5 Fun National Days to Celebrate Today

Here are five fun national days to celebrate on October 24, 2025:

1. National Bologna Day (October 24)
   • History: This day celebrates a well-known lunch meat. While it’s named after Bologna, Italy, where its ancestor, mortadella, originated, the American-style bologna we know today is a distinct product. It became an affordable and popular food staple in the United States, especially during the 20th century.
   • Relevance: For many, bologna is pure nostalgia, bringing back memories of school lunches and simple, comforting meals. It remains a budget-friendly and versatile food.
   • Celebration Ideas:
     • Enjoy a classic fried bologna sandwich, a staple in many households.
     • Make a simple, old-school bologna sandwich on white bread with your favorite cheese and mustard.
     • Get creative and cut bologna into shapes to fry up for breakfast.
     • Share your favorite bologna-inspired recipe or memory online using #NationalBolognaDay.
2. National Food Day (October 24)
   • History: National Food Day was started in 1975 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). After a brief hiatus, it was revived in 2011 to promote healthy, affordable, and sustainably produced food.
   • Relevance: This day is more important than ever. It’s a day to focus on the food we eat, where it comes from, and how it impacts our health and the environment. It encourages us to make better food choices and advocate for a food system that is fair and sustainable for all.
   • Celebration Ideas:
     • Visit a local farmers’ market to buy fresh, seasonal produce.
     • Cook a healthy meal from scratch using whole ingredients.
     • Plant a small herb garden, even if it’s just in a window box.
     • Learn about a food issue you’re passionate about, such as food waste or sustainable farming.
     • Volunteer at a local food bank.
3. United Nations Day (October 24)
   • History: This day marks the anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Charter on October 24, 1945. With the ratification of this founding document, the United Nations officially came into being, with a mission to maintain international peace and security.
   • Relevance: United Nations Day is a time to reflect on the organization’s goals of global cooperation, human rights, and humanitarian aid. It’s a reminder of the importance of diplomacy and working together to solve global challenges like poverty, climate change, and conflict.
   • Celebration Ideas:
     • Learn about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
     • Explore the music, food, or art of a different culture.
     • Donate to a UN agency like UNICEF or the World Food Programme.
     • Watch a documentary about a global issue and discuss it with friends.
4. National Good & Plenty Day (October 24)
   • History: This day celebrates the oldest branded candy in the United States! Good & Plenty, the pink and white candy-coated licorice bits, was first produced in 1893. It became a household name, especially after the iconic “Choo Choo Charlie” television commercials in the 1950s.
   • Relevance: Like bologna, Good & Plenty is a powerful piece of nostalgia. It’s a classic candy that has stood the test of time, connecting generations through its simple, distinctive taste.
   • Celebration Ideas:
     • Treat yourself to a box of Good & Plenty.
     • Introduce the candy to someone who has never tried it.
     • Look up the old “Choo Choo Charlie” commercials online for a trip down memory lane.
     • Share your memories of this classic candy using #GoodAndPlentyDay.
5. World Polio Day (October 24)
   • History: World Polio Day was established by Rotary International to commemorate the birthday of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a vaccine against polio. This day celebrates the global effort to eradicate this debilitating disease.
   • Relevance: This day is a powerful reminder of what humanity can achieve through science and collective action. Polio cases have been reduced by 99.9% since 1988. It’s a day to raise awareness and support the final push to make polio the second human disease ever to be completely eradicated.
   • Celebration Ideas:
     • Share information on social media about the importance of vaccinations.
     • Donate to organizations leading the charge, like Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign or the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).
     • Thank a healthcare worker or scientist for their work in public health.
     • Learn about the history of polio and the “iron lung” to understand how far we’ve come.