Celebrate Every Day

Celebrate Every Day


December 6, 2021 - National Microwave Oven Day | St. Nicholas Day

December 05, 2021

Welcome to December 6, 2021 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate shortwave miracles and the spirit of old St. Nick. 

In 1945, Percy Spencer, a self taught engineer from Howland, Maine was working on an active radar set when he noticed something strange. A chocolate bar in his pocket had started to melt. The idea for dielectric cooking with a shortwave transmitter had already been demonstrated by Westinghouse at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, but Spencer picked a winner when he tried his hand at cooking popcorn with this method. Raytheon filed a United States patent for Spencer’s microwave cooking process and by 1947 the first commercially available microwave oven was built. The British used this technology to reanimate cryogenically frozen hamsters, but on National Microwave Oven Day, we recommend celebrating with something delicious like popcorn. 

Saint Nicholas, the real life inspiration for Santa Claus, was born around 280 AD in what is known today as Turkey. His parents died when Nicholas was very young, leaving him with a large inheritance, but out of tragedy his generous spirit was born. Nicholas used the money to help those less fortunate than himself. As an adult, he became a bishop and was known for his generosity and kindness, especially toward children and the poor, and even after he passed away, his legend grew. Children who left their shoes out by the fire would awake to find money or candy inside and this inspired the tradition of leaving out stockings for Santa. On St. Nicholas Day, start the fun early by surprising your family with a gift in their shoes. Just make sure it’s not something sharp or uncomfortable!

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day.

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