What is National Popcorn Day?
National Popcorn Day arrives on the scene on January 19th with a crunch we all love to enjoy! Whether day or night, the annual celebration honors a treat that delights munchies.
This time-honored snack can be sweet or savory, caramelized, buttered, or plain, molded into a candied ball, or sprinkled with nuts and chocolate. However, it is enjoyed, enjoy it on National Popcorn Day, January 19th.
In Old English, the word "corn" meant "grain" or, more specifically, the most common grain grown in a region. Native Americans introduced their most common grain, maize, to early Europeans, they aptly used the term "corn."
The Aztecs used popcorn in headdresses worn during ceremonies honoring Tlaloc, their god of maize and fertility, as early as the 16th century. Early Spanish explorers were fascinated by the corn that burst into what looked like a white flower.
Popcorn first became popular in the United States in the middle 1800s. The delectable treat wasn't until Charles Cretors, a candy-store owner, invented a machine for popping corn with steam that became more popular. He had horse-drawn popcorn wagons roaming Chicago streets by 1900.
