by Paula Johnson
Maybe it’s because of the extended pandemic restrictions; maybe it’s because of the onset of Spring – whatever it is, I’m ready to celebrate and party. Niece Jill and I were planning my visit to see her new daughter, my second grandniece, Charlotte and her four-year old brother, nephew Roman. Jill suggested having a bridal shower while there for niece Maggie whose wedding is set for early June.
In case you are looking for a reason to celebrate something, here are some unusual observances.
This Friday, April 29, is National Hairball Awareness Day. For my cat loving friends, you probably know that hairballs can be very serious for cats. Healthy cats should have no more than one or two hairballs a year. Much more than that, and you need to visit your vet. A high-fiber diet for your cat and keeping him/her well-groomed can help your kitty. If you are keeping a lion, be aware that they can produce very large hairballs!
“Holy Jubilee, Batman!” Sunday, May 1 is Batman Day! May 1 marks the first time Batman made his appearance in issue #27 of the 1939 of Detective Comics. Hold a Batman party or binge watch Batman movies or go to church dressed as Batman. [i.e. For whatever reason, DC Comics celebrates Batman Day in September.]
May 3 is known as National Two Different Colored Shoes Day. Although this celebration was begun to bring attention to diversity, I think it is an excellent day for those who can’t tell if the shoe is blue or black. You see, my Aunt Mimi always believed that if you liked a shoe and it was comfortable – get a pair in every color! I can see how it could become confusing.
Memorial Day is always the last Monday in May, but did you know that May 9 is National Lost Sock Memorial Day? What do you do with those forlorn socks on laundry day? I have a special place to keep them because I am the eternal optimist. In another load someday, the mate will show up, and I will be able to reunite them. However, this holiday is for us to wear mismatched socks as our way of honoring in memory those socks we used to have.
To Katy, Sarah, Anne, Cyn, Karen and all you other Dog Moms out there, the Saturday after Mother’s Day (May 14 this year) is National Dog Mom’s Day! As if you don’t already shower your fur children with love and affection, this day is dedicated to giving your pet all the love, adulation, and adoration they deserve. Bake some homemade biscuits, knit another little jacket, or just take them for a long run in a park.
Marking your calendars further along in the year? Here are some to consider.
Food Fight!! What to do with all those ripe and overripe tomatoes still on the vine? There are already shelves brimming with jars of homemade tomatoes and sauce, salsa, juice and more. The Spanish town of Buñol has a special celebration the last Wednesday of every August, La Tomatina. It is considered the world’s largest food fight. It started in 1945 after a parade. The crowd grew angry and started throwing tomatoes from a vegetable stand. This spontaneous event was banned for a while, but in the ‘80s it re-emerged. Today the town must put a cap on attendance – only 22,000 can participate in the tomato fight. (See more at https://www.tomatofestivalspain.com)
Ever wanted to wear that T-shirt that says, “I am silently correcting your grammar”? September 24 is National Punctuation Day. In this day and age, I have become lax (for me) in using punctuation. Maybe it is the texting, but punctuation, grammar and even spelling out words in phrases have all taken on a looser behavior. I can handle the errant comma or apostrophe, but subject/noun disagreement and improper tense are still nails on a chalkboard for me.
What would it be like to celebrate a traditional holiday with a non-traditional food? Christmas isn’t celebrated much in Japan, but when it is – they have KFC! The first manager of a KFC in Japan began this tradition in the 1970s. His idea was to offer a “party barrel” Christmas dinner to those foreigners who missed this tradition while living in Japan. I would love the Italians to do something like that with lasagna for Thanksgiving or Easter.
New Orleans has its Mardi Gras, but the Russian Orthodox begin their lent with Maslenitsa. This Russian holiday and weeklong festival of Maslenitsa is known as butter week or pancake week. As with Mardi Gras, making merry is not just about food (endless pancakes drenched in butter), but music, fireworks, dancing bears, bonfires, and other daily activities.
For Mother’s Day, why not fix Mom a pitcher of mimosas and let her relax while you prepare, serve and clean-up her favorite meal. Happy celebrating!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.