Today, January 3, is National Drinking Straw Day

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.