The National Gingersnap Day is celebrated every 1st of July each year. Gingersnap is a popular sweet biscuit added with powdered ginger, molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Other terms for gingersnaps are ginger biscuit and ginger nut. It is basically the same as gingerbread but the latter is usually made in various shapes. In the Americas, gingersnaps are commonly sweet and are often paired with tea, milk, hot chocolate, or coffee.
Gingersnaps are usually considered as healthy snacks because of its contents that have anti-inflammatory properties. They also stimulate blood circulation and fight illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases.
About the National Gingersnap Day
During the national Gingersnap Day, people conduct various activities that let them achieve the primary objective of this day – to commemorate gingersnaps. People make their own homemade gingersnaps. Others order some from the bakery or local pastry shops. People also shout out on social media how they are celebrating this special day.
History
Historical records show that the gingersnaps we enjoy now originated in Germany during the 13th century. It is believed that the first people who made them were medieval monks. The early recipe made use of molasses, cloves, cinnamon, brown sugar, and of course, ginger. The German term for such biscuit was Lebkuchen, which then evolved into gingersnaps.
Though we have records that talk about the origin of gingersnaps, we don’t have one about the origin of the National Gingersnap Day as a holiday. We are not sure as to who founded this day, and when and where it was first celebrated.
But still, we can make a good guess as to why it started. Perhaps a person or a group of people thought that we have so many different holidays that celebrate food. Since people have come to love gingersnaps so much then why not start a special day for it? And with that, the National Gingersnap Day may have been born.
Dates
As mentioned earlier, the National Gingersnap Day is celebrated every first of July each year. This means that the dates of celebration for this event are as follows:
- Wednesday, July 1,
- Tuesday, July 1,
- Friday, July 1, 2022
- Saturday, July 1, 2023
- Monday, July 1, 2024
- Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Why Celebrate
Gingersnaps are so delicious. If not, they would not have become this popular. If you haven’t tasted gingersnaps yet, then you should really celebrate National Gingersnap Day. You can make your own cookies or buy some from stores. Remember, if you don’t take the chance to enjoy the amazing gingersnaps, you are missing out a lot.
Celebration Ideas and Activities
The following are the best things to do to make your celebration of National Gingersnap Day as best as it can be:
Make Your Own Gingersnaps
The best thing to do for this day is to make your own gingersnaps. It is actually quite easy to do so. With the right ingredients, you can follow the steps below to make your own delicious gingersnaps:
- Put 2 cups of plain flour in a large bowl. Mix in 1 table spoon of crushed ginger.
- Put a teaspoon of grinded cinnamon and half tablespoon of salt into the mixture. Mix well and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Put 1 cup of shortening into a separate bowl and stir well until it becomes thick and creamy. Put in 1 cup of sugar and mix. Add two eggs then beat further. Once the consistency becomes creamier, add in a quarter cup of molasses. Mix well.
- Combine the shortening with the flour mixture. Knead and make dough.
- Take a small portion of dough then shape it into round ball. Press down to make a circle, cookie-like shape. But you are free to form it into any shape your like.
- Place all the shaped doughs in a baking sheet then bake in an oven for 10 minutes under 175 degrees Celsius.
- After baking, cool the cookies then place it in a container.
- Enjoy your own gingersnaps. Better to share with your friends and family for the National Gingersnap Day!
Order Some Delicious Gingersnaps
On the other hand, if you don’t have the time to make your own gingersnaps, then you can just opt to purchase delicious gingersnaps from the bakery or pastry shop. For sure, these stores will be offering lots of gingersnaps for the day or even days ahead of the celebration in preparation to all the demand for gingersnaps by the people who want to celebrate the event.
Celebrate on Social Media
You can also take your celebration of this day on social media. You can, for instance, use the hashtag #NationalGingersnapDay to let your friends and followers know that you are also participating in the celebration of this special event.
Fun Facts
- The first time gingersnaps were commercially baked was in 1862.
- Gingersnaps are often called ginger nuts in Australia, New Zealand, UK, and the Isle of Man.
- The National Gingersnap Day is held every July 1st each year.
- Ginger is a healthy root crop that can reduce inflammation due to arthritis, stimulate blood circulation, and treats motion sickness.
- Dried ginger has a lot of health benefits. But fresh ginger has the most potent benefits. Gingers can last up to 3 weeks in the fridge as long as it is kept unpeeled.
- Ginger is also a natural antihistamine and decongestant.
- Gingersnaps are often paired with tea, coffee, and milk. Sometimes, it is also paired with ice cream, mousse, and gelato.
- The first ever published recipe for gingersnaps was made by Mrs. H.L. Webster in 1805.