It's National Month of?
"National Watermelon Month is the month of July!"
"National Watermelon Day is always on August 3rd."
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What is this Holiday for?
This holiday is for honoring and enjoying the great flavor of a juicy cold watermelon! So go get yourself a few and chill them up. Eat them sliced, maybe with a bit of salt sprinckled on top like many people like to eat it, or you can even blend them in drinks, as slushies.
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Origin of this Holiday?
Our research did not find the creator, or the origin of this day.
This holiday is referred to as a "National" day. However, we did not find any congressional records or presidential proclamations for this day. Even though we didn't, this is still a holiday that is publicized to celebrate. So have fun with it and celebrate it!
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Watermelon! What can I say.....
it has to be one of our favorite fruits to eat in the summer time, especially if it is ice cold. There's something fun and sociable about eating a tasty watermelon outside with your family and friends. Children gather around the designated watermelon slicer just to be able to hear that nice ripe pop when it's cracked open. The slicer cuts everyone a nice fat wedge and everyone begins to eat the sweet juicy meat.... and the best part is, we don't even mind the juice running down our chin!
Watermelon seems to be the standard fair at picnics (see National Picnic Month) and outdoor socials. When it's a large group of people eating watermelon you just can't pass up the chance to have that seed spitting contest, especially if you have a lot of kids about.
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Did you know that a true National Holiday requires an act of congress to make it official?
Yep it sure does. We do celebrate holidays that are not actually official but "National Watermelon Month" is definitely an official Holiday! National Watermelon Month was submitted to the Senate of the United States and passed on June 29, 2007, 110th Congress, 1st Session, S. RES. 262, designation July 2007 "National Watermelon Month."
Watermelon production constitutes an important sector of the agricultural industry of the United States. Watermelon is a highly consumable fruit and widely loved. According to the January 2006 statistics compiled by the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, an impressive fact, the United States produces 4,200,000,000 pounds of watermelon annually! Wow!
Another impressive fact is that watermelon is grown in 49 States and is sold in all 50 States and consumed in all 50 States. Read all about this at the National Watermelon Association.
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Watermelon and it's Health Benefits
Watermelon is 90% water! Wow! I guess that's why most of us try to find where the restroom is right before we eat watermelon. Yep it goes right through most of us. giggle~ The body needs a lot of water to function so this is a good thing. It's nutritious and good for us!
Watermelon has no fat or cholesterol which makes it a parents favorite snack to give to their children. Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamin A, B6, C, potassium and fiber which we all struggle to get more of. These vitamins are vital to good health and disease prevention.
A great health fact to know about watermelons is that it's an excellent source of lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant that is only found in a few red plant foods. It has been shown to reduce the risk of certain cancers. It also qualifies for a great heart- healthy food too!
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Get the recipe for Watermelon Lemonade
