • General Information • Uncategorized • Upcoming Events • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Chinese New Years

This February 3rd is the Chinese Year of the Pig! The Pig is the twelfth of all zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. Pig was late because he overslept. Another story says that a wolf destroyed his house. He had to rebuild his home before he could set off. When he arrived, he was the last one and could only take twelfth place.

The Pig is also associated with the Earthly Branch and the hours 9 through 11 in the night. In Chinese culture, pigs are the symbol of wealth. Their chubby faces, and big ears are signs of fortune as well. Pigs have a beautiful personality and are blessed with good fortune in life.

Famous People Born in Year of the Pig:

  • Ronald Reagan: February 6th, 1911
  • Alexander the Great: July 21st, 256 B.C
  • Thomas Jefferson: April 13th, 1743
  • Michael Jackson: August 29th, 1958
  • Elton John: March 25th, 1947
  • Hillary Clinton: October 26th, 1947
  • Andrew Jackson: March 15th, 1767
  • Ernest Hemingway: July 21st, 1899
  • Alfred Hitchcock: August 13th, 1899
  • Arnold Schwarzenegger: July 30th,1947
  • Mitt Romney: March 12th, 1947
  • Snoop Dogg: October 20th, 1971
  • Stephen King: September 21st, 1947

World Cup Avicii Mac Miller Stan Lee “Black Panther” Meghan Markle AnthonyBourdain Stephen Hawking

By dallaschamber DACC • DAVC • General Information • Upcoming Events • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Ugly Christmas Sweater Day

Feeling bored? Uninspired by life? Do you need four cups of coffee just to break the monotony of the 9 to 5? Fortunately, there is one special day in December that will alleviate these common maladies. That day, my friend is National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day on Friday, December 21st!

Lurking in the murky depths of many people’s wardrobe is a colorful, brash and in most cases, highly embarrassing novelty Christmas sweater which, were it not for Ugly Christmas Sweater Day would probably never see the light of day. When Ugly Christmas Sweater Day comes along, it is time to stop being ashamed of the contents of your wardrobe and start busting out the ugly. There is such a thing as “so awful you can’t really hate it’, and Ugly Christmas Sweaters fit the bill.

Launched in 2011, this annual celebration, which is growing in popularity every year among adults and children, is not simply an excuse to parade humiliatingly-unfashionable seasonal knitwear featuring Rudolph, Christmas puddings and Frosty the Snowman; it is a light-hearted and enjoyable fundraising event with a serious aim in aid of Save the Children.

Since then it has been used as an important event to help drive charity funds for organizations that help children around the world deal with illnesses that should be anything more than a minor inconvenience. The firm belief that children should not die from easily treated diseases is what brings this holiday to the fore. It is often speculated that we subject ourselves to a minor harmless ailment, the sight of these hideous sweaters, to help save the children from medically similar situations.

National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day is about proudly sporting your favorite ugly Christmas sweater for the entire day… regardless of the circumstances. Wear it to school, to work, to your sister’s wedding. Got an important interview on Friday? Oops, tough luck. Worried the judge will increase your sentence if you show up to court in an ugly Christmas sweater? Sorry, no exception.

Share this special day with your friends and spread the word. Also, please send us pictures strutting your stuff in an ugly Christmas sweater.  We can’t leave Dallas out of the awesomeness that is, Ugly Christmas Sweater Day. Let’s rock this!

 

https://www.savethechildren.org

By dallaschamber DACC • General Information • Member News • Uncategorized • Upcoming Events • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Take A Hike Day

“It had to do with how it felt to be in the wild. With what it was like to walk for miles with no reason other than to witness the accumulation of trees and meadows, mountains, deserts, streams and rocks, rivers and grasses, sunrises and sunsets. The experience was powerful and fundamental. It seemed to me that it had always felt like this to be a human in the wild, and as long as the wild existed it would always feel this way.” – Cheryl Strayed

National Take a Hike Day is observed annually on November 17th. With over 60,000 miles of trails in the National Trail System across the 50 states, there is no lack of opportunity to take a hike.
Events around the country are scheduled tomorrow to celebrate Take A Hike Day. Hiking can burn between 400 and 550 calories per hour. What better way to get a head start on all those ‘other’ holiday temptations and observe Take a Hike Day? Be sure to wear good shoes, take a snack and bring a buddy, but get out there and enjoy the fresh air, scenery and get a little exercise to boot!

We in Dallas are lucky enough to live minutes away from the beautiful Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge. With over four trails to choose from you can select the trail best fits you. The Highway 22 wildlife viewing kiosk is a great place to stop to view the hundreds of migrating waterfowl that use the wetlands of Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge. Canada geese, cinnamon teal, mallards, bufflehead and hooded mergansers are just a few of the species that you will see during the winter months. Look for great blue herons and shorebirds along the water’s edge. Bald eagles and red-tailed hawks can be seen flying over the refuge.

Take a Hike Day was established by the American Hiking society to encourage groups of families and friends to get out into the wild and really get a taste of what it means to be away from it all again. Hiking is something that really helps to rebuild our connection with nature, and helps to maintain healthy hearts and bodies as well.

Hiking should not be an affair that one rushes through, nor should one idle their way through the journey, instead on should listen to their heart and body, and when restlessness strikes head out for the distant hills, and when weariness sets in let the body rest and take in the environment.

Take A Hike Day reminds us that we are creatures of the wild as well as creatures of civilization, and sometimes it does our wild heart good to be taken home again and get out into the wild.

 

https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Baskett_Slough/Visit/Trail_Descriptions.html

By dallaschamber DACC • Uncategorized • Upcoming Events • • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

National Dictionary Day

National Dictionary Day is observed annually on October 16th.

Celebrate by learning a little bit of dictionary history and about Noah Webster.

In 1806, American Noah Webster published his first dictionary, A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language. In 1807 Webster began compiling an expanded and fully comprehensive dictionary, An American Dictionary of the English Language; it took twenty-seven years to complete. To evaluate the etymology of words, Webster learned twenty-six languages, including Old English or Anglo-Saxon, German, Greek, Latin, Italian, Spanish, French, Hebrew, Arabic, and Sanskrit. Webster completed his dictionary during his year abroad in Paris, France, at the University of Cambridge. His book contained seventy thousand words, of which twelve thousand had never appeared in a published dictionary before.

As a spelling reformer, he believed that the English spelling rules were unnecessarily complex so in his dictionary he introduced American English spellings, replacing “colour” with “color”, substituting “wagon” for “wagon” and printing “center” instead of “centre”. Webster also added American words such as “skunk” and “squash” that did not appear in a published dictionary before. He believed The United States “should be as independent in literature as she is in politics.” Some of his changes didn’t catch on, however. Dropping the silent “e” at the end of some words like the word imagine.

Webster took a more phonetic approach to the development of his dictionary. Interestingly, the word didn’t appear when Webster published his dictionary in 1828 at the age of seventy. However, of the 70,000 entries the word phonic is one. The dictionary sold 2,500 copies. In 1840, the second edition was published in two volumes. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary is available online. By entering the modern-day spelling, the website will produce Webster’s 1828 version.

Celebrate National Dictionary Day by leaning a new word or two! It would be fun to play a dictionary based game like Balderdash. Use #NationalDictionaryDay to post on social media.

National Dictionary Day was created in honor of Noah Webster’s birthday and was set aside as a day to emphasize the importance of learning and using dictionary skills while increasing one’s vocabulary. Webster is considered the Father of the American Dictionary.

By dallaschamber DACC • General Information • Uncategorized • Upcoming Events • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Mad Hatter Day

October 6 is a day set aside each year to bring out your silly side while celebrating National Mad Hatter Day. The day was chosen due to the label tucked in The Mad Hatter’s hat band that read “In this style 10/6”.

The fictional character, The Hatter or The Mad Hatter from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, is typically acting silly, and that is how the creators of this day decided on their theme of silliness for National Mad Hatter Day. Sir John Tenniel illustrated The Mad Hatter and all of Lewis Carroll’s colorful characters beginning in 1864. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was first published in 1865.

In 1986 some computer-folk in Boulder, CO celebrated a general day of silliness, inspired by the drawings don by Sir Tenniel. It was announced that year on computer networks, becoming more popular as people realized its value – some people did less damage by celebrating silliness than if they had done their jobs.

In 1988 it was first recognized as an official holiday and received its first national press coverage.

“Mad as a hatter” is a colloquial phrase used in conversation to refer to a crazy person. In 18th and 19th century England mercury was used in the production of felt, which was used in the manufacturing of hats. People who worked in these hat factories were exposed daily to trace amounts of the metal, causing some workers to develop dementia caused by mercury poisoning. Thus, the phrase became popular as a way to refer to someone who was perceived as insane.

Taking our inspiration from The Mad Hatter, or any of Carroll’s characters for that matter, we may pursue laughable, absurd or even confusing adventures on National Mad Hatter Day. Break out from the usual routine. Ask ridiculous riddles much like The Hatter’s own, “Why is a raven like a writing desk?” Play croquet with plastic pink flamingos or wear a funny hat to work. Throw a tea party, just don’t forget to, “change places!”

Did you know Lewis Carroll, a pen name for Charles Lutwidge Dodson once answered The Hatter’s riddle? In the 1896 edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Carroll wrote as part of his preface, “Because it can produce a few notes, tho they are very flat; and it is never put with the wrong end in front!”

By dallaschamber DACC • General Information • Uncategorized • Upcoming Events • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Love Note Day

Almost as old as the first written language, the love note historically has been one of the most romantic ways to tell that special person how you feel about them. However, with the fast pace of our modern day lives, the art of writing love notes and exchanging them with one’s sweetheart is slowly dying. Love Note Day aims to change this and is held on September 26th.

A love letter or note is a way to pen down one’s deepest feeling about another person. It does not have to be romantic or sappy. It can convey a vast selection of emotions, from adoration to anger, from joy to sadness, and from admiration to disappointment. This day can be at its most effective when the recipient of the message isn’t aware that Love Note Day even exists. Consequently, a loving message will come as a pleasant surprise, and just be what they need to hear.

So walk away from your computer screen, bring out the scented paper, the fanciest pen you have, and find yourself an inspiring place to sit and get cracking on that love note. Give it to your sweetheart, perhaps during a nice meal or while on a walk in the park. If you don’t have time to hand write your love note, maybe you could sent your love a nice email that says how much you love and appreciate them. Leave some love notes around your home for your loved one to find. Hide them in their lunch or their gym bag, stick the note to the bathroom mirror, so that’s the first thing they see in the morning, or quietly slip it into their pockets before they leave home. It doesn’t have to me someone special. Who says a love note can only be for a romantic partner? Send a note to a friend or a family member to tell them how much you love them. Read love notes and letter written by famous people – maybe they will inspire you to write one of your own.

 

Did You Know…

The oldest surviving Valentine’s Day love letter in the English language dates back to 1477? Called the Valentine’s Day Love Letter, the note was written by Margery Brew to her fiancé John Pasto.