What to Celebrate February 12 thru 18, 2018
Celebration ideas for February 12 – 18
Can you believe February will be 1/2-way done in just a couple of days?!
Don’t despair, we’ve found plenty of holidays to keep the blues at bay. (But not the snow … To those of you in the eastern 1/2 of the US: Sorry. ???? )
From bunnies to birds, and ETs to gumdrops. Also Ferris Wheels, batteries, open source software, condoms, and so much more. We have them all.
How will you be keeping busy this week?
Enjoy!
Celebrate All During February
Have you been celebrating any of the monthly observances for February?
If training dogs, feeding birds, or writing haiku (among other) haven’t struck your fancy, maybe adopting a rabbit, eating cherries, or supporting open-source software is more to your liking …
Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month: Cats & dogs aren’t the only animals that need rescue & new homes. Lots of rabbits end up in shelters, and they’d love to come live with you! Even if you already have one, House Rabbit Society suggests adopting a buddy for your bunny. HRS has a list of rabbit rescues around the country. Or check with your local shelter, ‘cause bunnies end up there too.
Free and Open Source Software Month: I don’t know about you, but I love open source software! And there’s a whole month dedicated to it. Awesome! It’s not always free, but it is usually less costly. And licensing is less restrictive too. That’s a win in my book.
Love the Bus Month: Well, I have to say I didn’t love the bus. But it does seem like a worthy goal! And the American School Bus Council’s having a contest. You could win a VISA gift card just for loving the bus!
National Cherry Month: Yum, cherries! Celebrate this delicious little fruit for the rest of the month. Of course, depending on where you live, you may not be able to celebrate with fresh cherries.
Plant the Seeds of Greatness Month: What great things do you want to achieve? This is the month to plant the seeds that’ll grow into your dream!
Weekly Celebrations For February 12 – 18
This week we count birds and spread kindness.
And if you think about it, counting birds is kindness. Because it helps scientists understand which bird populations might need help to survive!
Donating gently worn clothing is also a kindness to those who need it.
So kindness is the theme for the week!
Great Backyard Bird Count (Feb. 16 – 19): Help scientists track bird population changes. You don’t have to count all 4 days. Even 15 minutes on one day is helpful!
Random Acts of Kindness Week (Feb. 11 – 17): Spend just one week doing random acts of kindness for people. It’ll make you and them feel good. And you might even be inspired to make it a year-round activity!
National Secondhand Wardrobe Week (Feb. 11 – 17): Donate your unwanted clothing (in good condition!) to a local secondhand store or charity. And maybe even pick up 1 or 2 “new” secondhand items for yourself!
Celebration Days Coming Up For Feb. 12 thru Feb. 18
Yes, yes, yes, we know. Valentine’s Day. And Mardi Gras. And Paczki Day. But you know about them, too. And by all means celebrate them!
But if you’re looking for other celebrations for this week, we’ve got you covered.
There’s Darwin, ETs, and tortellini. Plus the Ferris Wheel, gumdrops, and giving books. And a very special cow …
More serious days help to spread the word about Angelman syndrome, the need to treat caregivers better, and pet theft.
Plus much more. So take a look & see which unusual days you’ll be celebrating.
February 12:
Darwin Day: Celebrate Charles Darwin’s birthday today. How much do you know about evolution?
Extraterrestrial Culture Day: We’ve also seen it as Extraterrestrial Visitor Day. Either way, it’s a real, official day in New Mexico, passed by the state House in 2003. Apparently it commemorates the contribution ETs have made to New Mexico, beginning with that crash in 1947. Don’t live in New Mexico? Celebrate anyway! You know the little green men haven’t confined themselves to just one state …
Safety Pup Day: This adorable child safety mascot made his debut on Feb. 12, 1985. He helps kids be more aware of safety.
February 13:
National Tortellini Day: Did you know tortellini are small versions of tortelloni? And there’s a thing called the Learned Order of the Tortellini?!
Galentine’s Day: A Leslie Knope (Parks and Recreation) created day for the girls to celebrate on the day before Valentine’s Day.
International Condom Day: Reminding you to practice safe sex! This year’s Condom Day theme, according to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, is “Condoms, Always in Fashion.”
February 14:
Pet Theft Awareness Day: Thieves disappear with pets more often than you might think. Spread the word, and keep your babies safe!
International Book Giving Day: Forget chocolates & flowers. Give books today! ????
Ferris Wheel Day: Today we celebrate the birth of the man who invented the Ferris Wheel, George Washington Gale Ferris. He was born on Feb. 14, 1859.
February 15:
National Gumdrop Day: Enjoy eating, baking with, or even drinking gumdrops today! Drinking??! …
International Angelman Day: Despite the rather fun-sounding name, this is a serious day. It’s a day to spread the word about a rare neurological disorder, Angelman Syndrome.
National Hippo Day: This day began in the online world Second Life. The hippo is the unofficial mascot in this world. Even if you’ve never heard of, never mind visited, Second Life, celebrate the hippo today. ‘Cause hippos are weirdly awesome.
February 16:
National Almond Day: Today’s the day for almond lovers! Find ways to add almonds to all your meals today! Get creative. Or try a new recipe using almonds (we link to a few!).
Losar: Celebrate the Tibetan Buddhist new year! This day is the 1st day of the lunisolar Tibetan calendar. The Losar Festival lasts 3 days.
National Caregivers Day: This relatively new holiday honors the people who care for those who can’t care for themselves. And highlights the need for better training and pay for these invaluable workers.
February 17:
Random Acts of Kindness Day: Be kind today. For no reason other than you can. You’ll brighten 2 days: the recipient of your kindness and your own! Need ideas? We have a few.
World Whale Day: The Pacific Whale Foundation started this day back in 1980 to honor the humpback whales of Maui, Hawaii. These days there’s the Maui Whale Festival, a week+ of activities to honor the magnificent whales.
February 18:
National Drink Wine Day: Another delicious day that’s easy to figure out. Do as the name says & drink wine! Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t also get creative & cook with wine too …
Battery Day: Today we celebrate the birth of the man who created the modern electric battery, Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta. Whew, that’s a mouthful! He was born on Feb. 18, 1745 in Como, Italy.
Cow Milked While Flying in an Airplane Day: Huh??! No, that’s not a made-up day. It’s actually the anniversary of Elm Farm Ollie’s (aka Nellie Jay’s) flight on an airplane. She flew on Feb. 18, 1930 (or 1931, depending on the source). Yes, she was a cow. And yes, she was milked while in flight.
