issue 16// vol 47

Celebrating National Thesaurus
Day and National Popcorn Day

» How these two distinctive holidays were created

Brandon Yip
Senior Columnist

 

o be honest, before writing this article I had never

heard of National Thesaurus Day and National
Popcorn Day. But after conducting further research, I am
now better informed regarding the significance of these
two special holidays... celebrations, traditions, customs,
revelry—while my fingers are sticky from eating popcorn
with gobs of butter!

National Thesaurus Day
How is this holiday celebrated, honoured,
recognized, or bastardized? I have always
been curious, quizzical, wondering,
inquiring. I will guess that National
Thesaurus Day was made for the man who
invented the thesaurus, Peter Mark Roget.
Roget was born on January 18, therefore it is
appropriate to honour him on his birthday.
Roget first began writing the thesaurus
in 1848 and would finish it in 1852 with
15,000 words. The original title of the book
was called Thesaurus of English Words and
Phrases Classified and Arranged So As To
Facilitate the Expression of Ideas and Assist
in Literary Composition; it is safe to assume
that editors were not invented in 1852!
Nonetheless, the National Today website
honouring National Thesaurus Day outlines
some fun activities to do while celebrating
this unique holiday. Some activities include
playing a game of “synonym password,”
rewriting a famous story or poem, or
perusing through a thesaurus for old time's
sake—which is perfect for quarantine!
National Today explains the significance of
this special holiday: “We can do more than
have a conversation, but a discussion, a talk,
or an exchange! Writers and non-writers
alike can be thankful for all the word options
available in a thesaurus and celebrate the
work of Peter Mark Roget on National
Thesaurus Day!”

 

National Popcorn Day kernels split open when exposed to dry heat.

Tam trying to rid my ignorance and become “butter” The origins of Zea mays everta (small heads)

informed about National Popcorn Day on January 19. begin in 1948 when they were discovered by Earle
Popcorn has been a staple snack for millions of Smith and Herbert Dick in the Bat Cave (a famous

people worldwide. site) located in New Mexico. These ancient Bat Cave
According to the National Today website ears were approximately 4,000 years old, ranging

honouring National Popcorn Day, there is a notable from being tinier than a penny to around two inches.

difference between the corn that we eat and the Numerous individually popped kernels were also

corn that we pop—both are two different types of found. They have since been carbon dated and revealed
maize. Interestingly, the corn that is usually served at to be roughly 5,600 years old. Furthermore, there is
dinnertime is unlikely to pop at all. Yet, one variety of evidence of early consumption and use of popcorn in
corn can turn into popcorn: Zea mays everta—which Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru—and other places in
sounds like a soccer player ready to take a penalty kick! = Central and South America. Popcorn has been linked
This specific corn type contains small ears and the to the Aztecs, Native Americans, French explorers, and

 

life & style // no. 19

 

Iroquois Natives in the Great Lakes region. Plus, as
colonists travelled throughout North America during
the time the US formally became a country, many
people incorporated popcorn as a healthy and popular
snack.

Tronically, in the 1920s, many theatres in North
America refused to sell popcorn because it was
considered too messy! Ultimately, the National Today
website lists some activities to do to celebrate National
Popcorn Day. They recommend making popcorn
jewelry, planning a movie marathon, and putting on
the popcorn Olympics at your office (which may be
difficult due to the pandemic).

The original title of the book was ‘Thesaurus of English Words
and Phrases Classified and Arranged So As To Facilitate the
Expression of Ideas and Assist in Literary Composition.’

Illustration by Athena Little