POPCORN LOVER'S DAY
Popcorn Lover’s Day is an answered prayer for those who love popcorn because, on this day, they have an opportunity to eat their favorite snack all day long. It is celebrated on the second Thursday of March every year. Popcorn lovers can taste whatever they want, whether salted, buttered, caramel corn, or kettle corn. Make the day memorable for you and your family; begin popping your favorite snack and nibbling immediately with your family and friends, and make the day memorable for years.
HISTORY OF POPCORN LOVER'S DAY
Popcorn as a snack had existed for thousands of years, dating back to the Native Americans over 4000 years ago when the oldest popcorn was discovered in 1948 in a bat cave in West-Central New Mexico. Nonetheless, at the time, popcorn served many functions; for instance, due to its cultural value, popcorn was ingested, used for decorating headdresses and deity images, and could be discovered in burial sites in Chile in South America. Some Native Americans believed spirits dwelt in popcorn kernels, and when these kernels were roasted, the spirits would be enraged and flee. This superstition can be said to be due to the ‘popping’ sound.
When that region was colonized, popcorn was referred to as ‘parching corn,’ ‘rice corn,’ and ‘popped corn.’ Later in 1820, the term popcorn was devised. Popcorn was not just eaten but also used to decorate the Christmas tree. Though organically cooked popcorn had its benefits, it did not become popular or have a distinct flavor until it was marketed.
In 1896, popcorn quickly became a staple as Cracker Jack began selling them, and the mobile popcorn machine was invented. Popcorn then became a major component at parks, fairs, and streets because of the innovation. Moreover, popcorn was so affordable that even during hard times like the Great Depression, people could still afford it.
As television became more popular in the early 1950s, less popcorn was consumed due to fewer people visiting theaters. Percy Spencer realized that popcorn could be made in microwaves. By the early 1980s, several companies had adopted the art of making microwave popcorn, and Golden Valley Foods became one of the first companies to make it in 1971.
