CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY DAY
January 3 spotlights National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day and a favorite during many holidays. Furthermore, the National Confectioners Association has been known to recognize this day as an annual event. #ChocolateCoveredCherryDay
NATIONAL FRUITCAKE TOSS DAY
National Fruitcake Toss Day is celebrated on the first Saturday in January. This fun day challenges us to chuck the fruitcake as far as you can. #FruitcakeTossDay
NATIONAL PLAY OUTSIDE DAY
The first Saturday of every month is National Play Outside Day. This National Day presents opportunity to remind everyone to get outside and enjoy the fresh air through play. #PlayOutsideDay
NATIONAL DRINKING STRAW DAY
On January 3rd National Drinking Straw Day commemorates the date in 1888 that Marvin C. Stone received the patent for the paper drinking straw. Since then, a variety of drinking straws are used. #DrinkingStrawDay
Coming on January 4, 2026
National Days
NATIONAL TRIVIA DAY
NATIONAL SPAGHETTI DAY
NATIONAL MISSOURI DAY
Notable Birthdays for January 3
William Tucker (1624-Death Unknown) - The first known Black child born in America.
Lucretia Mott (1793-1880) - Activist who planned the first Woman's Rights Convention.
Harry Elkins Widener (1885-1912) - Died during the sinking of Titanic.
Dorothy Arzner (1900-1979) - The first woman to direct a film with sound.
Anna May Wong (1905-1961) - The first Asian-American movie star.
Roger Williams Straus, Jr. (1917-2004) - Co-founder of the NY publishing company Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Herbie Nichols (1919-1963) - Pianist and composer wrote Lady Sings the Blues.
Gordon Moore (1929-2023) - Co-founder of the Intel Corporation.
Victoria Principal (1950-Still Living) - Actress remembered for her role as Pamela Barnes Ewing on Dallas.
Mel Gibson (1956-Still Living) - Actor of Mad Max, Lethal Weapon, and Braveheart.
Memorable Events for January 3
1749 - Benning Wentworth issues the land grant in VT.
1831 - The first loan association is organized in PA.
1853 - Solomon Northup, author of Twelve Years a Slave, is freed after 7 years of illegal slavery.
1870 - Construction on Brooklyn Bridge begins.
1871 - Margarine is patented by Henry Bradley.
1888 - The first drinking straw is patented.
1918 - The U.S. Employment Service opens.
1933 - Minnie D. Craig becomes the first woman in the U.S. elected as Speaker of the House in ND.
1938 - The March of Dimes is created to fight polio.
1943 - The first missing persons alert is sent in NY City.
1947 - Congress is televised for the first time.
1957 - The first electric watch (the Hamilton Electric 500) is introduced to the public.
1959 - Alaska becomes the 49th state to join the Union.
1987 - Aretha Franklin becomes the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
1999 - NASA's Mars Polar Lander launched resulting in failure.
