December 12, 2022 - National Poinsettia Day | National Gingerbread House Day

Welcome to December 12, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate two holiday favorites and how to extend the season. The cheerful red poinsettia plant was first brought to the United States from Mexico by botanist Joel Roberts Poinsett in 1825. Today poinsettias range in color from blue to golden orange, though this is not always natural. These plants are often sprayed with paint and even glitter, which doesn’t help them live long past Christmas. So how has Ingrid from Missouri kept one poinsettia alive for more than 10 years? Her secret is to prune back the bracts or colored leaves in February or March. She then allows the plant 10 hours of natural light followed by darkness for the rest of the day. Her plant blooms season after season in a mixture of red and white. On National Poinsettia Day we celebrate the beautiful symbol of the season that can truly last all year. The first gingerbread was often used in religious ceremonies thanks to the Armenian monk, Gregory of Nicopolis. In 992 AD, he taught French Christians the art of molding his favorite food into the figures of saints. But when the Brothers Grimm told the tale of Hansel and Gretel and their fateful visit to a gingerbread house, German guilds began crafting the sturdy dough into candy-covered cottages. Perhaps they devised this story to keep hungry children from sneaking a bite of this holiday treat. Today there is no better way to invite the spirit of the season into your home than by baking up this treat. On National Gingerbread House Day build your own festive villages and celebrate the sweet, spicy scent of this holiday tradition. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices