On This Day, July 7: Chocolate, World Cups & Ziegfeld

July 7 is one of those dates that just refuses to sit still. It gave us high-kicking showgirls, chocolate as a civic duty, and a couple of unforgettable World Cup finals. Grab a snack (see below) and let's dig in.

Showbiz Gets Its Big Break

In 1907, American impresario Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. staged the very first of his Ziegfeld Follies, inspired by the Folies Bergère of Paris. Translation: he saw glamorous Parisian spectacle and thought, "Yes, but louder, sparklier, and with more feathers." The Follies would go on to define an entire era of American entertainment, proving that the surest way to a nation's heart is a really committed sequin budget.

Two World Cups, One Very Busy Date

July 7 clearly moonlights as a football referee. In 1974, West Germany won the FIFA World Cup final against the Netherlands at the Munich Olympiastadion. Then, in a delightful bit of scheduling symmetry, on July 7, 2019, the United States defeated the Netherlands 2–0 at the FIFA Women's World Cup final in Lyon. The Netherlands, understandably, may now approach this date with a small amount of suspicion.

Also worth a diplomatic mention: in 1983, American schoolgirl Samantha Smith visited the Soviet Union as premier Yuri Andropov's personal guest after writing him a letter, becoming known as "America's Youngest Ambassador." Proof that sometimes the smartest foreign policy move is simply asking nicely.

Happy Birthday to a Beat-Dropping Swede

Blow out the candles for Alesso, the Swedish DJ, record producer and musician born on this day in 1991. If you've ever found yourself inexplicably raising your arms at a festival while a drop rearranges your rib cage, there's a decent chance he was involved. Sharing the day is Australian musician Ashton Irwin of 5 Seconds of Summer fame, born in 1994 — so July 7 is basically a playlist waiting to happen.

The Best Holiday of the Bunch

And now, the observance we've all been secretly scrolling toward: it's World Chocolate Day. A holiday with no gift-wrapping obligations, no awkward family gatherings, and absolutely no downside beyond a slightly ambitious cocoa intake. Over in Japan, July 7 is also Tanabata, the lovely star festival where people write wishes on paper and hang them on bamboo — presumably some of those wishes are for more chocolate. The Solomon Islands, meanwhile, celebrate their Independence Day, gained from the United Kingdom in 1978. However you mark it, July 7 delivers. Now go find something sweet.