July 18th - Holidays and Observances

(click on the day for details)

• Christian feast day:
  • Arnulf of Metz^[52]
  • Bruno of Segni^[53]
  • Camillus de Lellis (optional memorial, United States only)^[53]
  • Eadburh (or Edburga) of Bicester^[54]
  • Elizabeth Ferard (Church of England)^[55]
  • Frederick of Utrecht^[56]
  • Maternus of Milan^[57]
  • Pambo^[58]
  • Philastrius^[59]
  • Symphorosa^[53]
  • Theodosia of Constantinople^[60]
  • July 18 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
• Constitution Day (Uruguay)^[61]
• Nelson Mandela International Day^[62]

 

Observances (click on the day or week for details)

Moth Week

 

Fun Observances (3)

Insurance Nerd Day

Insurance Nerd Day on July 18 celebrates the insurance industry and helps raise awareness about the importance of insurance in our daily lives.

It was created in 2016 by an insurance company in the United States as a way to showcase the profession and dispel general misconceptions about how staid and boring the field can be.

Risk Management

Insurance is a form of risk management, where a person or company agrees to pay out financial compensation in case of accidents, disability, natural disasters, ill health, or death. To receive the payouts, the insured has to buy the insurance by paying the insurer premiums, usually monthly.

There are different kinds of insurance, including life, health, automobile, business, home, travel, and credit insurance.

While insurance does not reduce risks, it can help mitigate the financial losses and hardships that accompany unexpected adverse events

Complicated Calculations

The cost of insurance depends on the number of insured entities—the more people pay into the pool, the lower the premium. The calculations of how much to charge people are so complicated that it is a field of study known as actuarial science.

Actuarial scientists calculate the premiums based on a variety of statistical factors. For example, the amount a company can charge for automobile insurance depends on the age and health of the driver, the condition of the car, and their history of driving.

Not a Boring Profession

Due to the complicated nature of the industry and the strict educational requirements for entering it, many people think that an insurance company is a boring and staid place to work. It is this image of insurance workers that this holiday is trying to change.

Insurance professionals play an important role in society and help people during some of the worst times of their lives.

How to Celebrate?

• If you know an insurance agent, use this day to thank them for all the work they do.
• If you know a mathematically-inclined young person, encourage them to learn more about actuarial science as a field of study and future profession.
• Take the day to make sure you are adequately insured so that in case of an accident, you and your loved ones are covered and protected.

Did You Know...

...that ancient Greeks and Romans had a form of health and life insurance? Thiasoi or benevolent societies were set up to help the sick and the bereaved.

 

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Caviar Day

On July 18, take out your best vodka and pair it with some top-of-the-shelf caviar because it is Caviar Day. The unofficial holiday of unknown origins encourages people to try out the delicacy while promoting environmentally friendly and humane fishing practices.

Considered to be a delicacy in many parts of the world, caviar is salt-cured roe or fish eggs, usually from sturgeon. Traditionally, the term caviar was used to refer to roe from sturgeons from the Caspian Sea, though in recent years the roe of other fish found elsewhere are also commonly called caviar.

From Pig Feed to Luxury Food

Derived from the Persian word khaya meaning egg, caviar did not gain its status as a food for the rich and famous until the 1800s. Before that, even though sturgeon was a commonly eaten fish, its roe was considered worthless and routinely used as pig and other animal feed. By the end of the 18th century, however, caviar had found its way on the dinner tables of royals around the world and had become a coveted food item. Today, caviar is considered to be a luxury food.

How to Celebrate?

• If you have never tried caviar before, today is the day to take the plunge and try it. What is the worst that can happen? You may not like it, but at least you will know what it tastes like.
• If you like caviar, why not have a caviar tasting party for your friends?

Did You Know…

…that the rarest and the most expensive caviar comes from the beluga sturgeon found in the Caspian Sea?

 

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Ice Cream Day

Cool down with a scoop (or two) of refreshing ice cream on Ice Cream Day. Celebrated annually since 1984 on the third Sunday of July in the United States, the unofficial holiday celebrates everyone’s favorite sweet treat.

The holiday was created by an official proclamation by President Ronald Reagan in 1984. At the time, the holiday was supposed to be only celebrated once - on July 15, 1984. The ice cream industry, however, decided to continue the tradition every year since. In addition to observing a National Ice Cream Day, the proclamation also designated July as National Ice Cream Month. This too has now become a tradition.

Chinese Origin

Traditionally made by freezing a mixture of cream or milk, sugar, and some kind of flavoring, ice cream is often eaten after a meal as a dessert or as a mid-meal snack. As a treat, ice cream has a long and varied history, though very little is known about its origins. Some historians believed that the Chinese were responsible for inventing the earliest versions of this dessert, while others suggest that the Romans mixed snow with honey and fruits to create the first prototype of ice cream. Either way, the early types of ice cream were nothing like the ice cream we are familiar with today.

Only for Royals

In the old days before refrigerators became common kitchen equipment, ice cream was a food reserved for the royals and the rich and it was only eaten during special occasions. The development of refrigeration technology quickly made ice cream a commonly enjoyed dessert around the world. Today, people can easily make ice cream at home with the help of portable ice cream makers.

How to Celebrate?

• Many ice cream parlors and stores have sales and specials on their products on this day. Visit one of them to celebrate this fun holiday.
• Have ice cream for all your meals. It can be considered as a nutritious food group for this one day.
• Don’t live in the United States? We suggest that that shouldn’t stop you from celebrating this awesome holiday. After all, ice cream is a delicious treat in every culture. Make your own ice cream and serve it to family and friends.
• Tired of the usual vanilla or strawberry ice cream? Get creative with your flavorings. What about adding mint to your strawberry ice cream? Or bacon bits to your caramel ice cream?
• Don't like to have just plain ice cream? What about making some ice cream sandwiches or an ice cream cake instead?

Did You Know...

...that some studies have shown that people buy and consume more ice cream on a Sunday than any other day of the week?

 

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Headlines around America

 

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Here’s the news:

A Rhode Island man was arrested for passing a counterfeit $100 bill.

What gave him away? Lincoln’s face: It’s supposed to be on the $5 bill.

Here’s the laugh:

A counterfeiter drives to a small town, enters a store, and hands the rube behind the counter an $18 bill. “Mind making change?” he asks.

“Sure,” says the clerk. “Ya want two nines or three sixes?”

 

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This is still a test, so no two or three hour efforts.

sandrewn