It's Almost National Donut Day!

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National Donut Day is celebrated annually on the first Friday of June (Credit: Dunkin' Donuts.com)

What's better than the school year drawing to a close? How about a National Donut Day, which believe it or not, happens to be tomorrow, Friday, June 5th! Given that the only way to celebrate this all-important occasion is to eat donuts, you really have no choice but to devour one (or even a dozen) of the gooey treats.

This All-American tradition can be traced back to World War 1, when Salvation Army volunteers or 'donut lassies' as they were later called, were dispatched to help injured US soldiers. The women noticed that the servicemen were extremely homesick and decided to try to lift their spirits with a special treat. Since they had only basic supplies like flour, sugar, and oil at their disposal, they settled on donuts. Not surprisingly, the sugary rings were a big hit!

Salvation Army workers made donuts to cheer up WWI soldiers (Credit: 1000words1000days.com)

In 1938, when the country was undergoing a severe recession, Salvation Army Volunteers from Chicago decided to use the same tactic to lift the spirits of the American people and raise some much-needed funds. The event was so successful that it became an annual tradition, not just in Chicago, but also other cities across the United States. Soon, the first Friday of June became known as National Donut Day.

Though donut lassies have since disappeared, many national donut chains have joined in the celebration by handing out free treats to any customer that walks through the door. While some like Dunkin Donuts and Tim Horton's only give them to patrons that buy a drink, Krispy Kreme and Lamar's donuts require no purchase. Many neighborhood donut stores also run special promotions.

Donuts can not be found in almost every flavor (Credit: Pattylaurel.com

Donuts are believed to have been introduced to the US in the 1800s by Dutch immigrants who made a similar treat called Olykoeks or oily cakes. While donuts, as we recognize them, are an American tradition, many countries around the world have similar treats. The residents of the African nations of Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Eritrea are known to enjoy Lagayamats - fried ball-shaped treats covered in powdered sugar. Residents of India prefer a savory version called vada. And then there is Tunisia's Yo-Yo's that are smothered in honey and sesame seeds and Indonesia's Donut Kentang that are made with mashed potatoes and flour! The bottom line is, you can celebrate National Donut Day no matter where you live!

Happy National Donut Day!

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560 Comments
  • I LIKE DONUTSover 7 years
    DONUTS! I'm sure everybody has heard of the legendary donut shop called Krispy Creme the best donut shop ever. And I'm sure you've heard of Dunkin Donuts. These two shops serve out free donuts on National Donut Day which is the best thing that can ever happen. But how did National Donut Day start,well I'll tell you. All the way back until world war 1 the women there noticed that the servicemen were getting kind of homesick or they had injuries so the women made them a special treat since they only had flour,sugar,and oil.But the new food became a huge hit.And now on the first day of June donut stores across the world either serve free donuts or if you order a drink you get a donut. So whenever its National Donut Day remember to go to Krispy Creme the best donut shop EVER!!!!
    • Fdgdtrbssgrnnsrover 7 years
      Super duper yummy I want to eat it yum
      • Aziriasocoolover 7 years
        Love it so much thank you so much.
        • maddiehatter
          maddiehatterover 7 years
          I'd LOVE to eat that giant donut! Only if it was real! (;
          • nand
            nandover 7 years
            dougnut
            • nolnol
              nolnolover 7 years
              I LOVE DONUTS
              • customsnake
                customsnakeover 7 years
                YUMMY
                • Victoriaover 7 years
                  They look delicious.
                  • bvhubener
                    bvhubeneralmost 8 years
                    Wow
                    • ...............almost 8 years
                      good