What to Celebrate December 16 thru 22, 2019
Celebration Ideas for December 16 – 22, 2019
The year is rapidly coming to an end. So make the most of the remaining days of 2019 & savor whatever holidays you celebrate.
That includes the big ones like Christmas & Hanukkah as well as the little (and completely unofficial) ones like Dalek Remembrance Day and Give a Wine Club Day.
There’s many more as well, so go ahead: Take a peek and plan your week. And of course,
Enjoy!
Celebrate for the rest of December
Fuel your bird-counting walk(s) with exotic fruits and root vegetables this month! And if you’ve been thinking about donating your car, this is the month to get it done.
Audubon Christmas Bird Count (December 14, 2019 – January 5, 2020): The longest-running wildlife census in the US has begun! And this citizen-science effort needs volunteers every year to count birds in their areas on specific days. If you thought you could never be a scientist, you were wrong! Learn more & check to see if there’s any open circles near you. If there are, and you’re free on their counting days, sign up!
National Car Donation Month: If you’ve been thinking about donating your car to charity but you’re not sure how—or your favorite charity doesn’t have a car donation program—CauseNetwork can help. Check it out to see how easy it is to get started (and finished!). If you don’t have a car to donate, consider spreading the word so those who do can get it done.
Root Vegetables and Exotic Fruit Month: You probably eat plenty of root vegetables this month. Carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes, onions, etc. are common sides & ingredients in holiday recipes. But exotic fruits can add new & exciting flavors and textures to a meal. And for vegetarians & vegans, one can even substitute for meat—the jackfruit. Other exotic fruit you may like to try include dragonfruit and mangosteen (although you may have a hard time finding fresh ones in the US).
Weekly Celebrations or December’s 3rd Week
For this week we celebrate the holiday spirit in many different ways, including peacefully, crazily, and deliciously.
Halcyon Days (December 14 – 28, 2019): This is actually 2 weeks of peace & happiness based on Greek mythology. In this story the goddess of the winds (Alcyone or Halcyone) throws herself into the sea when her mortal husband drowns. The gods transform the couple into birds and her father calmed the seas for 2 weeks every year to allow them to build nests and lay eggs. Enjoy your own halcyon days in that spirit, finding joy & contentment with family and friends.
Las Posadas (December 16 – 24, 2019): This re-enactment of the story of Mary and Joseph happens mostly in Mexico & Guatemala, along with Hispanic communities in the US. Each day of the celebration represents one month of Mary’s pregnancy. It’s a community event, and the couple spends each night with a different family. It usually ends with a midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.
Saturnalia (December 17 – 23, 2019): This celebration also has its basis in mythology. It honors the Roman agricultural god Saturn. During Roman times the people basically went crazy during these days, decorating their homes, wearing bright clothes, and feasting. Regular daily activities stopped in favor of celebrating. Doesn’t sound too different than how many of us celebrate Christmas, does it? Which shouldn’t be surprising since many of mid-winter’s pagan rituals were incorporated into Christmas celebrations to help encourage the Romans to celebrate Jesus instead of Saturn.
Gluten-Free Baking Week (December 15 – 21, 2019): The holiday season is a terrible time to have a gluten allergy. At least it used to be. These days gluten-free options are becoming more & more common. But it can still be hard to find them when visiting family & friends. So the week before Christmas we bake gluten-free goodies so everyone can enjoy treats for the holidays. Here are some gluten-free recipes to get you started.
Celebration Days coming up for Dec. 16 thru Dec. 22
The 21st is the Winter Solstice, the day we swear has about 2 minutes of daylight. But then the light starts returning to our lives.
And regardless of whether the sky is light or dark, everything tastes better covered in chocolate! Sangria, date nut bread, and maple syrup can also help you forget about the (lack of) light situation.
And ugly Christmas sweaters may actually be better in the dark …
No matter how you choose to celebrate each day, make it a fun-tastic week.
December 16:
Barbie and Barney Backlash Day: On this day Tom & Ruth Roy of Wellcat give parents everywhere permission to deny the very existence of Barbie & Barnie. It’s a day to skip the saccharine songs & inane adventures. You’re welcome.
National Chocolate Covered Anything Day: On this day you get to cover whatever you want with chocolate. Seriously. Anything. Preferably something edible, but beyond that you have no limits! Go crazy. And enjoy.
December 17:
Wright Brothers Day: The Wright brothers made the first successful fixed-wing airplane flight on this date in 1903. Well technically Orville made the 1st successful flight. Wilbur almost did several days earlier, but he crashed. Just the same, both brothers get recognition for the pioneering work that led to this day. Why not learn more about Wilbur and Orville for the day?
Clean Air Day: There are several Clean Air days during the year, but this one celebrates the passage of the US Clean Air Act of 1963. The Act became effective on Dec. 17, 1963 and was the 1st federal legislation dealing with air quality control. Amendments have been added throughout the years, but if you like your clean air, this is where it began.
National Maple Syrup Day: On this day we only eat foods we can top with maple syrup! Or that use maple syrup as an ingredient. So pancakes & french toast covered in the stuff. Or make some of these recipes (there’s everything from breads & cookies to cocktails!).
December 18:
Answer the Telephone Like Buddy the Elf Day: For those of you unfamiliar with Buddy the Elf, whenever the phone rings on this day you’ll pick it up and say “Buddy the Elf. What’s your favorite color?”We supposed you could use your name in place of Buddy. But the rest stays the same. Have fun!
National Give a Wine Club Day: On this day we gift the wine lovers in our lives with monthly wine selections. Make it an early Christmas gift. Or use it for any other upcoming occasion. Get some tips on how to gift memberships your friends and family will love here.
National Roast Suckling Pig Day: On this day we eat roast suckling pig. But if you want to make it yourself, plan ahead because it takes a while. It’s not hard, just time consuming. Try this recipe if you’re feeling ambitious. And if you want to get it at a restaurant you’ll still want to plan ahead. Because 1st you need to find one that makes it, and then you’ll probably need to give advance notice you want one.
December 19:
National Regifting Day: On this day we collect the gifts we have received but really don’t want. Then re-wrap them and give them to people who will enjoy them (we hope). Just make sure not to regift an item to the person who gave it to you! Yes, someone really did create this day. 😲 Here are some tips on regifting.
National Oatmeal Muffin Day: Start your day with a yummy oatmeal muffin. It’ll give you energy for all that regifting! Or whatever else your day brings. You can buy your oatmeal muffin, of course. But it’s pretty easy to make your own oatmeal muffins.
National Hard Candy Day: On this day we indulge in hard candies. So pop your favorite flavor in your mouth & enjoy. It’s easier to avoid over-indulging in hard candies than other sweet, since you just let them dissolve in your mouth (as long as you can resist chewing them, anyway!). So celebrate this day without guilt. If you’re feeling ambitious, make your own hard candy!
December 20:
National Sangria Day: Whip up a pitcher of sangria in the morning & let it marinate all day. Then enjoy a glass to wind down after your long day. Invite a few friends to join you.
Mudd Day: On this day we … celebrate? … Dr. Samuel Mudd’s birthday. Mudd is the doctor who set John Wilkes Booth’s broken leg, which Booth broke after assassinating President Lincoln. Because he waited 24 hours to report Booth’s visit, Dr. Mudd was eventually convicted of being a conspirator and sentenced to life in prison. We’re not sure why we celebrate Dr. Mudd, but we suspect the person who created the day felt the doctor had been unfairly accused and convicted.
National Underdog Day: For this day we celebrate those people (and teams!) who are consistently expected to lose. At what doesn’t matter! Whether or not they’ve ever beaten the odds to come out ahead, they get this day to be the top dogs. If you have an underdog story, share it! And ask others for their stories.
National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day: Drag out your ugliest Christmas sweater and wear it proudly for this day. Don’t have an ugly Christmas sweater? What’s wrong with you?! Get yourself one pronto! And if you’re tired of your old ugly Christmas sweater, go ahead & “upgrade” to the gaudiest Christmas sweater you can find. Then have fun!
December 21:
International Dalek Remembrance Day: Celebrate the anniversary of the Dalek’s debut on December 21, 1963. So throw a Dalek party and Ex-ter-min-ate! all the food & drink … And if you’re wondering what the heck a Dalek is and where they debuted … well, go get yourself educated!
Crossword Puzzle Day: On December 21, 1913 the New York World newspaper published a new puzzle containing a grid of blank squares and clues to help you fill words into that grid. It was the first known published crossword puzzle! But certainly not the last, as crossword puzzles may just be the most popular word game in the world. You do know how to celebrate this one, right?
National Flashlight Day: On the shortest day of the year we celebrate that useful device that lets us bring light with us into the darkness! Yes, the handy, dandy flashlight. Use a flashlight to light your way this afternoon.
Humbug Day: As Christmas get closer and life gets more hectic even the most patient among us can get cranky. So Tom & Ruth Roy of Wellcat decided we need a day to vent. And this is it! But apparently we’re limited to 12 humbugs each. Use them wisely …
National French Fried Shrimp Day: On this day we give some yummy, nutritious shrimp a crispy coating & fry ‘em up. Then we savor every bite. Here’s a quick & easy recipe for you.
December 22:
Hanukkah: Hanukkah begins this evening. So wish your Jewish friends “Hanukkah Sameach” or “Chag Sameach.”
Be a Lover of Silence Day: The holiday season is anything but quiet. And the middle of chaos is exactly when we need a bit of silence to soothe our frazzled nerves. So this day is perfectly placed. Seek out some silence at least once during the day to recharge & refocus. Then head back out to continue enjoying the sounds of the season.
National Date Nut Bread Day: Make yourself a loaf of Date Nut Bread. Then enjoy it straight out of the oven … ok, maybe let it cool a bit first.
