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The “bear” in “Hug a Bear Day” actually refers to Teddy bears. “Teddy” bears are named after the 26th President of the United States, Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, who served as President from 1901 to 1909.
Theodore Roosevelt’s association with bears is based on a famous story from November 1902 when he spared the life of one during a hunting expedition. This story was featured as a cartoon in the Washington Post, which inspired two New York City store owners to create the first “Teddy” bear toy.
These days Hug a Bear Day isn’t as much an acknowledgement of not shooting bears as it is promoting the benefits of hugging – there’s a reason they are called cuddly toys.
Traditional British puddings and desserts are usually warming, comforting and nostalgic for most Britons. Here we feature several classics that are scoffed with relish across the nation.
Crumble
A crumble is a dish that can be made in a sweet or savoury version, although the sweet version is much more common. A sweet variety usually contains stewed fruit topped with a crumbly mixture of fat, flour, and sugar. Common fruits used are apple, rhubarb and plum.
Spotted Dick
Spotted dick is a traditional British pudding, traditionally made with suet and dried fruit and often served with custard. Spotted refers to the fruit and dick is a regional term for a pudding.
Eton Mess
Eton mess is a traditional English dessert consisting of a mixture of strawberries, meringue, and whipped cream. First mentioned in print in 1893, it is commonly believed to originate from Eton College and is served at the annual cricket match against the pupils of Harrow School.
Eve’s Pudding
Eve’s pudding, also known as Mother Eve’s pudding, is a type of traditional British pudding made from apples baked under a Victoria sponge cake mixture. The name is a reference to the biblical Eve.
Jam Roly-Poly
Jam roly-poly is a traditional British pudding dating back to the early 19th century. It is a flat-rolled suet pudding, which is then spread with jam and rolled up, similar to a Swiss roll, then steamed or baked.
Treacle Sponge
A treacle sponge pudding is a traditional British dessert dish consisting of a steamed sponge cake with treacle cooked on top of it, sometimes also poured over it and often served with hot custard.
Trifle
Made with fruit, a thin layer of sponge fingers commonly soaked in sherry or another fortified wine, and custard, the contents of a trifle are highly variable; many varieties exist, some forgoing fruit entirely and instead using other ingredients, such as chocolate, coffee or vanilla.
In the UK, the official ceremonies related to the end of the hostilities in the first world war take place on the Sunday nearest November 11th. Armistice Day is still observed on November 11th. It is not a public holiday, but many people will still observe a minutes silence at 11AM GMT.
Tempranillo is a black grape variety widely grown to make full-bodied red wines in its native Spain. Its name is the diminutive of the Spanish temprano, a reference to the fact that it ripens several weeks earlier than most Spanish red grapes.
Tempranillo is the most important grape in Spain.
Tempranillo day was started by TAPAS or Tempranillo Advocates, Producers And Amigos who passionately push this dry climate Spanish variety.
Kindness is seeing the best in others when they can’t see if themselves.
Remembrance Day is commemorated on November 11th each year and marks the end of World War I in 1918.
The intention of the day is to remember the fallen on both sides in the ‘Great War’.
In the UK, the official commemoration was moved to the Sunday closest to November in 11th 1939, to avoid any disruption to production in factories supporting the war effort. This Sunday observance has remained since, though November 11th may also be marked with a moment of silence at 11am.
Children are invited to dress up in their Pudsey and Blush outfits on Friday 19 November or anytime that week for Children in Need. Yellow and Brown clothes suitable too. Don’t forget to name the belongings.
A day to enjoy the making, baking and eating of nutritious homemade bread.
People have been making bread for at least 14,000 years, that’s about 4,000 years longer than they’ve been farming.
Since the dawn of civilization, baking fresh bread was part of the daily routine for most families.
While bakers took on the task, the invention of the bread maker machine in the 1980s has seen a resurgence in interest in making homemade bread.
A traditional date to make the Christmas Pudding on the Sunday before the start of Advent.
Stir-up Sunday is a centuries-old annual tradition where home-cooks spend the last Sunday before Advent ‘stirring up’ their Christmas pudding. That means it’s not on the same date each year and falls somewhere at the end of November before Advent begins.
Rather than a cooking term, Stir-up Sunday gets its name from the beginning of the collect for the day in the Book of Common Prayer, which begins with the words, “Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”. But it has become associated with the custom of making the Christmas puddings on that day as it served as a timely reminder to make the traditional Christmas food.
