February 17 - National Cabbage Day

Happy National Cabbage Day! On February 17th, today recognizes a delightful garden staple that provides some of the best recipes for the Celtic holidays coming up next month. It’s an excellent day to test your corned beef and cabbage skills alongside other delicious seasonal dishes.  

From the French "caboche", meaning head, cabbage comes in a variety of forms. The cabbage family is quite varied and includes Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, kohlrabi and kale. Cabbage is an ancient food with origins in Asia Minor (Turkey today) and the eastern Mediterranean. 

Breton explorer Jacques Cartier was the first to bring cabbage to the Americas. It was he who later claimed what is now Canada for France. 

When selecting a cabbage, the head should be firm and dense.  The fibrous leaves of a healthy cabbage should be shiny and crisp with no browning or bruising. 

Cabbage is versatile and can be eaten raw, steamed or sautéd.  A popular ingredient in Asian, German, Irish and Latin recipes, it’s a culturally diverse food. Having low calories (6 per leaf) makes cabbage a popular diet food as well.  It has no fat or cholesterol, is low in sodium and carbs, and is a good source of Vitamin C. 

HOW TO OBSERVE 

Bring out your favorite cabbage recipes. Wrap up pigs in a blanket or eat cabbage fresh. Make some delicious soup or vegetable wraps. No matter how you celebrate, be sure to invite someone to join you.  

Feel free to share your delicious creations with friends and family. If you don’t have a recipe to share, National Day Calendar® has fou
ry. 

Corned Beef & Cabbage Stir Fry 

https://www.tastefullysimple.com/recipes/corned-beef--cabbage-stir-fry-12637 

Healing Cabbage Soup 

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/82923/healing-cabbage-soup/?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=cabbage&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe%20Search%20Results&soid=sr_results_p1i1 

Kielbasa and Cabbage 

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/14714/kielbasa-and-cabbage/?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=cabbage&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe%20Search%20Results&soid=sr_results_p1i1

Minestra di cavolo (Italian Cabbage Soup)

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/2263-chef-du-cinema-rome-open-city   

Slow Cooked Garlic Pepper Cabbage 

https://www.tastefullysimple.com/recipes/slow-cooked-garlic-pepper-cabbage-391795 

Use #NationalCabbageDay to post on social media. 

Educators, visit the National Day Calendar® Classroom for projects and ideas to help you Celebrate Every Day®! 

HISTORY 

National Day Calendar® continues researching the origins of this vegetable holiday. They have yet to find the creator of the day under any cabbage leaf, newspaper article or proclamation. 

#NationalCabbageDay 

@nichecinema 

February 17 - National Random Acts Of Kindness Day

Happy National Random Acts Of Kindness Day! Each year on February 17th, this day grows in popularity. It is celebrated by individuals, groups and organizations nationwide to encourage acts of kindness. 

The movement of Random Acts of Kindness inspires people every day. As a favorite celebration for many, people everywhere are enjoying doing these acts of kindness. Not only do the acts of kindness bring joy to the receiver, but they spread positive reactions to the giver, too!     

“I was a recipient of the kindness but more glad to be a contributor!” (Unknown) 

The research by National Day Calendar® has found that the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation celebrates Random Acts of Kindness Week. 

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is an internationally recognized non-profit organization founded upon the powerful belief in kindness and dedicated to providing resources and tools that encourage acts of kindness.  

In New Zealand, where this day originated, National Random Acts of Kindness Day is celebrated on September 1st. However, it is also recognized by some on other days throughout the year. 

Nevertheless, doing random acts of kindness is something that can be done every day of the year. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA-TCyqySIo 

A Few Quotes of Kindness: 

• 
  
  • “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” (Mark Twain) 
• • “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” (Aesop) 
• • “Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” (Scott Adams) 
• • “Kind words and actions can seem so small, but their effects are truly endless.” (Author Unknown) 

HOW TO OBSERVE 

Make a note to do nice things throughout the day. Are you looking for ideas? We’ve collected a few that will get you started. 

• 
  
  • Pay for the coffee or meal of the person in front of you in line. 
• • Leave a kind note for someone, no explanation needed. 
• • Share words of encouragement. You never know who might need them. 
• • Put your skills to work for someone in need. For example, offer to create a résumé for someone seeking a new job. 
• • Drop off a load of groceries at the local food pantry. 
• • Mail a “thinking of you” card to someone you’ve not to talk to in a while. 
• • Order a bouquet of flowers to be delivered to anyone in the hospital. That means, call the florist and tell them to pick a hospital or nursing home and deliver flowers to the person the front desk thinks needs it the most. It could be a sick child, an elderly person with no family or college student down on their luck. 
• • Send a thank you note to the local fire department, police departments or any military personnel. 
• • Just smile. 

Share your random acts of kindness using #RandomActsOfKindnessDay to post on social media.   

HISTORY 

In 2004, New Zealand founder of Auckland mortgage brokerage Mortgage Makers Josh de Jong said that the day was prompted due to an incident of road rage. Seeing these irate drivers inspired him. From this, National Random Acts of Kindness Day was born. 

RAK Day(pronounced "rack", as a play on the phrase "rack off")

How can you show random acts of kindness today? 

#RandomActsOfKindnessDay 

#RandomActsOfKindnessWeek 

#MakeKindnessTheNorm 

@therandomactsofkindnessfoundation 

@RAKFoundation 

@nichecinema