What to Celebrate December 24 to 30, 2018
Celebration Ideas for December 24 – 30 2018
It’s heeerree! The end of the year.
If you’re not driving yourself crazy with last-minute Christmas preparation & shopping you’re probably driving yourself crazy thinking about all you didn’t do this year.
Stop that! There are actually several end-of-year holiday days & weeks to help you look back and make a plan for moving forward. Without going crazy.
So do that! Calmly, please.
And of course, food still plays a big part of the season. Some of this week’s food days are holiday-themed. Others are just delicious. And Baking Soda Day can help your tummy if you overindulge!
So don’t let all your planning be for Christmas & New Year’s Eve. Plenty of other excitement is waiting for you to take a peek & plan your week.
And always remember to …
Enjoy!
Celebrate for the rest of December
There’s still plenty of time to enjoy root veggies & exotic fruits, make sure you always have a sober driver, and play Bingo, among other month-long celebrations.
To make sure you start your new year off right (and healthy), consider celebrating these also.
National Write a Business Plan Month: If you’ve been thinking about starting a business, a formal plan can help keep your fledgling business on the right track from day one. Or if you’ve already started one without a plan, writing one can help you focus on the best way to keep that business moving forward. And the end of the year, when you’re probably already thinking about how your year has gone, is a great time to get it done. You’ll start the new year off on the right foot!
Worldwide Food Service Safety Month: You probably don’t think much about how caterers & other food service pros keep the food they serve you safe … unless you hear about (or experience) food poisoning from pre-prepared foods. But you can be sure they do. And December—when lots of people are eating catered foods at holiday parties—is a great time to celebrate this idea. And for all of us to think about how we handle food at home, which is just as important!
Weekly Celebrations for December’s Final Week
Do you join many of us in thinking back on your year and your life about this time every year? Well you (and we) have been unknowingly celebrating an actual unofficial holiday!
Who knew? … Now you know!
It’s About Time Week (December 25 – 31): As we already mentioned, it’s the final week of the year. It’s also the time we tend to get reflective. We think about what we’ve done & what we’ve left undone. This week reminds us to not just think but take action. If there are things you’ve been meaning to do, then it’s about time you got them done! Or at least started. So hop to it!
Kwanzaa (December 26 – January 1): This holiday week celebrates community and African culture. Dr. Maulana Karenga created it in 1966 to inspire African Americans to honor their heritage. It lasts 7 days and each day honors one of the 7 principles of Kwanzaa.
Celebration Days coming up for Dec. 24 thru Dec. 30
Of course we’re starting the week off with Christmas Eve & Christmas. But for those who don’t celebrate or want something new to do on these days, a couple of options do exist! Yes, they’re kinda’ related to Christmas, but you can celebrate them on their own too!
And as we move past Christmas, you get to indulge in more delicious candy & foods, whine a bit, and head to the zoo.
You’ll also find plenty more options to help make this final week of the year another fun-tastic one!
December 24:
National Eggnog Day: Eggnog has long been a popular holiday drink, so we suspect having this day on Christmas Eve isn’t an accident. But eggnog is good no matter the day! Whether you drink it with or without alcohol is up to you. Here are a few eggnog cocktail recipes.
December 25:
No “L” Day: This day is a play on the word “Noel” (get it? … we hope so!). It’s also called A’phabet Day, and all day you must avoid using the letter “l” in both spoken and written words. Try to use words without the letter, but if you can’t you must skip the letter. Some words sound really weird that way!
National Pumpkin Pie Day: Mmmmm … pumpkin pie. The best use of pumpkin spice (and around here the only use of pumpkin spice!). Enjoy a slice or two. With or without whipped cream. To end your Christmas feast or just because you like it. Homemade or store-bought. How you celebrate is all up to you.
December 26:
National Candy Cane Day: Once your candy canes have done their holiday decorating job it’s time to eat them! You probably shouldn’t eat them all to celebrate this day though … Here’s a bit of candy cane history and trivia to snack on in-between canes.
Boxing Day: We don’t celebrate this day in the US. The day started in the UK hundreds of years ago. Today it’s still celebrated there, as well as in some other countries like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It has nothing to do with boxing, the sport. It was traditionally the day churches opened the alms boxes to hand out the contents to the poor. Today it’s treated more as another reason to celebrate.
National Whiner’s Day: Despite the name this day is actually about being grateful for what we have. Yes, you’re allowed to whine for this day. In fact, it’s encouraged (have a party, even!). But not about what you don’t have or what you didn’t get for Christmas.
National Thank You Note Day: You know all those gifts you’re not whining about on this day? It’s time to thank the giver in a note. Yes, you may have said “Thank you” when you got them. But a personalized (and preferably hand-written) note will make the givers’ day. Especially since thank-you notes have become so rare these days.
December 27:
National Fruitcake Day: We sure hope you love fruitcake, because this is the day to indulge! If you got fruitcake as a gift this holiday season, dig into that. If not, well buy yourself some! Even better, make one. That way you can have it just the way you like it. Check out this list of 23 recipes from Country Living … surely you can find one there that you’ll like!
Visit the Zoo Day: Most of the “official” holidays may be over, but zoos often keep the celebrating (like holiday light displays!) going until the new year. Many also have special programs and/or pricing for this day. Do you live near one of these awesome zoos?
Howdy Doody Day: It was on this date in 1947 that Howdy Doody made his television debut (before that he was just a voice on the radio). Some people also celebrate Howdy Doody Day on November 27, the birthday (in 1917) of the puppet’s creator, Buffalo Bob Smith.
December 28:
National Chocolate Candy Day: It’s yet another day dedicated to chocolate! Not that we’re complaining … every day deserves to be chocolate something-or-other day. So if you got chocolates as a gift this holiday season—or you bought yourself some chocolates at the post-holiday discount sales—enjoy a piece (or 2 or 3 or …) to celebrate this day.
Pledge of Allegiance Day: On this date in 1945 Congress formally recognized the Pledge of Allegiance. It was written in 1892 and as originally written mentioned neither the United States nor God.
Endangered Species Act Day: Congress passed the Endangered Species Act on this date in 1973. Celebrate by learning more about endangered species and why we should all work to protect them.
December 29:
National Pepper Pot Day: Celebrate with a pot of the “soup that won the war.” The Revolutionary War, that is. Apparently the Continental Army’s chef threw together whatever food he could find into a soup to feed the hungry soldiers. Today there are actual recipes. So if you’d like to try your hand at making this thick, spicy soup, try this one.
Tick Tock Day: The clock is tick-tocking its way to the end of the year! If there’s anything you wanted to do this year & haven’t, now’s the time. Jump to it! This reminder to get it done comes to you from Tom & Ruth Roy of Wellcat.
December 30:
Bacon Day: Mmmmm … Bacon! On this day you have permission to indulge in bacon all day! This day is different from International Bacon Day in September. But we’re pretty sure the basic idea (Love Bacon!) is the same. And you celebrate the same too. Eat bacon!
Falling Needles Family Fest Day: Tom & Ruth Roy created this day for everyone who had a live Christmas tree. And who didn’t water it past about Dec. 23. By now it’s dropping dead needless all around. So gather the family & watch them fall.
National Bicarbonate of Soda Day: Also called Baking Soda Day, this day celebrates that versatile white powder. It cleans, it deodorizes, and it unclogs drains (when mixed with vinegar). It also helps baked goods rise and calms indigestion, among other things. This amazing substance definitely deserves its own day. Celebrate by pouring some down your drain, putting a fresh box in your ‘fridge, and/or baking something that needs its help to rise.
