MDBCs 25 Mar 2024

Known as Våffeldagen, legend has it that the holiday was mistakenly created due to a mispronunciation of Vårfrudagen. Vårfrudagen or Our Lady’s Day is a Christian holiday also known as Annunciation.

Today, many countries around the world celebrate March 25 as Waffle Day.

Originated in Europe

Waffles are dough or batter cooked between two hot plates, usually made of iron. The dish is thought to have originated in Europe and is now enjoyed all around the world for breakfast, as a snack, or as dessert.

Waffle Iron Patent Awarded

In the United States, Waffle Day is celebrated on August 24. The unofficial holiday commemorates the day in 1869 when the first waffle iron was patented.

The healthier version, Oatmeal Nut Waffle Day, is celebrated on March 11.

How to Celebrate?

With waffles! Make them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Experiment with toppings – make savory waffles instead of sweet waffles. Try the American soul food version of fried chicken and waffles.
Have a waffle party and have your family and friends bring their most innovative waffle dish.

Did You Know...

...that Belgian Waffles were created and introduced to the world for the first time in the United States? Maurice Vermersch introduced them at the 1964 New York World's Fair as the Bel-Gem Waffle.

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Tolkien Reading Day

March 25 is Tolkien Reading Day. Celebrate the unofficial holiday by reading some of your favorite Tolkien books.

Created in 2003 by the Tolkien Society, the unofficial holiday encourages people to read all of English author, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien’s (J.R.R Tolkien) works.

Lord of the Rings

Thought to be one of the world’s most read fantasy writers, J.R.R. Tolkien is best known for his Lord of the Rings (LOTR) trilogy. A sequel to Tolkien's other popular novel, The Hobbit, the LOTR trilogy is set in a fantasy land called the Middle-earth. Middle-earth is a continent on the fictional world called Arda.

The One Ring

The trilogy gets its name from the One Ring that the main villain in the books, Dark Lord Sauron, created to rule over the other Rings of Power. These rings - 3 for the Elves, 7 for Dwarves and 9 for Men - were created by Sauron or the elves under Sauron's guidance.

Downfall of the Villain

March 25 was chosen as the date for Tolkien Reading Day because it coincides with the date of the downfall of Sauron and Barad-dûr in the Lord of the Rings. Barad-dûr is the fictional tower from which Sauron rules Mordor. In the books, this happens on March 25, 3019 when the Ring falls into the Cracks of Doom.

How to Celebrate?

Read any of J.R.R. Tolkien's work.
Attend public readings of his works organized by your local Tolkien fan organizations.
Host a marathon viewing of the movies based on the books.

Did You Know...

...that Tolkien was known to speak around 20 languages?

***

Fact: We salesmen believe we can sell anything. But my confidence was put to the test recently in a hotel lobby. When the doors to the elevator opened, it was packed with women. I walked in, flashed a broad grin, and said, "Looks like tonight is my lucky night."

"Don't count on it," said a voice in the back. "We're nuns."

***

A guy suffering from a miserable cold begs his doctor for relief. The doctor prescribes pills. But after a week, the guy's still sick. So the doctor gives him a shot. But that doesn't help his condition either.

"Okay, this is what I want you to do," says the doctor on the third visit. "Go home and take a hot bath. Then throw open all the windows and stand in the draft."

"I'll get pneumonia!" protests the patient.

"I know. That I can cure."

***

A pirate walks into a bar with a paper towel on his head. The bartender says, "What's with the paper towel?"

The pirate says, "Arrr! I've got a Bounty on me head!"

***

Soon after being transferred to a new duty station, my Marine husband called home one evening to tell me he would be late. "Dirty magazines were discovered in the platoon quarters," he said, "and the whole squad is being disciplined."

I launched into a tirade, arguing that Marines should not be penalized for something so trivial.

My husband interrupted. "Honey, when I said ‘dirty magazines,’ I meant the clips from their rifles hadn’t been cleaned."

***

Having fought the battle of the bulge most of my life, I found the battle getting even harder as I approached middle age. One evening, after trying on slacks that were too tight, I said to my husband, "I'll be so glad when we become grandparents. After all, who cares if grandmothers are fat?"

His prompt reply: "Grandfathers."