Today, January 3, is National Drinking Straw Day. Being that it is, the time has come to drop some useless knowledge on you.

The straw actually has a very long history going back to 3,000 B.C. when one was found in the tomb of a Sumerian. It was used to drink beer to avoid the byproduct of fermentation that would sink to the bottom. It was a gold tube inlaid with blue stones called lapis lazuli.

Argentines have used a metallic device called a bombilla to drink mate tea for hundreds of years.

In the late 1800's, a gentleman by the name of Marvin C. Stone was drinking a mint julep on a hot day in Washington, D.C. Straws at that time were made of rye grass which would easily break apart in a drink.

Mr. Stone wrapped some paper around a pencil, slid the paper from the pencil and glued the paper together to form a straw. He later built a machine that would coat the paper with wax to hold it together.

On January 3, 1888, Marvin C. Stone received a patent for his straw making today National Drinking Straw Day.

Today, straws come in many forms and fashions including the always fun bendy straw.

 

Or the squiggly straw.

I don't care how old you are, those are always fun.

You can thank me later for this conversation piece during your lunch break today.

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