December 17, 2021 - National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day | National Maple Syrup Day

Welcome to December 17, 2021 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate the tradition of poor taste and nature’s sweet bounty. While many traditions uphold the beauty and magic of Christmas some are just plain weird. Behold, the ugly Christmas sweater! No one is 100 percent sure how this became a holiday thing, but tacky sweaters can trace their popularity back to 1980s TV comedies. It started on the Cosby Show and became a running joke that sitcom dads wore sweaters that looked like abstract art. Then in 2002, the city of Vancouver threw an ugly Christmas sweater party that was such a hit, it became an annual event. Each year, the proceeds from this fashion eyesore are donated to the Make A Wish foundation and that’s a truly beautiful thing! On National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day show your holiday spirit with something fun and hideous. This day was made for pancakes, French toast and biscuits as we pour on the sweetness of National Maple Syrup Day. During cold weather, maple trees store starch in their trunks that is converted to sugar in the Spring. The sap from red, black and sugar maples is collected and processed by heating to evaporate most of the water, which produces a concentrated syrup. About 40 gallons of sap are needed for one gallon of the finished product. Thankfully, the trees that produce this sap can live up to 100 years, though they must be at least 45 years old before they can be tapped. Talk about a late bloomer! On National Maple Syrup Day we celebrate nature’s bounty with our Canadian neighbors who produce most of the maple syrup we enjoy today. 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