International Happy Goose Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

International Happy Goose Day is annually observed on September 29. Michaelmas Day, also known as Michaelmas, was originally a celebration of the archangel Michael, but subsequently became associated with geese because the date coincided with the day on which medieval English landlords collected rent. Many citizens repaid their landlords with a goose tucked under their arm, as geese were a prevalent method of payment. Today, the holiday is an occasion to indulge in tender roast goose, a bird that is consumed less frequently than it once was. Regardless of how you choose to honor International Happy Goose Day, have fun!

The background of International Happy Goose Day

Approximately 3,000 years ago, the Egyptians were among the first civilizations to domesticate geese. They netted thousands of the birds, bred them for flesh and eggs, and kept them in enclosures. Only affluent merchants and nobility could afford goose as a delicacy. In France during the fourth century, residents told the tale of Saint Martin of Tours and his geese. Martin did not want to be a bishop, so he confined himself in a barn on the day of his appointment. The geese’s raucous honking attracted the congregation to the barn, where they found Martin hiding. Martin became a bishop in the year 327. On his feast day, November 11, the traditional bird consumed by Christians was the goose.

The first unofficial celebration of Goose Day in the United States took place in the Juniata River Valley in Pennsylvania. A Dutchman named Andrew Pontius employed Archibald Hunter, and their contract stipulated that Pontius would settle payments on September 29. On the day of payment, Hunter appeared on Pontius’ doorstep with a gander. He explained to his boss that geese were symbols of good fortune for the upcoming year.

This is how the American tradition of Goose Day spread, beginning in the Juniata River Valley. Mifflin County began celebrating International Goose Day in 1973, and Juniata County followed suit in 1976. International Happy Goose Day has been celebrated annually on September 29 since then.

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Activities on International Happy Goose Day

Cook a goose

Roasted goose has a gamey but intense flavor comparable to beef and other dark meats. Now is the ideal time to attempt it.

Prepare a goose egg omelet.

Goose eggs are larger and have a more robust flavor than chicken eggs. A avian egg omelet is certain to be a delicious dish.

generosity is giving

Offer your friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues some delectable goose meat. They’ll adore it, and you’ll be able to introduce yet another person to this delectable poultry.

5 AWESOME FACTS ABOUT GEESE

Whether it’s their mother goose, a person, or an object, goslings will imprint on the first suitable moving stimulus.

Geese are fiercely protective of their territory, which makes them excellent farm security animals.

Outside of swans, geese are the largest species of waterfowl.

Geese are monogamous and extremely protective of their mates and progeny.

In ancient Rome, geese served as an early warning system for Gaulish invasions.

INTERNATIONAL HAPPY GOOSE DAY DATES