January 11 – Fruitcake Toss Day

Posted on January 11, 2014


Okay, you've kept that fruitcake your aunt Marge gave you long enough. It's now as hard as the Hope Diamond. Nobody's going to eat it. You can throw it away today!


If you live in Manitou Springs, Colorado, you're in luck! You can toss your fruitcake in style, and maybe win a prize for doing so! Everybody who participates in the annual Fruitcake Toss brings their own fruitcakes (which are inspected; they must be made of edible materials only, such as flour and water, and they must include glaceed fruits). Those fortunate enough not to have received a fruitcake during the holiday season may rent one. ( ! )
There are several events, such as Fruitcake Hurling (the medal winner is the one whose fruitcake ends up the furthest distance from the hurling line—unlike Olympic events, it's not the first touch on the ground that counts, but rather the cake's final resting place), Catch the Fruitcake (a team event in which four fruitcakes are tossed by a device to a team of three catchers; the team that catches the most wins), and Accuracy with Targets (targets are rings that are 75, 125, and 175 feet away from the throwing line; the goal is to get your fruitcake into or at least near to each target. 
That looks like some pretty heavy-duty
machinery to toss a fruitcake!
The devices used in the Catch game are, apparently, created by each team. So there is a lot of prep timeyou have to build a catapult!
Maybe some of you don't live in Manitou Springs, CO. But you can organize your own Fruitcake Toss competition!
(By the way, this holiday is celebrated either the first or second weekend of January. Some communities held their tossing events last weekend—despite the cold!)
Also on this date:

Anniversary of the Grand Canyon becoming a National Monument











Anniversary of the discovery of francium







Plan ahead!
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