December 12, 2013: You see them all over this time of year, but it’s today that they’re honored — happy Poinsettia Day. Apparently, the idea that poinsettias are deadly poisonous to children and pets is an urban myth, but I’m still not taking any chances by bringing one into the house. That’s not the only reason, though — I personally happen to find them unattractive. For a little history, they were first brought to the US from Mexico back in 1925 by a fellow named Joel Roberts Poinsett. Who knew they were eponymous? The red parts of the poinsettia are not flowers — they’re actually leaves! The flowers are the little bitty yellow thingies in the middle.

It’s also Gingerbread House Day today, so bake up some planks of gingerbread and get building! I once made itty-bitty houses out of inch-long squares of gingerbread, which was kind of a hoot. You feel like Godzilla when you eat them.