What to Celebrate August 20 thru 26, 2018
Celebration Ideas for August 20 – 26, 2018
I noticed this week that it’s now dark when I get up in the morning!
Not just darker. That’s been happening for a while. But actually dark. It seems to soon for that! I associate dark mornings with fall & crisp air. Not late August & 80+ degree days!
Oh well, can’t dictate daylight hours to Mother Nature. She’s gonna do what she wants.
And so will we! And what we want is to enjoy each day to its fullest. Fewer daylight hours isn’t going to change that.
In fact, the bats we’re celebrating at the end of the week prefer the dark! And whiskey sours, adventure, and dogs (along with lots of other celebrants) don’t care about daylight or darkness.
So no matter how much or little sunlight is shining in your windows, the time has come once again … to take a peek and plan your week.
And as always …
Enjoy!
Celebrate for the rest of August
There’s still time left this month to have an American adventure! And in our book adventure definitely contributes to wellness.
Art can also contribute to wellness, so it seems appropriate to appreciate the artists who create it. August focuses specifically on American artists.
Wellness Month: August is the time to focus on your own wellness. Not anybody else’s! (Ok, at least focus on yourself along with others …). Yes, the month is about over, but it’s never too late to start focusing on your own health & wellness.
American Artist Appreciation Month: Do you appreciate good art? Are any of your favorite artists American artists? If yes, good for you! If not (or you’re not sure), learn more about American artists & maybe discover a new favorite. Get your kids involved too.
American Adventures Month: America offers a ton of adventure possibilities. So use at least part of August to plan or go on an adventure somewhere in this great country. Not sure where to start? Check out National Geographic’s list of the Best American Adventures.
Weekly Celebrations for Aug. 20 – 26
We have been unable to confirm any week-long (or even multi-day) celebrations for this coming week. 😕
We thought it would be Chef’s Appreciation Week, but we were off by a week … it’s actually been going on this week! Oops …
And normally it should be North American Organic Brewers Week (renamed Organic Beer Festival in 2016). But the website hasn’t been updated & it’s not listed on any event sites that we can find. Sigh …
So we shall just have to be happy with the daily & monthly celebrations. But there’s plenty there to celebrate, so we should survive. 😊
Celebration Days coming up for Aug. 20 thru Aug. 26
We remain committed to finding deliciousness in every week, and this one’s no exception. Enjoy bao, sponge cake, and whiskey sours, to name just 3.
Also celebrate dogs and bats and … uh … taking your cat to the vet?
Commemorate the anniversary of an epic (and deadly) volcanic eruption and the demotion of a planet.
Recognize senior citizens, women’s contributions to web development, and much more.
So don’t delay: Before heading out to take full advantage of the weekend, take a few moments to plan for a fun-tastic week ahead too!
August 20:
National Lemonade Day: Who doesn’t love a tall glass of ice-cold lemonade on a hot August day? Ok, some of you may not. But for the rest of us, this is a refreshing day indeed. Drink up!
World Mosquito Day: No, we’re not actually celebrating pesty little bitey bugs. This day commemorates the discovery that female Anopheles mosquitoes can transmit malaria from one person to another. Thanks to Sir Ronald Ross we’ve known this since 1897.
Cupcake Day: This Australian day raises money for RSPCA Australia (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). That’s right, yummy cupcakes can help rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome animals all across Australia. Not in Australia? Help spread the word on social media (you most likely have at least one friend/follower in Australia!). Then consider celebrating in spirit by raising money for/donating to a local animal rescue group.
National Radio Day: Celebrate the radio! From national commercial stations to small local stations, radio helps connect listeners to their communities and the country. Many stations offer special programming for the day.
August 21:
National Poets Day: If you love poetry, this day’s for you. Read your favorite poets, discover new poets, or even compose some poetry yourself. If you don’t like poetry, maybe consider discovering some new poets & types of poems. You might find one you like.
National Spumoni Day: Mmmmm … ice cream. Even better, layers of ice cream! Enjoy a slice (yes, spumoni is traditionally sliced, not scooped) of spumoni in celebration. If you can’t find spumoni, Neapolitan is a good substitute—’cause it’s based on spumoni!
Senior Citizen’s Day: This day began back in 1988, as proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan. If you’re a senior see if there are any local events for the day. Or tell your family they’re taking you out to celebrate. If you’re not yet a senior yourself, help other seniors celebrate. Either by volunteering at an event or a senior center, or by taking your senior family member out. Get more ideas here.
August 22:
Take Your Cat to the Vet Day: If you’re planning ahead & your cat hasn’t been to the vet in a while, schedule an appointment for this day. If you didn’t plan ahead, take a few minutes on this day to make that appointment. Then plan to keep up with regular vet visits (at least annually).
National Bao Day: Enjoy the delightful stuffed & steamed buns called bao that got their very own day just last year (2017). If you happen to be in the Chicago area, get free bao for lunch at all Wow Bao locations.
Be An Angel Day: For this day be someone’s angel. Help someone less fortunate than you and/or do random acts of kindness. Get some simple ideas for random acts of kindness here.
August 23:
Valentino Day: Commemorate the death of silent film star Rudolph Valentino on this date in 1926. He was born in Italy and became Hollywood’s 1st male sex symbol before his death at age 31.
National Sponge Cake Day: Enjoy a light & airy, but still moist, spongecake to honor this day. Bake it yourself (try this healthier recipe) or head to your favorite bakery & pick one up. If you buy it plain, serve with whipped cream & berries. Yum!
National Ride the Wind Day: Celebrate the anniversary of the 1st human-powered flight to win the Kremer award. How? Go hang-gliding. Or skydiving. Or if you prefer something a bit less daring, fly a kite! Whatever you choose, enjoy the waning days of summer.
August 24:
Pluto Demoted Day: Relive the irritation & anger over poor little Pluto’s demotion from planet to “dwarf planet” back in 2006. Learn a bit more about Pluto and the silliness that caused the demotion too.
Wayzgoose Day: What-kinda-goose day? This weirdly named day was traditionally a party master printers threw for their workers on or about August 24. It marked the end of summer and the beginning of “work by candlelight” season. August 24 is also the feast day of St. Bartholomew, the patrol saint of bookbinders, which may explain the choice of dates for this celebration.
Vesuvius Day: Mark the anniversary of one of Europe’s most catastrophic volcanic eruptions. Italy’s Mt. Vesuvius erupted on August 24, 79 AD. This was the eruption that buried Pompeii, along with other cities. It only lasted about a day (as far as we know), but it may have killed 16,000 or more people. The volcano is still active today & most recently erupted in 1944.
August 25:
Whiskey Sour Day: Kick back & relax with a whiskey sour. Have it the traditional way or get creative. Some recipes add orange juice or maple syrup. Or turn it into a slushie. Whatever your preference, just enjoy!
International Bat Night: On the last full weekend in August, celebrate the bat! Find a bat walk or presentation near you. Or just learn more about these fascinating (not scary!) creatures on your own.
National Secondhand Wardrobe Day: More & more people are returning to the notion of reuse, recycle & re-purpose. And this day celebrates that idea for your closet. So save the earth and some money by heading out to the second-hand shops for any clothing items you might need. And as long as you’re heading there, bring any items you haven’t worn in a while (in good condition, of course!). Find charity-driven thrift stores at The Thrift Shopper.
(If you plan to eat homemade cherry popsicles on the 26th, you might want to get those popped into the freezer on the 25th!)
August 26:
National Dog Day: This is the day to recognize the awesomeness that is all dogs. As if you don’t do that every day …
National WebMistress Day: Women can be (and are!) web developers too. So tweet, endorse (LinkedIn), like (Facebook), or otherwise recognize the webmistresses you know. They’re just as good as any webmaster (and some are no doubt better!).
National Cherry Popsicle Day: Enjoy a cherry popsicle. No other flavor will do for this day! If you’re feeling ambitious, consider making some yourself. It’s really not that hard (2 ingredients)! But you will have to be patient …
International Bat Night continues, too.
