Winter is the coldest and loneliest season of the year. With dwindling daylight and Valentine’s Day at its heart, February can often leave people feeling dejected and somber. The day injects a bit of humor into the season while also serving to educate people on the benefits of showering in fresh, filtered water (and the effects of chlorine).
Learn more about how chlorine is harmful to shower or bathe in or consume.
According to a 1973 Sesame Street calendar, Rubber Duckie’s Birthday is January 13th so around the country it’s National Rubber Ducky Day! A friend of Ernie and Big Bird, Duckie made his debut in a February 1970 episode.
The rubber ducky (also spelled duckie) has come a long way from his first concept as a chew toy for children. While the origin of the first rubber ducky is uncertain, many rubber molded toys came about when rubber manufacturing developed in the late 1800s. They produced a variety of toys from dolls and various animal shapes, including the rubber duck.
In 1928, Landon Smart Lawrence received the earliest patent fora rubber duck toy. His clever design weighted the toy so that when it tipped it returned to an upright position. The sketch included with the patent was that of a duck.
During World Wars I and II, rubber was a valuable commodity. Rationing became mandatory and by the 1940s with the advent of plastic, the rubber ducky began being produced in vinyl and plastic.
Russian Sculptor Peter Ganine sculpted many animal figures. One, a duck, he later designed and patented into a floating toy which closely resembles the rubber ducky we have become familiar with today.
Sales of the iconic yellow rubber ducky we’ve come to know today soared in Britain in 2001. Why? A British Tabloid, The Sun, reported Queen Elizabeth II had a rubber duck in her bathroom that wore an inflatable crown.
The rubber ducky became a Toy Hall of Fame inductee in 2013. Founded in 1998, the Hall of Fame has only inducted 52 other toys.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalRubberDuckyDay
Spend time with your favorite rubber ducky. Share photos of your rubber ducky collection. Discover all the different kinds of rubber duckies available. Use #NationalRubberDuckyDay to post on social media. Do you still have yours?
On a cold winter’s day, relaxing in a nice warm/hot bubble bath sounds like the perfect way to commemorate National Bubble Bath Day. Is it no wonder we celebrate it annually on January 8th?
The bubbles on top of the water (also known as foam bath or foaming bath) insulate the bathwater, keeping it warmer for a more extended period.
Children find bubble baths fun and enjoy playing with the bubbles, which entice them to take their baths.
Some bubble bath, bath foam, or foaming bath serves a dual purpose and can also be used to wash skin or hair.
Bath foam preparations may be in the form of a liquid, gel, or as solids in the form of powders, grains, or tablets.
According to the AC Nielsen Data, Mr. Bubble is the #1 brand of bath products in the United States, and in 2011 it celebrated its 50th birthday. Mr. Bubble is a brand of bath products made by The Village Company.
The brand’s slogan is “Makes Getting Clean Almost as Much Fun as Getting Dirty!”
In 1961, Mr. Harold Schafer and the Gold Seal Company of North Dakota, USA, founded Mr. Bubble. The Gold Seal company manufactured and distributed Mr. Bubble until 1986 when the company was sold. Over time, Mr. Bubble bubble bath products have been reformulated. They are tear-free, dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic, and pediatrician tested. Mr. Bubble TV show appearances include:
Family Guy
The Simpsons
1983 Eddie Murphy Delirious
1987 Gold Through the Fire
1996 Ed (starring Matt LeBlanc)
Everybody Loves Raymond (Season 3)
NATIONAL BUBBLE BATH DAY HISTORY
The country has been celebrating the day since at least 1999. However, we’ve been unable to find the creator of the day. Maybe they’re still taking a bubble bath.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalBubbleBathDay
Prepare yourself a relaxing bubble bath. Bubble baths offer health benefits, too.
Relieve congestion – During the dry winter months, we are more susceptible to colds and chest infections. Let the steam from a bubble bath help loosen congestion and sooth a cough.
Ease sore muscles – Are muscles aching from new year’s workouts? Ease the ache with a warm bubble bath. Add some Epsom salts, too.
Sleep better – Add some lavender oil to your bubble bath at night and relax your body and mind before bed. Relaxed muscles combined with the lavender will nudge your body toward a better sleep routine.
Throughout the month of January, take part in National Bath Safety Month.
Before you grab the bubble bath and have a good soak, make sure you take a few precautionary measures to prevent an accident from happening to you or a loved one. Each year thousands of people of all ages visit the emergency room due to bathroom-related slips and falls. The accidents that occur while bathing are often overlooked, but remind us the importance of recognizing bathroom safety.
Installing slip-resistant strips or mats on the bottom of your bathtub or shower and having safety handles installed make it easier for climbing in and out of the tub or shower. It’s also a good idea to make sure your bathroom floor is clean, free of spills and has a nonslip rug or mat placed on the floor near the bathtub or shower for balance when exiting. Ensuring water temperature is at or around 120 degrees is important to prevent skin burns.
An accident can happen in an instant so it’s recommended children not be left unattended in the bathtub. Preventing bathroom accidents is easy if you take the right precautions and your family will thank you!
HOW TO OBSERVE
Share your upgrades and ideas on social media using #BathSafetyMonth during the entire month of January.
Bathtub Party Day encourages us all to skip the ordinary shower and linger in the tub instead. On December 5th, add some suds to the tub and pamper yourself.
A bathtub party sounds suspiciously like a crowded affair, but it doesn’t have to be. Granted, if you have young children, it’s a time saver to plunk two or three of them in the tub at once. Getting them all suds up and playing with the water toys are some of the more memorable times raising children. It also saves on water while everyone has some good clean fun.
Gather your favorite bath bomb, a good book and a glass of Moscato and let the worries of the day fade away while you relax in the tub. Use #BathtubPartyDay to post on social media. And be sure to use soap behind those ears of yours too!
