title: Best way to define Java constant dates
body: <p>I want define some constants, specifically a Date and Calendar that are before my domain can exist. I've got some code that works but its ugly. I am looking for improvement suggestions.
  <code><pre>
      static Calendar working;
      static {
          working = GregorianCalendar.getInstance();
          working.set(1776, 6, 4, 0, 0, 1);
      }
      public static final Calendar beforeFirstCalendar = working;
      public static final Date beforeFirstDate = working.getTime();
  </pre></code></p>
  
  <p>I'm setting them to July 4th, 1776.
  I'd rather not have the "working" variable at all.</p>
  
  <p>Thanks</p>