Feeling down after the passing of April Fools’? Fear not, my friends, for today is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day. Hey, we’ve observed National Pancake Day, National Napping Day, and National Squirrel Appreciation Day — so why not?
National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day: The History
No one’s quite sure where National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day began, though Welch’s claims the credit for a key ingredient within the PB&J sandwich itself (which, I might add, seems quite questionable). The jam-maker says it introduced concord grape jelly in 1923, two years before Skippy hit the market, and that planted the seed (so to speak) for the classic creation.
The actual sandwich supposedly first surfaced in the 40s during World War II, when PBJ became part of the military’s rations. (I guess no one had the thought to combine salty and sweet spreads prior to that point. Mmm hmm.)
National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day: The Celebration
How do you celebrate the PB&J sandwich? According to the folks at eHow, the best way to honor National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day is — not surprisingly — to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Done and done. They have some tips for making the perfect version here, if you need any pointers.
Should you still be feeling the PBJ spirit, you might check out the web for some National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day e-cards. Yes, they actually make those.
From me to you, happy National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day! Enjoy the special day – only in America!!!
The Riverhead Recreation Department presents free fun at Stotzky Park.
Did you know that Au Pair in America will pay for the cost of a Red Cross class providing you have at least six months left on your visa and you are taking one of several approved childcare/child safety related classes, such as infant/child CPR or Community First Aid and Safety. Check with your counselor for details!
Last weekend’s snow storm pushed our celebration of Chinese New Year a week later, but we enjoyed learning all about it and how to make Chinese Dumplings from Yujue, an au pair from China! She taught us about the Chinese Zodiac, how the new year is celebrated in China. Then she taught us how to make Chinese dumplings, which were delicious.
Cindy Garruba and Nancy Picart combined their clusters at Cindy’s house for the meeting. Cindy led the group in filling out their tax forms, reviewing some school information for classes au pairs can take, safe driving tips from the DMV, childcare activities for fun on days when you have to stay inside, and then we learned some heart idioms in celebration of Valentine’s Day. Nancy Picart made a Valentine dessert for everyone, we handed out candy kisses to all the au pairs. 
It was the last cluster meeting for Juliana from Brazil! She will be traveling around the USA for her bonus travel month, then returning to Brazil. Cindy presented her with a certificate, a good bye gift and all the au pairs cheered her accomplishments. Juliana has been an au pair for 2 years! We look forward to hearing more about her trip and her success in years to come!
Groundhog Day is celebrated in the U.S. each year on February 2nd. On this day in mid-winter, the groundhog awakens from a long winter’s nap, and goes outside of his den to see if he sees his shadow. This tradition is big on an otherwise cold and dreary mid-winter’s day.
Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania is the site of the annual Ground Hog event. Our little rodent friend (yes, Groundhogs are classified as rodents) is called Punxsutawney Phil. There are a few other “predictors” around the country, but they all pale in comparison to Phil’s ability to predict the remainder of winter.
Martin Luther King Day is seen as a day to promote equal rights for all Americans, regardless of their background. Some educational establishments mark the day by teaching their pupils or students about the work of Martin Luther King and the struggle against racial segregation and racism. In recent years, federal legislation has encouraged Americans to give some of their time on this day as volunteers in citizen action groups.