The
musing for December is inspired by
Holiday Insights’ “Bizarre,
Wacky and Unique Holidays.” We offer
some light-hearted relief for this busy month based on the “2013 Daily Holidays,
Special, and Wacky Days.” Some of the holidays listed here are official and
have historical context; many are food-related; some make no sense; and, of
course, some observances in December are activities to prepare for Christmas.
History
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| Pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock |
|
Among
the serious observances is
World Aids
Day on December 1, which was first observed in 1988. On December 5, you can
drink to Repeal Day and commemorate the end of Prohibition, when Mormon Utah
ratified the Twenty-first Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and gave the U.S.
government the three-quarters majority of state support it needed to overturn
Prohibition. The seventh of December is day that will “live in infamy”—the bombing
of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Human Rights Day is recognized on December 10; it was
on this day in 1948 that the U.N. General Assembly adopted the
Universal Declaration of Human
Rights. December 21 is especially remembered in Massachusetts; on this day
in 1620 the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. Other
December dates marking
historical events or social concerns include National Roof over Your Head on
December 3, to bring awareness to homelessness; International Civil Aviation
Day (December 7) to promote civil aviation around the world; International
Children’s Day (December 8) sponsored by UNICEF; and December 15 to mark the
day in 1791 when the first ten amendments (The Bill of Rights) were added to
the Constitution.
Food
Food is ever-present this month: there are
sixteen days involving food. One may wonder why some of these days are
celebrated in December; a little research found that some food items—for
example, ice cream—have special days or even months throughout the year. Those
food items most associated with Christmas are listed with the Christmas-related
activities; below are non-Christmas kitchen activities. Bon Appetite!
Dec.
1: Eat a Red Apple Day
Dec.
2: National Fritters Day
Dec.
7: National Cotton Candy Day
Dec.
8: National Pastry Day
Dec.
11: National Noodle Ring Day
Dec.
12: National Ding-a-Ling Day
Dec.
13: Ice Cream Day
Dec.
14: National Bouillabaisse Day
Dec.
15: National Lemon Cupcake Day
Dec.
16: Chocolate-covered Anything Day
Dec.
17: National Maple Syrup Day
Dec.
18: Oatmeal Muffin Day
Dec.
22: National Date Nut Bread Day
Dec.
24: National Chocolate Day
Dec.
25: National Pumpkin Pie Day
Dec.
29: Pepper Pot Day
Fortunately, there is no “get on the scale” day!
Holidays
The
special days associated with the Christmas Holiday can serve as a “to do” list
for the holiday preparations. Santa’s List Day is on December 4—but you could
preempt it with Black Friday (November 29) and Cyber Monday (December2)! For those who venerate the real St. Despite its name, Christmas Card Day is not
to do this chore, but rather to recognize Sir Henry Cole of England, who
created the first Christmas card in 1843. Poinsettia Day, on December 12,
honors J.P. Poinsett, who was the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico; his perhaps
most-noted contribution to foreign relations was to introduce the United States
to a plant now called the poinsettia.
 |
| St. Nicholas |
|
Nichols,
a patron saint of the Orthodox Church, the observance is on December 6. A good
day to work on your Christmas letter is the seventh, Letter Writing Day, which
is followed two days later by Christmas Card Day.
If you
follow the “to do” list, you will be very busy on December 18. On this day are
two chores: baking cookies and roasting a suckling pig. We hope the next day
you will have energy to “Look for an Evergreen.” And the activity the day after
is to “Go Caroling.” Perhaps December 21, “Humbug Day,” will get an “amen” from
you. December 24 may offer a little pick-up—you can lift a wassail cup to toast
National Eggnog Day and ready yourself for Christmas Day. You are still not
finished with holiday events, though! December 26 is Boxing Day and the day
after is National Fruitcake Day. (Is that a re-gifting day?!) With all your eating and celebrating during
the past few weeks, welcome relief comes on December 30,
National Bicarbonate
of Soda Day.
Around
the world in December are many different religious observances. Usually all of
the eight days of Jewish holiday Hanukkah are observed in December; this year
celebrations begin in
Another religious observance is on December
8, known as Bodhi Day, when the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama,
experienced enlightenment. From December 21-15 is Pancha Ganapati, a five-day
Hindu festival in honor of Lord Ganesha.
November. Kwanzaa, which honors African heritage, family,
community and culture, is a week-long celebration at the end of the month.
A common theme and symbol of many December religious
celebrations is lights. This includes the many different celebrations of the winter
solstice on December 21: the Zuni and Hopi Soyal ceremony; the Iranian festival
of Yalda; and Saturnalis, the Roman solstice festival. Even our list of “bazaar and unique” holidays
appropriately lists on December 21 “National Flashlight Day” and “Look on the
Bright Side Day.” If none of the above
observances is appropriate to your belief system, there is always Festivus on
December 23. Festivus became popular after 1997 episode of “Seinfeld” which
described it as an alternative to the consumerism and frenzy of the holidays.
The day is marked with a “Festivus pole,” which is a plain aluminum pole. When
celebrants gather, they air grievances, have feats of strength, and feast on
meatloaf. “A Festivus for the rest of us,” as they say on the show.
Whatever
your affiliation or lack thereof, by the time National Bicarbonate Day rolls
around on December 30, and maybe a New Year’s resolution to go on a diet,
too—you have made it through the month.
Do not to worry if your resolve weakens; January 17 is set aside as the
day to “Ditch your New Year’s Resolution!”
Miscellaneous
Here
are a few holidays that did not fit in the above categories and might leave you
scratching your head: Wear Brown Shoes Day on December 4, Take in the Ear Day
on December 8, and Violin Day on December 13. A few celebrations seem to have
been created by teachers and parents to keep children amused and calm: Mitten
Tree Day (December 6); Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day (December 27); and Card
Playing Day (December 28).
We may have overlooked a few unique
holidays, but what is certain that with all this activity and celebrating
during the month, Bathtub Party Day should be observed much later in the month
than on December 5. There should be at least two such party days.
Happy December!
