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    Jan. 6: Cuddle Up Day, Shortbread Day, Joan of Arc 600th Birth Anniversary, Carnival Season Starts

    By Pam Gaulin | Yahoo! Contributor Network – Tue, Jan 3, 2012
    This story comes from the Yahoo! Contributor Network, where individuals publish their unique perspectives on some of the world’s most popular websites.
    Do you have a story to tell? Become a Yahoo! contributor

    Cuddle Up Day

    Two famous Georges were married on Jan. 6. Do you know who they were? Would it help if you knew both served as U.S. presidents? George Washington married Martha Dandridge Custis on Jan. 6, 1759. George H.W. Bush married Barbara Pierce on Jan. 6, 1945. Whether these political marriages create warm and fuzzy feelings or not, Jan. 6 is Cuddle Up Day. Cuddle up and share affection with a spouse, a partner, a sibling, your child or your favorite pet.

    Shortbread Day

    Some sources claim it's also Bean Day, which would be a fine food to celebrate if it weren't also Cuddle Up Day. Then again, Jan. 6 is also Rowan Atkinson's Birthday, so you could celebrate his Mr. Bean. Celebrating both Bean Day and Cuddle Up Day comfortably may prove to be a challenge. Instead, cuddle up with your loved one and enjoy a batch of freshly-baked shortbread with almonds.

    Before butter became a popular baking ingredient, it was merely a convenient substitute for fresh cream. Shortbread with butter dates back to Elizabethan times, according to Food Timeline. "Shortbread is served with tea and its traditionally eaten at Christmas and New Year. Originating from Scotland and traditionally made with oatmeal, it is now made with wheat flour. ... Shortbread is usually baked in a large round and served cut from the center into triangles; it is a relic of the ancient New Year cakes that were symbols of the sun," according to "Larousse Gastronomique."

    Joan of Arc 600th Birth Anniversary

    Jeanne d'Arc was born on Jan. 6, 1412, in Domremy, France. At 13, she claimed she heard Michael the Archangel calling on her to save France. She fought and won battles and was later taken prisoner, convicted and burned at the stake on May 30, 1431. The Church honors Joan of Arc "because, being persuaded of the will of God for her life, she responded in faith and obedience to that will as she understood it," according to biographer James Kiefer.

    * Watch The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc

    Carnival Season Starts

    The "big" holiday season may be over, but party season has just begun. Jan. 6 kicks off Carnival Season in the weeks before the beginning of Lent. Indulge in your favorite foods and treats, enjoy parades, theatrical performances and costumes. Notable carnival events:

    * Gulf Coast Carnival Association hosts parades and more in Biloxi, Miss.

    * Carnival in Aruba, Trinidad and St. Maarten

     

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