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[IceWizard]

Saturday 26 Nov 2016



Small Business Saturday (US)



Small businesses often are overlooked by customers who are enticed by larger companies, and this can adversely affect the local economy in more negative ways than might appear on the surface level.

The rise of shopping malls and large chain stores such as Walmart and other retailers has caused irreversible damage to Main Street in the last half-century or so, and it’s paramount to remember the importance of supporting local small businesses. After all, why should we not celebrate the spirit of enterprise and entrepreneurship, as exemplified by small business owners who take the risk of following their dreams?

After all, it’s a common thing for politicians to talk about supporting Main Street over big business, and how small business owners often face greater hardships than larger companies.

Since Small Business Saturday is held on the Saturday following Thanksgiving Day, it falls right during the peak shopping periods of the year.

History of Small Business Saturday

The 1960s saw the rise of the American shopping mall, and the decades since have seen large chain retailers further cementing their position in terms of taking over the retail sphere and displacing smaller, family-run businesses.

This model has spread further throughout the world, and chain retailers have been usurping small businesses’ market share worldwide in the last few decades.

That being said, the difference is most stark in countries like the US, where small businesses have often been obliterated within a year or two of some large chain retailer coming to town and opening up shop – in India and much of Southeast Asia, shopping malls coexist with small shops largely because they serve different markets – as has been noted in the past, the corner shop is not going anywhere anytime soon in India because customers can purchase items on credit, and that’s just something that you’ll never be able to do in a Walmart or BigBazaar.

In the United States, the context is different, though. Different economic realities combined with different cultural ideas about how small businesses operate has ultimately been more harmful to those businesses in developed countries than in developing economies. And with all of the odds stacked against them, small businesses in the US need a day in their honor.

Small Business Saturday is a relatively recent phenomenon – the first one was in Roslindale Village, Massachusetts in 2010 as a counterpart to Black Friday (which features big box retailers, and its anti-consumerist counterpart, Buy Nothing Day targets big business).

Small Business Saturday was originally sponsored by American Express and the non-profit National Trust for Historic Preservation. From the very start, the day has been promoted through advertising on both social media and more traditional means such as television and radio advertisement.

Since 2013, Small Business Saturday has also existed in the UK following the success of its American counterpart.



And



Cake Day



“Qu’ils mangent de la brioche!” or, “Let them eat cake!” Perhaps the most famous quote about cake ever, these were the words of a great French princess, often likely Marie Antoinette herself, upon being informed that the peasants were so poor that they had no bread to eat during one of the famines that occurred in France during the reign of her husband, Louis XVI. Needless to say, the ignorance and arrogance of that disdainful statement did not win either Marie Antoinette or her husband any respect or sympathy from their people, who then proceeded to behead both of them during the French Revolution.

However, none of this changes the fact that cake is arguably one of the most delicious things humans have ever made to eat, and its numerous varieties continue to astound every cake fan. For that reason, it is obvious that cake is more than deserving of its own little holiday.

The History of Cake Day

The history of cake dates back to ancient times, and the first cakes are thought to have been made in Ancient Greece and Egypt.

These first cakes were rather heavy and flat and were eaten at the end of a meal with nuts and honey.

Nowadays, this type of cake has evolved into baklava, a traditional Greek dessert and a must-try for any fan of sweet stickiness. In later years the ancient Romans also created their own version of this sweet treat, which was rather creamy and rich.

However, like in many cultures around the world, this cake was often reserved for the gods and was offered to them at their temples as a sign of respect, love, and reverence.

The Oxford English Dictionary traces the English word cake back to the 13th century. During the Great Depression, it was necessary to provide easy, relatively cheap food to millions of Americans who were living in poverty, and the boxed cake mix was born.

The idea turned out to be pure gold, as millions of housewives all over the United States took advantage of this way to make their lives easier.