Wake Up! Today is National Coffee Day 2012

If the first words out of your mouth every morning are, “I’ll have a large coffee”—or if you can’t even speak until after you’ve had your java fix—there's a national holiday created especially for you.

America will put staunch tea drinkers to shame on National Coffee Day today, Saturday, Sept. 29, when coffee fiends can rejoice and celebrate their beloved coffee bean with free brew and specials from national chains and local stores.

Coffee was first brought to America in the mid-1600s in a shipment en route to “New Amsterdam,” now known as New York, according to the National Coffee Association. We have that shipment and the Boston Tea Party to thank for turning the nation into coffee drinkers.  

Something's Brewing in Grayslake will be participating in the national celebration. Today, the store is offering customers $1 off freshly-washed coffee beans, and you can get a free burlap bag with purchase. Something's Brewing will also have free coffee samples at today's Washington Square Wellness Festival, from noon to 4 p.m., across from the College of Lake County.

On Saturday and Sunday, Dunkin’ Donuts’ 16-ounce packaged coffee is available for only $5.99 at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide while supplies last, with a limit of two per guest.

Dunkin’ Donuts is also marking National Coffee Day with a Twitter sweepstakes. The store invites customers to share with @DunkinDonuts on Twitter “How do you take your Dunkin’ coffee?,” using the special hashtag #DunkinNCD. Five hundred and ninety-nine (599) winners will be randomly selected from all participants to receive a 16 oz. bag of Dunkin’ Donuts’ packaged coffee. Click here for official rules and more information.

What’s your favorite blend, and where do you get it? Tell us in the comments.