Tuesday, July 20, 2021

National Pickle Month

 

    I recall early July of 1974, when I arrived in the United States.

I grew up in Israel, a dual citizen of both countries. I had no memory of my ten-month visit to the USA when I was two years old, and so for me this was a get-acquainted-with-America summer.

 

One of the first things that struck me was a billboard that stated—ready for this?

July is National Pickle Month

I asked the American with whom my friend and I stayed what made it “national.” Was this a joke?

“Congress decreed it so,” she said.

Really? Like, they have nothing better to do?


I remember realizing something about my other county: it was playful, whimsical, and a wee bit silly. Having grown up in a country where the government’s work is serious existential business, the United States seemed downright Disneyland-goofy.

 

Yes, there were ongoing hearings that culminated for the first time in U.S. history in a president resigning only a month later. There were protests and divisions over the pain of a war the nation had just lost, (despite calling the end of our involvement in Vietnam a “peace agreement”) and so on.

 

But congress still had the energy to declare a National Pickle Month.

 

Something about this still sums America for me.

 

So, in addition to celebrating this pickle before it ends, I thought I’d list a few more such garnishes below. Let’s celebrate while we still have the energy to jitterbug in those parties:

January 4: National Spaghetti Day🍝

February 5: Shower with a Friend Day😳

March 1: National Pig Day 🐖(hey, it’s also my birthday)

 

A comprehensive list can be glimpsed here.

But to me, National Pickle Month reigns supreme.



4 comments:

  1. How fun! We have so much okra...we'll pickle some :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Apropos, this afternoon I went hiking with a friend who lived in Israel for years. She gave me freshly picked cucumbers from the garden of an Israeli friend, who was busy pickling the bountiful crop!

    ReplyDelete
  3. My birthday is National Banana Bread Day & National Dog Biscuit Day. It's also National Tile Day, which I don't understand but it doesn't matter.

    Love,
    Janie

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is so great!

    A friend of mine moved here from Russia and her first day in downtown Seattle was Halloween. She'd never heard of it and thought, what kind of place have I moved too?!

    We are a weird country.

    Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete

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