The holidays are approaching
With Halloween’s passing, we now enter the arrival of the holiday season worldwide. Here is a rundown of some holidays celebrated in late fall and early winter.
November 4: Sadie Hawkins Day (the first Saturday in November)
The woman asks the man to the dance? How novel! Apparently it was quite novel back in the late 1930s, when Sadie Hawkins Day first appeared in the popular comic strip Li’l Abner.
Worried that his homely daughter Sadie might never find a beau, Hekzebiah Hawkins organized a race in which his daughter would chase all the unmarried men in town to the finish line. If she caught one, he was legally obligated to wed her.
The holiday became an annual event in the comic strip, and evolved into a real life event as well—with more dancing and less capturing. These days, Sadie Hawkins Day generally occurs on the first Saturday of November.
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November 7: International Tongue Twister Day
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Whether you’re in unique New York or selling seashells by the seashore, show off your impressive command of diction today.
Or if you’re really in the mood for a challenge, try mastering a few tongue twisters not in your native tongue. (Editor’s Note: A couple that I remember from childhood are “Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers” and “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”
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November 13: World Kindness Day
Founded in 1998 by an organization called the World Kindness Movement, this international holiday encourages everyone to look deep into their hearts past religion, race, and other differences to do something nice for their neighbors and/or humankind.
November 15: Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day
Or as we like to call it, “Discover the science project you didn’t know you had growing in your refrigerator Day.”
November 23: Thanksgiving (United States)
The modern Thanksgiving holiday traces its roots back to 1621 at Plymouth. In 1621 the Thanksgiving feast was prompted by the colonists’ successful harvest. The Plymouth colony did not have enough food to support half of the colony and so the Wampanoag Native Americans provided seeds and taught the Pilgrims to fish.
The feast did not become an annual festivity until the late 1660s. The feast was to give thanks for a good harvest and for the hard work done in communities. In the beginning of the 20th century, Thanksgiving fell on the final Thursday of November.
President Abraham Lincoln, in order to create a sense of unity between the Northern and Southern states, declared that the final Thursday would be reserved for Thanksgiving. However, on December 26, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt changed the date to the fourth Thursday of November through federal legislation. His reason for doing so was to give the country an economic boost because the last Thursday of November fell too closely to Christmas.
December also has some bizarre holidays, some of which include the following:
December 1: Eat a Red Apple Day
An apple a day keeps the doctor away! Eat a Red Apple Day is a day to celebrate with your favorite variety of nice juicy red apple. Fuji, Gala or the good old Red Delicious, which for decades was the most popular type of apple. Apples come in all shades of reds, greens, and yellows; but today is the day to celebrate with a big red apple.
December 3: National Roof Over Your Head Day
National Roof Over Your Head Day is a day to appreciate the fact that you do have a roof over your head and other things that some are not so fortunate to have. All over the world there are those who do not have a roof over their head to protect them from the elements. Take today and reflect on the things that you take for granted and learn to appreciate these things that others may consider luxuries.
December 4: National Cookie Day
There are several cookie holidays for specific types and flavors of cookies, but today is the day to celebrate all varieties of yummy cookies. Today is the day to enjoy your favorite sweet cookie indulgence like chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal raisin, sandwich cookies, refrigerator cookies and the list goes on and on.
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December 6: St. Nicholas Day
Half the folks you ask have never heard of such a day. The other half celebrate it. If you ever see a picture of St. Nicholas, he looks very much like Santa Claus. Actually, Santa is the one that looks like St. Nick as that’s where his “look” came from. He had white hair and a white beard and mustache. His feast Day is Dec. 6. St. Nicholas Day celebration originated in Europe.
In The Netherlands, St. Nicholas is known as “Sinterklaas,” and it is he who arrives on Sinterklaas Avond (St. Nicholas Eve), to bring toys to the children. Children traditionally put an empty shoe out on December 5. The following morning (12/6), kids find what St. Nick has filled (i.e., candy and small presents) if the children have been “good”). If they were not good, they get coal.
Some “parents” also put their shoe out, in hopes it gets filled. Celebrations are also similar in other European countries, including Germany.
In Switzerland, St. Nicholas is known as known as “Samichlaus.” He is accompanied by a dark-clad assistant, Schmutzli, who is sooty from going down chimneys to leave presents for the good children. Bad children were traditionally left a lump of coal, but now they are left a lump of sugar that looks like coal.
Christmas begins on December 6 in Austria, with the feast of St. Nicholas. The saint, accompanied by the devil, asks children for a list of their good and bad deeds. Good children are given sweets, nuts and toys. If a child confesses to misbehaving, Saint Nicholas sends the child running before any harm befalls him or her.
December 7: Pearl Harbor Day
Pearl Harbor Day is in remembrance of the day that Japan attacked the Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941. This attack brought Americans together and more efforts were put into defeating Japan and contributed to the US participation in World War II.
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December 12-20: Chanukah
Chanukah, also spelled Hanukkah, is a Jewish festival that lasts for eight days and typically falls between late November to late December on the Gregorian calendar. Celebrating Hanukkah involves lighting a candle on a Menorah each night, eating fried food such as latkes (potato cakes), and children play the Dreidel game, plus the giving of gelt (chocolate coins) to children. Giving gelt has evolved into the giving of gifts on each night.
December 15: Cat Herders Day
Cowboy boots and hat ... check! Cat lasso ... check! More patience than a Saint ... ummm ... Cat Herders Day is dedicated to honor and recognize all the cat herders out there.
Are there really cat herders? We’d imagine that anyone with 10 or more cats would qualify. Though not literal cat herders, many of us normal folk likely have been figurative cat herders at some point. Teachers, or volunteers, with a large group of grade schoolers on a field trip definitely qualify. Coaching a little league baseball team of 8 years and under is another example. To all the cat herders out there, literally or figuratively speaking, today is for you!
December 21: National Flashlight Day ... or Look on the Bright Side Day
On National Flashlight Day we pay tribute to the invention of David Misell that was patented on January 10, 1899. Originally, the newly invented light stick’s batteries did not last very long, producing a “flash” of light, which gave rise to the flashlight’s name.
Look on the Bright Side Day falls on Winter Solstice, which is the darkest and shortest day of the year. While it’s true that today is the year’s darkest, tomorrow starts the trend toward brightening things up again. In that spirit, try to see that your cup is half full and try to find the positive things that may appear negative.
Merriam-Webster.com’s definition of optimism is “1.) a feeling or belief that good things will happen in the future; 2.) a feeling or belief that what you hope for will happen.” So, be optimistic and smile more today. Many times when one door closes, another one opens. And if you truly believe good things are bound to happen, they just may!
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December 25: Christmas Day
Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. Jesus was born in Bethlehem. His Earth parents were the Virgin Mary and Joseph. Prophets predicted his birth in the Old Testament as the Chosen One or Messiah. It is celebrated by instead of giving Him gifts, people give each other gifts.
This day is also National Pumpkin Pie Day, which celebrates this common dessert typically served from Halloween through Christmas. Besides the obvious main ingredients like pie shell and pumpkin, other ingredients used to make pumpkin pie include sugar, eggs, evaporated or condensed milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Often topped with whipped cream pumpkin pie is a very common dessert in the United States on Thanksgiving.
“By the early 18th century, pumpkin pie had earned a place at the table, as Thanksgiving became an important New England regional holiday. In 1705 the Connecticut town of Colchester famously postponed its Thanksgiving for a week because there wasn’t enough molasses available to make pumpkin pie. Amelia Simmons’ pioneering 1796 ‘American Cookery’ contained a pair of pumpkin pie recipes, one of which is similar to today’s custard version.” (History.com)
Eating pumpkin is good for you too. SuperFoodsRx.com boasts, “Pumpkin contains one of the richest supplies of bioavailable carotenoids known to man. Indeed, a half-cup serving of pumpkin gives you more than two times the recommended daily dietary intake of alpha-carotene and 100 percent of the recommended daily dietary goal of beta-carotene.”
In addition, one cup of pumpkin provides over 100 percent of your daily recommended Vitamin A and 20 percent of recommended Vitamin C.
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December 26: Boxing Day and Kwanza
Celebrated on the first weekday following Christmas, Boxing Day is celebrated in England, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and is a legal holiday. St. Stephan’s Day influenced the theme for Boxing Day. On St. Stephan’s Day churches would give their collection boxes to the poor. Today it is celebrated as a day for showing appreciation.
Editor’s Note: Some friends I knew would have a gathering at their house on Boxing Day and have guests bring items they no longer needed or wanted. Then there’d be exchanges made and a good time socializing.
Kwanzaa is an African American holiday that goes from December 26 through January 1 and is a celebration of culture, history and heritage. This holiday was started in 1966 by Dr. Ron Kaurenga, who wanted to have an alternative to Christmas where African Americans could celebrate their heritage. According to the founder, Kwanzaa is an ever evolving holiday and can be celebrated by anyone regardless of their heritage.
December 29: No Interruptions Day
No Interruptions Day is a day to get organized for the new year and what better way to do that is without interruptions. While at the office, tie up any loose ends, get caught up on emails, and finish all the paperwork that’s often due at the end of the year.
At home, turn off the TV, turn off the cell phones, spend quality time with family by playing a board game. Whether at work or at home, finish your to do list so you can start the new year off with a clean slate.
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December 31: New Year’s Eve and Make Up Your Mind Day
It’s probably not a coincidence that Make Up Your Mind Day falls on New Year’s Eve. All year you have been putting off making decisions. Start the new year with a clean slate and make up your mind on any decisions that you’ve been pushing off. In order to make up your mind, you must be decisive. Merriam-Webster.com’s definition of decisive is “able to make choices quickly and confidently.”
Some popular quotes about indecision include:
“There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision.” — William James
“Indecision is debilitating; it feeds upon itself; it is, one might almost say, habit-forming.” — H. A. Hopf
“Indecision and delays are the parents of failure.” — George Canning