NATIONAL TV DINNER DAY

National TV Dinner Day is observed annually on September 10th.  In 1953, C.A. Swanson & Sons changed the prepackaged meal business forever. Introducing the TV Dinner revolutionized frozen food.

In 1962, Swanson stopped using the name TV Dinner. However, in the United States, the term remains synonymous with any prepackaged dinner purchased frozen from a store and heated at home.

The first Swanson TV Dinner consisted of a Thanksgiving meal of turkey, cornbread dressing, peas, and sweet potatoes. Originally, Swansons made the tray of aluminum. They separated each food item into individual compartments, too. At home, the cook heated the dinner in the oven. The cooking time was usually 25 minutes. Today, nearly all frozen food trays can be cooked in the microwave or a conventional oven. 

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When Swanson’s first sold TV dinners, they priced them at 98 cents. In the first year, production estimates reached 5,000 dinners. To their surprise, Swanson far exceeded that amount. In the first year, they sold more than 10 million of them.

TV Dinner Facts
  • 1960 – Swanson added desserts to a new four-compartment tray.
  • 1964 – Night Hawk name originated from the Night Hawk steak houses that operated in Austin, Texas, from 1939 through 1994. The original diners were open all night, catering to the late-night crowd. The restaurants produced the first frozen Night Hawk TV dinner in 1964.
  • 1969 – The first TV breakfasts were marketed. Great Starts Breakfasts and breakfast sandwiches followed later.
  • 1973 – Swanson markets the first Hungry-Man dinners. The meals included larger portions of its regular dinner products.
  • 1986 – Microwave-oven safe trays debut on the market. 
  • 1986 – The Smithsonian Institute inducted the original Swanson TV Dinner tray into the Museum of American History.

Much has changed since the original TV Dinner. They also remain a popular choice for a fast and convenient meal, fun to eat in front of the TV!

Looking for something to watch?  Check out some of my favorites here.

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalTVDinnerDay

Get out a TV dinner, pop it in the microwave or oven, and enjoy! Use #NationalTVDinnerDay to post on social media.

INTERNATIONAL CAT DAY

International Cat Day is observed annually on August 8.  This is a day to celebrate one of the world’s favorite pets.

Cats provide companionship and comfort to many.  Studies show having a cat can help to lower stress, anxiety and even depression.  Having a cat in your home can also help reduce the risk of heart disease in high-risk individuals.  It can even help fight mental illness.  Cats can be entertaining as well as beneficial to your health.

INTERNATIONAL CAT DAY HISTORY

International Cat Day was created by International Fund for Animal Welfare in 2002. In 2023 International Cat Care became the custodians of International Cat Day (effective August 3, 2020), please discover more information at:
https://icatcare.org/international-cat-day/

Around our home caring for cats has become quite the love affair. We have 6 inside cats and care for a large number of outside cats that started off as feral. There is no more rewarding feeling than getting a feral cat to trust you enough to pet and protect them. After enduring countless years of wandering and nothing dependable, it can only be done by building trust and a ton of patience.

We work with local animal groups and shelters to TNR. We have found homes for any that are born before that can happen. As we live outside of a major urban area we often aquire new visitors who were dumped by owners. Please like and subscribe to our YouTube channel. We use the proceeds to continue caring for these cats.  Sadly we were forced to say Goodbye to Charlie on July 17th, 2024.  After 12 years of love and companionship, Charlie crossed the Rainbow Bridge.  He will live forever in our hearts.

You may have left this world, but your memory will live on forever. Thank you for the love, joy, and companionship you brought into my life. Rest in peace, my dear cat.” “Goodbye, my sweet kitty.

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HOW TO OBSERVE INTERNATIONAL CAT DAY

Give your cats some extra time and cuddles today.  You might even want to give them an extra treat.  Post photos on social media using #InternationalCatDay

Don’t forget to subscribe to Jen’s Perspective Magazine for more special times..

NATIONAL KITTEN DAY

National Kitten Day on July 10th purrfectly celebrates the cuddly warmth of a kitty. The miniature furballs of energy snuggle their way into our hearts with no effort all. Within a flick of their tiny ears, we’re in love.

The day aims to remind us that while kittens are well equipped to find their way into our hearts, many don’t find homes. They’re abandoned at shelters, on the side of the road or wild and feral. Spaying and neutering our pets, including our cats, is vital to their health and keeping the stray population down. The featured image are rescues who have become permanent members of our family.

Another goal of awareness campaigns like this one is to encourage adoptions. Instead of purchasing a kitten from a pet store, adopt from a shelter. Many kittens are born in shelters. While their ages may vary, all kittens do become cats.

Follow the shelter’s guidelines. Keep these tips in mind when adopting:

  1. There’s an application process. Read through it and understand it. The guidelines are for the safety of the animals, the employees, and you.
  2. Ask questions. It’s important there’s an understanding between you and the shelter. Most shelters have volunteers and paid employees. However, they work on a very tight budget. Please don’t expect any special accommodations.
  3. A good shelter will place the interests of the animal first. They want the cat to have a successful placement. Some animals have anxiety while others get along with anyone and every type of animal.
  4. Consider the size of your home and where you live – an apartment or house.
  5. Who lives with you? That includes people and pets – does everyone get along and does anyone have allergies?
  6. How much time do you have for a pet?
  7. So you’ve spotted the kitten for you. Be sure to make several visits to the shelter. Play with the kitten. Spend time grooming them. See how the kitten reacts to other cats. Learn the kitten’s behavior.

Maybe Fuzzy Bear has health issues or doesn’t get along with children. Perhaps another kitten gets along better with dogs. All these factors will be considered on your application.

Peanut and Wylie are the most bonded pair I’ve ever seen.

NATIONAL KITTEN DAY HISTORY

Colleen Paige, Pet & Family Lifestyle Expert, Author, and Animal Advocate, founded National Kitten Day to encourage adoption and celebrate the joy kittens bring to our lives.

More Animals to love…

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalKittenDay

Play with your kitten or bring her a new toy. Share a selfie with your kitten. Visit a shelter and volunteer your time. If you are considering getting a kitten, adopt instead of purchasing one. Use #NationalKittenDay to share your story.

NATIONAL HUG YOUR CAT DAY

When National Hug Your Cat Day rolls around each year on June 4th, the purr-fect opportunity presents itself for some snuggle time. Depending on your feline critter’s nature, hugging may not be in the cards. However, like most animals, touch is a vital part of communication – and the same goes for the claw-ful kind.

All kitten aside, if you’re fur-tunate enough to have a feline friend, any attention they give you may be a blessing. Others never leave your side and cuddle often. Of course, most cats have purr-sonality in spades.

Meow, if your feline friend becomes hiss-terical when you try to hug him, you may have to settle for a boop. It’s un-furr-tunate, but it is an option. Those who don’t have any feline companionship may need to litter-ally visit a neighbor or volunteer at a local shelter. Those paw-some critters need some hugs, too.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #HugYourCatDay

Love on your furr-tunate kitty. While you’re at it, make it a purr-manent part of your routine. If you are considering getting a cat, adopt instead of purchasing one. Share some paw-some kitties with cat-ittude by using #HugYourCatDay on social media.

We care for and have TNR 15 community cats.  Any gift go directly to them. 

NATIONAL MINIATURE GOLF DAY

Annually the second Saturday in May recognizes National Miniature Golf Day. This day is separate from Miniature Golf Day, which is celebrated worldwide on September 21.

Similar to the sport of golf, but as the name suggests it is a miniature version of the game. While still played with a series of 9 or 18 holes, miniature golf courses are shorter, usually themed, and have a variety of obstacles that add to the difficulty of the game. 

There also isn’t any need to call “FOUR” since only putters are used in this version. The distances are too short (usually about 10 yards) to use any of the other clubs in golf. Most courses consist of concrete or artificial turf so don’t worry about replacing any divots, either! The game also goes by the names mini-golf, midget golf, putt-putt, and peewee golf.

Some of the more challenging miniature golf courses have waterfalls, caverns, and castles with drawbridges as part of their obstacle course.

NATIONAL MINIATURE GOLF DAY HISTORY

The Illustrated London News had mention of the earliest documented minigolf course in its June 8, 1912, edition. The first standardized minigolf courses to enter into commercial mass-production were the Thistle Dhu course in 1916 in Pinehurst, North Carolina, and the Tom Thumb patent of Garnet Carter from Lookout Mountain, Tennessee in 1927.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationaMiniGolfDay

Watch out for the water hazards and the windmill! Meet your friends at your local miniature golf course and have a fun-filled day. While you’re out putting, share your photos using #NationalMiniGolfDay.