FAT TUESDAY, February 17, 2026

February 16, 2026January 30, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 2 Comments

The last day of Carnival and the day before for Ash Wednesday, Fat Tuesday is the intertwining of a period festivals and feasts that lead to a time of fasting and reflection. Also known as Shrove Tuesday and Mardi Gras, this enduring celebration has many traditions and deep roots around the world.

Mam Papaul's King Cake Mix with Praline Filling

by Mam Papaul's — Mam Papaul’s King Cake Mix with Praline Filling

by Mam Papaul’s

Mardi Gras (French for Fat Tuesday) dates back to an ancient Roman festival honoring the deities Lupercalia and Saturnalia which took place in mid-February. When Christians arrived in Rome, they incorporated the festival into Lenten preparations.

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by Cafe Du Monde

Bring a taste of New Orleans to your kitchen!

For centuries, this solemn feast prepared Christians for the season of Lent and used up valuable meat and supplies they would be abstaining from in the days to come. Traditions surrounding the day have changed through the ages. Through time and culture, the practices of Lent and Carnival, Mardi Gras, and Shrove Tuesday have varied and become incorporated into regional customs.

In the United Kingdom, Shrove Tuesday is also known as Pancake Day. Pancakes are the perfect menu item when the future includes abstaining from fats, eggs, and sweets! In Russia, they celebrate the entire week during Shrovetide as Pancake Week.

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This would also demand attention as a decor item in your home.

Carnival & Mardi Gras

While the French didn’t originate the medieval feast, they did put their stamp on it. From parades to beignets and colorful masks, the last day of Carnival is full of elaborate costumes and lavish food sure to hold the revelers over through a long fast. During the 16th century, their ancestors celebrated Boeuf Gras (fatted calf) which included a tradition of parading a bull decorated with flowers through the city. The decorated animal is followed through the streets by a retinue of colorfully dressed attendants and bands playing unusual instruments. There was even a Boeuf Gras Society in Mobile, Alabama at one time. (See history below for more information.)

New Orleans holds the crown for Carnival and Mardi Gras celebrations in the United States. While the city is filled with French flavor and style, its culture is an eclectic infusion of many cultures. Colorful King Cake and thick, savory muffuletta sandwiches only suggest the indulgence possible on Fat Tuesday. Regional specialties like Etouffee, Po’boys, and jambalaya all add to the atmosphere of the day.

And while we satisfy our cravings, let’s not forget our beverages. Signature creations from New Orleans hit the spot. Be sure to try the Sazerac made with absinthe or the citrus cocktail Arnaud’s Special. For a smooth drink with some punch mix up a Vieux Carré made with whiskey, cognac, and sweet vermouth. But you don’t have to have a cocktail to enjoy the feast! Fat Tuesday has plenty of beverages full of refreshing flavor. Coffees, sodas, and shakes of every flavor can be found.

HOW TO OBSERVE #FatTuesday

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by JOYIN

Show your spirit, in a parade or at one

Join in festivals around the country or have your own Fat Tuesday feast! Share your favorite traditions by using #FatTuesday, #MardiGras, #ShroveTuesday

In Pensacola as we are so close to both Mobile, AL and New Orleans, there are lots of pardades, parties, balls, and more. Get ready for beads, dancing, and King Cake.

At the end of the fun try coming home to my Crockpot New England Calm Chowder. As today this dish is celebrated nationwide today too.

FAT TUESDAY HISTORY

The roots of the celebration have been woven together for centuries from medieval spring festivals and feasts that were based on the Christian calendar. Fat Tuesday is celebrated around the world in its various forms all of which harken back to these roots of spring festivals and religious fasting in preparation for the Holy day of Easter.

Credit for bringing Mardi Gras to America goes to French explorers Pierre Le Moyne Sieur d’Iberville and Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieur de Bienville. In 1699, d’Iberville reached the mouth of the river on Shrove Tuesday near what is now Louisiana and named it Pointe du Mardi Gras.

Thanks to their establishment of Fort Louis de la Mobile, modern-day Mobile, Alabama lays claim to the first Mardi Gras celebration on American soil in 1703.

When de Bienville established Nouvelle Orleans in 1788, Mardi Gras celebrations reportedly began immediately. In 1875, Louisiana declared Fat Tuesday an official holiday

PRESIDENTS DAY

February 15, 2026January 2, 2026Jensperspectiveblog Leave a comment

On the third Monday in February, the United States celebrates the federal holiday known as Presidents Day. The day takes place during the birth month of the country’s two most prominent presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. While the day once only honored President George Washington on his birthday, February 22nd, the day now never lands on a single president’s birthday.

Across the country, most Americans know the day as Presidents Day. More and more of the population celebrates the day to honor all of the past United States Presidents who have served the country. Throughout the country, organizations and communities celebrate the day with public ceremonies.

PRESIDENTS DAY HISTORY

The origin of Presidents Day lay in the 1880s when the birthday of George Washington was celebrated as a federal holiday. In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill. The bill moved several federal holidays to Mondays creating three-day weekends. During the debate on the bill, one proposal suggested George Washington’s birthday be renamed Presidents Day to honor the birthdays of both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Washington’s birthday is February 22nd and Lincoln’s birthday is February 12th. Although Abraham Lincoln’s birthday was celebrated in many states, it was never an official federal holiday. Following much discussion, Congress rejected the name change.

Despite the rejection, soon after the bill went into effect in 1971, and the observance of Washington’s birthday shifted to the third Monday in February, gradually Presidents Day became the commonly accepted name. Over time, the observance came to be known to many as a day to honor both Washington and Lincoln. However, today another shift has occurred and many see the day as a celebration of all the U.S. Presidents.

Did You Know…

U.S. presidential elections are held every four years. The next presidential election will be held in 2024.

U.S. presidents take the oath of office according to the 20th Amendment of the United States Constitution. It states that the term of each U.S. President begins at noon on January 20th following the election. The oath of office is taken during the inauguration on that day.

The United State’s first president, George Washington, took his oath of office on April 30, 1789, at the federal hall in New York City.

HOW TO OBSERVE PRESIDENTS DAY

Some businesses close for the day, including banks and federal buildings, so make a note.
Celebrate your favorite U.S. president.
Watch a documentary about the POTUS. For example, The Presidents by the History Channel.
See if you can name all the presidents in order.
Challenge yourself to some presidential trivia:

Who are the three presidents who served in 1841?
Forty years later, this same phenomenon occurred again in 1881. Name the three presidents who served that year.
Name the three presidents who died on July 4th.
Who were the four presidents who were assassinated while in office?

Use #PresidentsDay to post on social media. Find the Answers here!

A Kid's Guide to U.S. Presidents: Fascinating Facts About Each President, Updated Through 2020 Election — A Kid’s Guide to U.S. Presidents: Fascinating Facts About Each President, Updated Through 2020 Election

Presidents Who Built America: 20 Biographies Of American Leaders Who Changed The World - For Kids — A Kid’s Guide to U.S. Presidents: Fascinating Facts About Each President, Updated Through 2020 Election

NATIONAL PEPPERMINT PATTY DAY

February 10, 2026January 2, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 19 Comments

National Peppermint Patty Day recognizes a treat enjoyed by millions around the world. On February 11th each year, sink your teeth into the minty chocolate sweet.

The oldest commercially-made mint patty or cake was made by the Quiggin’s family on the Isle of Man (an island located in the middle of the northern Irish Sea). They had been making the cakes since 1840, but in 1880, four of the sons formed the Kendal Mint Cake Company.

In the United States, as early as 1900, peppermint patties were made by regional confectioneries. Companies such as Idaho Candy Company, Trudeau Candie’s, and Pearson’s (which purchased Trudeau in 1951, both were Minnesota companies). Possibly the most known, though not the oldest, York Peppermint Patties were made by the York Cone Company of Pennsylvania.

York Peppermint Patties were first made in 1940 and distributed regionally, much like other candy makers of the era. York dominated the market because of its firmness and crispness while the others were soft. A former York employee remembered that the final (sample) test of the patty before it left the factory was called a “snap test.” If the candy did not break clean in the middle, it did not make it onto candy store shelves.

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In 1975 the company was acquired by Peter Paul Cadbury. Cadbury moved the factory to Reading, Pennsylvania, much to the distress of workers and residents of York. The company then distributed the popular treat across the country.

Explore More….

HOW TO OBSERVE #PeppermintPattyDay

Recipes abound for peppermint patties. However, the bakers also like to incorporate the flavor of peppermint patties into their baked goods. So, be sure to test out these recipes in your kitchen to celebrate. For example, we found Peppermint Patty Cake, Peppermint Patty Brownies, and Peppermint Pattie Cookies recipes. Other ways to celebrate include:

Create a festive treat from peppermint patties to perk up a friend or family member. A fresh bouquet of these minty treats would be a delightful surprise!
Mix up a minty peppermint patty milkshake for a chilling change.
Add a bit of peppermint kick to your mocha to celebrate the day! Whether you use a syrup, add a peppermint stick or order it from a local coffee shop, you won’t go wrong.

Be sure to use #PeppermintPattyDay to share on social media.

YORK Dark Chocolate Peppermint Patties
#PeppermintPattyDay — YORK Dark Chocolate Peppermint Patties

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NATIONAL CREAM CHEESE BROWNIE DAY

February 9, 2026January 1, 2026Jensperspectiveblog

February 10th, National Cream Cheese Brownie Day shines a spotlight on an irresistible dessert bar. Combining chocolate and cream cheese has long been a favorite in the bakery. When it’s added to a brownie recipe the results are spectacular.

150 Cream Cheese Brownie Recipes: A Cream Cheese Brownie Cookbook for Effortless Meals#CreamCheeseBrownieDay — 150 Cream Cheese Brownie Recipes: A Cream Cheese Brownie Cookbook for Effortless Meals

Godiva Chocolatier Brownie Cheesecake Swirl Cake Mix, 7.7 oz box
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The brownie has been around since the 1800s but was first documented in 1906 in The Boston Cooking School Cook Book. There are hundreds of cream cheese brownie recipes. However, we also enjoy them cut up into parfaits or mixed into ice cream. Add a dollop of whipped cream, berries or a sprinkle of nuts and fruit and they become a decadent dessert in their own right.

Adding cream to the batter once it’s poured into the pan and swirling it around with a knife gives the finished product an elegant look. It even suggests a celebration when you look at it! No matter how you enjoy cream cheese brownies, we are sure that you will find one that you like.

More Brownies….

HOW TO OBSERVE #CreamCheeseBrownieDay

Maybe you would like to bake a pan of these delicious brownies and share them with your family and friends! Enjoy my fun easy recipe. If you missed these Easy Loaded Brownies this recipe is great the whole year through.

Use #CreamCheeseBrownieDay to post on social media.

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NATIONAL CLEAN OUT YOUR COMPUTER DAY

February 9, 2026January 2, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 2 Comments

Observed on the second Monday in February, the 12th this year, National Clean Out Your Computer Day promotes taking time out of your day to do some basic housekeeping on your computer.

Use things like thumb drives to safely store those precious photographs. I encourage you to also create a rescue drive on a separate thumb drive. This will allow you to fix and reinstall windows if something goes wrong.

We all say I won’t need this…. Let me tell you a story. We bought a new PC for my husbands office. His had just gotten to old to handle the new things out there. So Windows 10 Pro came pre-installed. Everything worked great until it didn’t. We could not authenticate our windows software. It came with the code for it but, Microsoft would not accept it.

After a really long period of working with tech support, it turns out Windows was installed wrong and was missing key setup files. I asked for the didk to reinstall windows and of course, no one does that anymore. So I had to use my laptop and download a rescue disk to USB thumb drive.

Happily, once I reinstalled everything it all works great. Even though it was a product I just bought, the company made a mistake on just that one item. I was given the option to ship my new PC off somewhere so they could fix it, but as I said it’s a new computer. So that rescue is now labeled and put up in case it’s needed in the future.

This is why I advise having backups and keeping things like photos, documents, music and movie collections in a safe back up. Do it often to make sure your important data can be accessed.

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by PNY

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All computers need regular organizing and clean up. This includes the removal of old files and clutter. We tend to save emails, documents, and photos on our hard drive when other media can store it for us. Often, we keep duplicates we don’t need, too. Old programs also create havoc, too. Makes sure you are using the latest versions of programs and operating systems, too.

Over time, files and programs that are unused on your PC clog the memory and cause confusion during retrieval and use of other data. They may also slow down your computer.

Explore More….

NATIONAL CLEAN OUT YOUR COMPUTER DAY HISTORY

In 2000, the Institute for Business Technology first promoted National Clean Out Your Computer Day.

HOW TO OBSERVE #CleanOutYourComputerDay

Take a look at your files and programs on your computers. If you work in an office, encourage your peers to do the same. Share tips and tricks to efficient computer clean up.

Organize your files and folders.
Review your emails and delete any that are no longer needed.
Delete junk files.
Remove duplicate files.
Delete old files and programs not being used.
Update the programs you do use.

Use #CleanOutYourComputerDay to post on social media.

Jen's Perspective Blog

Love, laugh, live! Life to the fullest.

Category Holiday