16th February : Significance

Origin of Do a Grouch a Favor Day

This day might have been the brain child of Big Bird, in an attempt to pull Oscar the Grouch out of his continual grumbling spirit, or it may have been the secret initiative of a grump who secretly wants people to do nice things for them, despite their prickly exterior. Whatever, the grump' has been a stereotype character since stereotype characters were invented. Even ancient Greek plays feature a grump character archetype to amuse those of us who have a sense of humor and are not resigned to a grouchy fate.

Celebrating Do a Grouch a Favor Day

Depending on the nature of the grumps in your life it might be possible that observing Do a Grouch a Favor Day will be no chore for you at all. However, even if the grouch in the cubicle next to yours is insufferably nasty, do a Grouch a Favor Day is still an excellent opportunity to surprise them with a favor of some description, whether it be an outstanding act of kindness or just a smile and kind response to one of their cynical comments. Even the foulest mood can be improved by a kind word or action, and whether you feel like it or not going out of your way to do a favor for a grouchy person is the theme of Do a Grouch a Favor Day. Allow me to wax Nike and say "Just do it"? Maybe the grouchy neighbor across the street is not really a terrible human being and is in fact just lonely. A smile and wave might just cause the glare to fall off their face and be replaced by a reciprocated smile, even if just for a moment.

If you're unwilling to reach out to a grouch, or simply do not know a grouch (lucky you) than Do a Grouch a Favor Day may be just the excuse you needed to flop onto the couch and turn on your favorite Sesame Street episode (we know you have one) and enjoy the shenanigans of the Grouch. Alternatively, if you can stomach Christmas films without becoming grouchy yourself, than classics such as A Christmas Carol, or The Grinch who Stole Christmas, might prove to be right up your alley.

History of Tim Tam Day

Tim Tam was produced in 1958 by one Ian Norris at Arnott's, and it was created in true Australian style. What do we mean by that? We mean he went to England and discovered that they simply didn't know how to make a proper biscuit, and with his mind firmly fixed on the Penguin Biscuit' he set out to make a better one. He would follow through on this ambition in 1964, and were almost an immediate hit. So what is a Tim Tam? Its two chocolate malted biscuits with a fluffy cream filling and dipped in delectable milk chocolate. What's not to love?

One of the little bits of little known information about Tim Tams is where they got their name. It turns out that Ross Arnott was a bit of a horse racing fan, and when he attended the Kentucky Derby in 1958, he chose to name the newest treat after the horse that won the race. So the Tim Tam was born, and so a horse was forever immortalized in a tasty Australian confection. Of such things are legends born. Since then they've become incredibly popular in Australia, and spread throughout the world, but they've never forgotten where they call home.