National Toilet Paper Day

I didn't realize that today would honor such a monumental item in history.  Thanks to my mom's discovery, I added this to my calendar.  I am very grateful for the invention of toilet paper. I hope that it will always be around when and where I need it.

Some facts about toilet paper:

• 49% of people chose toilet paper over food as the item they'd want with them if stranded on a desert island. (source- online Toilet Paper Encylopedia)
• 72% hang their paper over the roll as opposed to under it.  (source- online Toilet Paper Encylopedia)
• The second most common use for TP is wiping your nose.  (source- online Toilet Paper Encylopedia)

In honor of today, Charmin (a popular TP brand) decided to have elections in order for the public to vote for their favorite Charmin.  They are holding a rally for this event in Flushing, Queens.  Thought that was clever of them.

For the fun, and in some cases, face scrunching facts below and a few other interesting bits, you can go to these links: TP facts 1 or TP facts 2

1391--The first toilet paper reported was used by the Chinese emperor. The paper was made in 2 ft x 3-ft sheets. The Bureau of Imperial Supplies began producing 720,000 sheets of toilet tissue per year.

Prior to toilet paper, these civilizations/classes commonly opted for the following:

• Wealthy Romans -Wool, rosewater
• Public Restrooms in Ancient Rome- A sponge soaked in salt water, on the end of a stick
• Wealthy French – lace, wool and hemp; bidet
• Middle Ages – hayballs, a scraper/gompf stick kept in a container in the privy
• Early Americans – rags, newsprint, paper from catalogs, corncobs, and leaves
• Viking Age/England- discarded sheep and lambs wool
• Hawaiians – coconut shells
• Eskimos – snow and Tundra moss
• India – your left hand and water
• Commoners – Defecating in the river is very common
• Sailors from Spain/Portugal – frayed end of an old anchor line
• Medieval Europe- Straw, hay, grass, gompf stick
• United States – Corn cobs, Sears Roebuck catalog, mussel shell, newspaper, l eaves, sand
• British Lords – pages from a book
• Elite citizens – Hemp & wool