What to Celebrate December 28, 2020 thru January 3, 2021
Celebration Ideas for December 28, 2020 – January 3, 2021
Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! We hope you’re having a good day.
And we hope you’re looking forward to more celebrations in the days & weeks ahead. Less “official” of course, but no less enjoyable in their own ways.
So before you head back to your feast and your family (whether in person or virtually), take just a moment to take a peek and plan your week.
And remember to always …
Enjoy!
Celebrate for the rest of December
By the time you read this the presents will most likely all have been opened, so no more need for Safe Toys and Gifts Month (although safety is important no matter when you buy a gift!). And you’re not going to want to spill food on your tie, so National Tie Month is done, too—did you even find a reason to wear one?!
But there are still a few things you can celebrate this month. Like Bingo’s Birthday Month. There’s always time for Bingo! Right?
Also these.
National Write a Business Plan Month: If you’ve been thinking about starting a business, why not make that one of your resolutions for the new year? But first you’ll want a business plan to help keep your new business on track. Get that written—or at least started—before the year is out. So you can hit the ground running in 2021. Get some useful tips for writing your plan here.
National Pear Month: Traditional holiday foods tend to be … shall we say heavy? So balance that heaviness with light, sweet, juicy pears! Snack on ’em fresh, or use them in recipes. They’re nutritious and delicious. And not at all heavy. 😋
And remember, the Audubon Christmas Bird Count actually runs through January 5. So why not check to see if the counting circles near you have finished or if there’s still time to join?
Weekly Celebrations for late December thru early January
As the year turns over the holiday season can roll right on with it, into the new year. But then it’s time to enjoy some quiet.
Kwanzaa (December 26, 2020 – January 1, 2021): This is a 7-day celebration of African culture. The holiday began in 1966 as a way to unite African-Americans as a community.
Twelve Days of Christmas (December 25, 2020 – January 5, 2021): It’s more than just a song! It’s 12 days of celebration beginning with Christ’s birth and ending on Twelfth Night. Each day is a different celebration. Do you celebrate any (or all) of them?
Silent Record Week (January 1 – 7, 2021): Ahh, silence. After the hustle & bustle of the holiday season (even a pandemic holiday), silence is definitely golden. So make sure you spend some time each day this week just enjoying some silence. You deserve it! Actual silent records not required.
Celebration Days coming up for Dec. 28 thru Jan. 3
How will you spend the final few days of the year? Maybe playing cards, eating bacon, & making up your mind?
And then, when the new year hits you might help your cat celebrate and then get some sleep (like a cat!).
There’s plenty more, of course, for creating a fun-tastic week and new year.
December 28:
Endangered Species Act Day: Celebrate the anniversary of the day President Richard Nixon signed this important act into law in 1973. This day is different from Endangered Species Day in May because it’s about the Act & less about the animals. Although since the Act is all about the animals, this day is at least indirectly about them too! But since many humans have too much else going on at this time of year we just celebrate the Act and the conservation successes it has helped create.
Pledge of Allegiance Day: This is another anniversary for us to celebrate. On this day in 1945 Congress formally adopted the Pledge, adding it to our Flag Code. Say the Pledge in honor of the day, but say it as it was written at the time: “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” The phrase “under God” wasn’t added until 1954.
National Card Playing Day: After saying the Pledge, sit down for a game or two of cards! Play your favorite game or learn a new one.
National Chocolate Candy Day: Eat chocolate. All your favorites. Guilt-free. 😋
December 29:
National Hero Day: This is a day to honor the people who inspire us. But not the famous or fictional heroes. No, the ordinary people who do extraordinary things. And this year especially we don’t have to look far to find those heroes. So for this day thank the people who are heroes to you. And consider how you might be able to be a hero to others, too.
Tick Tock Day: This is your annual reminder to finish up those end-of-year tasks you might have been putting off. Start with the things that have consequences to not doing. Things like charitable donations or business purchases you want to include on your 2020 taxes. Or Flexible Spending Account dollars you’ll lose if you don’t spend them. Then get it done! Once those are squared away, tackle those personal goals you didn’t quite finish.
National Pepper Pot Day: Make yourself a big batch of the “soup that won the war”, Pepper Pot Soup! It was the Revolutionary War, and the soup was intended to keep the Continental Army’s spirits up and their bodies warm on an icy winter evening. At least that’s the story. Whether or not it’s true, the Army’s cook didn’t invent the soup we now know as Pepper Pot. Which should make no difference to your enjoyment of it. Here’s a recipe for you to try.
December 30:
Falling Needles Family Fest: Between Christmas and New Years, gather ’round your now sad-looking tree and watch it drop its needles. Because with all the holiday fun, you’ve forgotten to water the poor thing. Plus you put it up in November! Give it one last hurrah before sending it on its way (hopefully to your community’s recycling program).
National Bicarbonate of Soda Day: Bicarbonate of soda—baking soda to you and me—is a fantastically versatile substance. It helps baked goods rise. It helps clean the burned baked goods out of the pans. It keeps our refrigerators smelling fresh. And so much more! Find new uses for this wonder product in honor of the day.
Bacon Day: Speaking of versatile things … bacon makes almost everything taste better! So add bacon to every meal to brighten your cold, dreary December day. And if December isn’t cold and dreary where you live? Bacon will still make your day infinitely better. So eat more bacon!
December 31:
Leap Second Time Adjustment Day: Twice a year, in July and December scientists may or may not “fix time” by adding an extra second to the day. But in a rare bit of good news for 2020, they’re not doing that for December (they didn’t do it in July, either). And that’s a reason to celebrate, because we don’t need this year to last even one second longer!
New Year’s Eve Banished Words List: A much more fun annual tradition is the words and phrases “Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness.” Lake Superior State University creates its list from words submitted by the public and publishes it on New Year’s Eve afternoon. Check it out and see if your “favorite” word is on there!
No Interruptions Day: On the last workday of the year we banish more than just words. We banish interruptions in order to sweep out the old & get ready for a fresh, new year. So turn off email notifications, set your phone to Do Not Disturb, and lock your office door if you can! Then get yourself organized.
Make Up Your Mind Day: Speaking of getting ready for a new year, if there are things you’ve been procrastinating about, make up your mind! Start your year with no doubts or questions hanging over your head. It’s a fantastic feeling!
Universal Hour of Peace: While this celebration isn’t about the peace of mind you’ll feel after getting your office and your mind in order, those things will certainly leave you more prepared for this one. Because how can you think of a peaceful world if your own mind isn’t peaceful? So as you ring in the New Year, from 11:30 pm to 12:30 am, engage in peaceful celebration to promote peace and a world free of war.
National Champagne Day: If you’ll be toasting the New Year with alcohol, make it bubbly! Preferably real champagne, from the Champagne region of France. But your favorite sparkling wine will do too. And if alcohol won’t be part of your celebration, pour yourself a sparkling fruit juice and enjoy.
January 1
Z Day: Celebrate anyone you know whose name starts with Z! Maybe even yourself? Places too if you’d like. Even animals & other things. Have fun with it!
St. Basil Day: Celebrate the great theologian and defender of the poor & underprivileged on his Saint Day. Do it with St. Basil’s Cake and presents.
National Hangover Day: If you party too hard for New Year’s Eve you’ll be “celebrating” this not-so-pleasant day. It’s not one we recommend. But if you believe in “hair of the dog” cures, the next celebration might help. (We don’t recommend that, either).
National Bloody Mary Day: Obviously you’ll want a Bloody Mary to celebrate. But which one? There is, of course, the classic Bloody Mary. And if that’s your preference, go for it! But this drink is fun to play with. So check out this list of 20 Bloody Mary variations & see which ones tempt your taste buds.
January 2
Happy Mew Year for Cats: The kitties get their very own new year! And they celebrate the day after ours. Probably so the humans have time to recover from their parties in order to properly worship the cats. 😻
National Science Fiction Day: Read your favorite science fiction books or watch your favorite sci-fi movies. Even better, see if you can discover new favorite authors, books, or movies.
National Fruitcake Toss Day: Fruitcake. You either love it or hate it. If you love it, toss some in your mouth! If you hate it, toss those “gifts” in the trash. Or give it to someone who loves it. Just make sure you give it in the form of a toss … which should be easy in this socially distanced year!
World Introvert Day: This is the day to learn to better understand introverts. Even if you are one! Because being one can be challenging, but having a better understanding of yourself can help you navigate life more easily. And for the extroverts, understanding introverts can improve your relationship with the introverts you know (yes, you most likely know at least one).
National Cream Puff Day: Mmmmm … cream puffs. Buy some. Eat them. ‘Nuff said. Or, if you’re feeling ambitious, make cream puffs! It’s easier than you might think.
January 3
National Chocolate Covered Cherries Day: Your sweet treat for the day is chocolate covered cherries! How can you say no? You can’t! Or at least we can’t. 😋
No Pants Subway Ride: Well, this was supposed to be the day to get on the subway without pants for a fun if chilly (depending on where you live) experience. But the organizers have cancelled it for this year. You can probably guess why.
Festival of Sleep Day: On this day we sleep! We sleep in, then take a nap (or two!), and then we go to bed early for more sleep. Zzzzz …
