The greatest obscure, non-food-related national holiday is upon us: Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day!
Over the years everyone's favorite packaging material has grown to new POPular heights, but it didn't always start out that way.
Here are six things you may not know about Bubble Wrap:
Deck the walls
According to Mental Floss, Bubble Wrap was initially created and marketed as a textured wallpaper (Air Cap) in 1957 by engineers Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes.
The Bubble Wrap we know today was born in 1960 out of the need to securely and safely ship IBM's 1401 computer.
That's a trademark
"Bubble Wrap" is a trademarked phrase that applies to Sealed Air's version of the product -- although it's oftentimes used as a generic term.
It's healthy for you
As much fun as Bubble Wrap is, it can also have health benefits. According to UPS, a 2012 survey found that with just over one minute of popping, respondents relieved stress equivalent to a 33 minute massage.
There's a world record
The Guinness World Record for the most people simultaneously popping bubble wrap is 2,681. The record was set on September 19, 2015, by a Boy Scouts troop in Denver, Colorado.
There's an app for that
Everything's going mobile these days, including Bubble Wrap.
All shapes and sizes
The days of popping just the generic, circular bubbles are over.
"The Bubble Wrap everyone knows and loves is no longer relegated to a common, cellular shape. Bubble Wrap (specifically, the inflatable Bubble Wrap IB brand) can now be made into stars, hearts, smiley faces, and more," the company wrote in a blog post.
Bubble Wrap enthusiasts can vote on the next bubble design on Sealed Air's "Pop the Vote." Votes can be cast through Feb. 13 with the winning design being announced on Feb. 17.
