December 30, 2020
Day 365 of 366

December 30th is the 365th day of the year. It is the anniversary of the Day of the Declaration of Slovakia as an Independent Ecclesiastic Province.

There are two days remaining in the year.

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as National Bicarbonate of Soda Day, Falling Needles Family Fest Day, and Bacon Day.

Mmmm… bacon…

Historical items of note:

• In 1851, businessman and politician Asa Griggs Candler was born. In 1888, he purchased the Coca-Cola recipe for $1,750 from chemist John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta, Georgia. He founded The Coca-Cola Company in 1892 and developed it as a major company. He served as the 41st Mayor of Atlanta from 1916 to 1919.
• In 1865, Indian-English author and poet Rudyard Kipling was born. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907.
• In 1896, Canadian ice hockey player Ernie McLea scored the first hat-trick in Stanley Cup play, and the Cup-winning goal, as the Montreal Victorias defeated the Winnipeg Victorias by a score of 6-5. The hat-trick is accomplished when a single player scores three goals in a single game.
• Also in 1896, Filipino patriot and reform advocate José Rizal was executed by a Spanish firing squad in Manila.
• In 1916, the last coronation in Hungary was performed for King Charles IV and Queen Zita.
• In 1920, actor Jack Lord was born.
• In 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was formed.
• In 1924, Canadian-American propulsion engineer Yvonne Brill was born.
• In 1927, the Ginza Line, the first subway line in Asia, opened in Tokyo, Japan.
• In 1945, English singer-songwriter and actor Davy Jones was born. He was a member of The Monkees.
• In 1947, author, screenwriter, and producer James Kahn was born.
• In 1953, journalist and game show host Meredith Vieira was born.
• Also in 1953, the first-ever NTSC color television sets went on sale. They were sold for about $1,175 each by RCA.
• In 1963, Let’s Make a Deal debuted on NBC.
• In 1972, actress Maureen Flannigan was born. I was introduced to her on Out of this World, a little low-budget family sitcom that I still would love to see on TV again someday.
• In 1980, actress and producer Eliza Dushku was born.
• In 1982, Canadian actress Kristin Kreuk was born.
• In 1986, actress Caity Lotz was born.
• In 2006, former President of Iraq Saddam Hussein was executed.

December 30th is Falling Needles Family Fest Day.

What is that? Well, it’s a day to remind everyone to clean up and recycle that rapidly decaying live Christmas tree. Instead of putting it in the garbage, the tree can be reused in many ways. It can be mulched down for use in your garden or donated to mulching programs. According to Purdue University, it can be anchored in your yard to serve as a temporary winter home for birds. It can also be donated to programs that place trees in waterways to act as homes for fish. It can also be used as a soil erosion block for hills, lakes, rivers, and dunes.

It can also be cut and dried for later use in fire pits. Of course, you should never burn it indoors due to the oils found in firs and evergreens.

Check with your local municipality to see what options are available to recycle your used tree.

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.