Let it Be Known Across the Land: Today Is Free Slurpee Day

Some would argue that Christmas is the best day of the year. Others would choose their birthday, Thanksgiving, maybe even Arbor Day.

All pale in comparison to July 11 because July 11 is Free Slurpee Day.

All across the universe will be distributing free small Slurpees to customers who stop in Monday.

Editor's note: Parts of this next paragraph may have been made up for middling comedic effect.

Free Slurpee Day marks the anniversary of when the first 7-Eleven opened in 1902, after Papa Eleven opened a store just so he would always have enough sundries on hand to meet the needs of his seven children. (I just looked up the real story, and the one I made up isn't too far off.)

However, the Slurpee originated in the late 50s. Some real American hero named Omar Knedlik invented the drink after his soda fountain broke down, and he was forced to place his sodas in the freezer to keep them cold. 

Because freezers tend to freeze things, Knedlik soon had a store of slushy sodas that the greasers, beatniks and hobos that populated his joint went nuts for.

Knedlik, who also has the best name ever, eventually sold the rights to sell the drink he invented to 7-Eleven in 1967. As part of a non-compete clause in the contract, 7-Eleven couldn't call the frozen sugar concoction ICEE, so the Slurpee was born.

So, now that you know all that, go to the 7-Eleven on Swede Road in Blue Bell, or the one on , pick up a free Slurpee, and taste the history.