A few years ago on July 17, a friend posted on Facebook that it was National Hot Dog Day and shared a picture of a Chicago-style wiener (all-beef dog on a poppyseed bun, topped with yellow mustard, neon-green relish, chopped onions, sliced tomatoes, pickle spear, sport peppers, and a dash of celery salt).

“Sounds like a made-up holiday,” I cynically commented.

She wasn’t having my naysaying. “Technically, every holiday is made up, so why not celebrate this one?”

She had a point, I thought to myself, and decided to join her by having hot dogs for dinner that night. Being a journalist by trade and by nature, I researched the origin of the holiday and came up empty, but I discovered not only that July is also National Hot Dog Month, but that whoever is making up these food-related holidays has one for nearly every day on the whole danged calendar.

Since the readers of Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery and its microsite Candy Industry are enthusiasts of snacks, baked goods, confectionery treats, and all sorts of other edible and drinkable items, I am sharing just some of the notable holidays the internet has suggested we all celebrate on different days in May:

• May 1: National Chocolate Parfait Day
• May 2: National Truffle Day
• May 3: National Chocolate Custard Day
• May 3: National Raspberry Popover Day
• May 8: National Coconut Cream Pie Day
• May 11: National “Eat What You Want” Day
• May 13: National Apple Pie Day
• May 14: National Buttermilk Biscuit Day
• May 14: National Brioche Day
• May 15: National Chocolate Chip Day
• May 23: National Taffy Day
• May 26: National Blueberry Cheesecake Day
• May 28: National Hamburger Day
• May 29: National Biscuit Day
• May 31: National Macaroon Day

• Work hard: Nathan showed up every danged day to Highland’s facilities, industry events, and wherever else he was needed and gave 100%
• Make connections: Rather than just sticking to the duties of his job description, he made a point to bond with Highland employees at every level, on a professional and personal level
• Build a network: A fixture at scores of industry events (American Society of Baking, American Bakers Association, and others), he didn’t just show up—he connected with producers, suppliers, execs, and people at every level as friends.

While there is no law on the books that I can find saying you absolutely have to celebrate the food being honored on any one of these days, I also would like to point out there is no rule or regulation on the record stating you can’t celebrate your favorite snack or baked good on any day of the year. Bite into a bagel, chow down on some cheesecake, or nibble on some nougat any time you want. In the firm belief held by everyone at SF&WB, you never need a reason or occasion to celebrate bakery and snacks. SF&WB