Popcorn is a must-go-to snack when it comes to watching movies, whether at home or theatre and of course, for sports, which again at home or stadium. Popcorn is also a favourite snack to munch on while one is taking a stroll late in the afternoon with a beloved one or friends. While it can be said that for us, Bangladeshis, Muri or Jhaalmuri or Chanachur is more endearing than popcorn will ever be. However, it cannot be denied that this little fella has warmed its way into our hearts, quite firmly and surely, in a way that we cannot deny its existence nor its absence when it comes to having a movie day or sports day. In the same way, it cannot be denied that the whole world has much love for this little fella to the point that passionate popcorn lovers have selected a specific day just to celebrate the existence of this delicious snack as well as to remember the spectacular history of these tiny bits of salty and sometimes buttery love.
Every year the second Thursday of March is celebrated as ‘Popcorn Lovers Day’, which means for this year of 2022, the designated date will be 10th March. The idea of this particular day first came from an American popcorn lover named Bob Matthews. He is from Rochester, New York, where he and his wife celebrated the first-ever Popcorn Lovers Day on January 06, 2012. It should be mentioned that Bob and his wife used to have popcorn the most on Thursdays. As a result, even though the original day was not Thursday, popcorn lovers all around the world celebrate Popcorn Lovers Day on the second Thursday of March to commemorate the passionate love Bob and his wife had for their favourite snack and as for the changes in the month from January to March that you ask? The reason either got lost in the translation or the fervent love for popcorn.
Now let’s have a quick look at the glorious history behind popcorn. It is said that popcorn has been around for thousands of years and the oldest popcorn has been found in 1948, in a place called the Bat Cave which is located in west-central, New Mexico. It was believed that the first use of popcorn was done by Native Americans in both South and North America. There are stories where some Native Americans believed that inside the popcorn kernels lived spirits, which upon being heated would go angry and when popped would escape. There are also examples of popcorns being used as decoration for ceremonial headdresses, necklaces, and ornaments on statues of various gods, including Tlaloc, the god of rain and fertility by the Aztec Indians in 1519.
However, in the recent history of popcorn, it is seen that this was used as a cheap staple food in the Great Depression that took place during the 1930s, especially when it was made more accessible in the 1890s by Charles Cretors’ invention of the popcorn maker. Furthermore, during World War II, Americans consumed three times as much as they had before to compensate for the absence of the diminished sugar rations. As such, it can be seen that popcorn plays a vital role in the American history of affordable staple food in a time of great need. Thus, it is no wonder that popcorn, still to this day, remains one of the most popular snacks of all time in American and is consumed in a huge amounts throughout the years.
Now let’s see what is the proper way to celebrate Popcorn Lovers Day:
- Firstly, of course, it is only proper to eat lots and lots of popcorn to celebrate the love of popcorn!
- Secondly, people can host a gathering or get-together where several toppings for popcorn will be made available. For example, powered ranch, cinnamon sugar, cheddar, garlic romano, salt, butter, caramel, kettle, and even powdered BBQ seasoning. With various options for toppings, one can find and experiment with his or her new favourites.
- Thirdly, if anyone wants to mix a little bit of horror to get the best out of the popcorn flavour, then perhaps a horror movie can do the trick.
- Next, one can send a ‘popcorn gift’ to their loved ones with a little bit of a ‘corny’ joke attached to it to add some extra flavours.
- Finally, the most classical way would be to go to a movie theatre or watch movies at home with overly buttered popcorn as a confidant, which will taste delicious.
To sum up ‘Popcorn Lovers Day’ lets the lovers of popcorn have a particular space and stage to showcase their ardent love for popcorn with or without various kinds of toppings.
