What to Celebrate February 1 thru 7, 2021
Celebration Ideas for February 1 – 7, 2021
The 1st month of this new year is done. But the opportunities to celebrate never end.
February brings with it a whole new batch of month-long celebrations, along with daily & weekly observances too. Whether it’s food or fun or animals you’re looking to celebrate you’ll find plenty to keep you busy, satisfied, and/or entertained.
So jump right in: Take a peek and plan your week. And as always remember to …
Enjoy!
Celebrate All February Long
Responsible pet owners keep learning about their precious pets. They also don’t let them breed, and they adopt instead of shopping!
And those same proud pet parents take lots of pictures! If you have an old Brownie camera, use it to take some of those shots.
Responsible Pet Owners Month: Are you a responsible pet owner? If you’re reading this we’re pretty sure you are! But nobody’s perfect, and as a responsible pet owner you want to be sure you’re doing everything you can for your pet. So take some time to read up on how to make sure your pet is living its best life. Each of us can probably discover at least one thing we could be doing better.
National Prevent a Litter Month: Speaking of responsible pet owners, spaying or neutering your cat or dog is the responsible thing to do! Because too many cats & kittens and dogs & puppies end up in shelters every year. Even worse, too many of them never find the furever homes they deserve. By getting your pet “fixed” you can help fix this problem.
Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month: Cats & dogs aren’t the only animals that end up in shelters. So do bunnies! If you’ve been wanting a rabbit, or you need a friend for your pet rabbit, adoption is the answer. So hop on down to your local shelter—or even better, their website—to see what bunnies are waiting for you.
International Brownie Camera Days: The simple Kodak Brownie camera revolutionized photography way back in 1900. Suddenly anyone could take pictures! We’ve come a long way since then, and the Brownie models evolved over the years too. Some of those Brownies are still around. And still fun to use. And February is the time to use them! Not only because it’s fun but because you can submit your favorite picture to the Brownie Camera Days gallery
Also, for all chemistry fans, Periodic Table Day is on the 7th, but because it’s the 150th anniversary of Mendeleev’s table, there’ll be eight days of elemental periodicity! 😁 The celebration will kick off on Feb. 1 with Group 1, the Alkali Metals. Have fun!
Weekly Celebrations for February’s 1st Week
This week is about health & safety. Spend the week learning about women’s heart health and how to manage phantom sounds. Then ease into learning about burn hazards.
Women’s Heart Week (February 1 – 7, 2021): Women are at greater risk for heart disease than they realize. Even many doctors seem to not fully recognize that heart disease is not just a man’s disease. But getting the right information can help all women take charge of their own heart health and do what they can to lower that risk.
Tinnitus Week (February 1 – 7, 2021): Do you have ringing in your ears? Have you talked with your doctor about it? Tinnitus is a real and frustrating problem. And the sound doesn’t have to be ringing. Or continuous. Most of the time there’s no medical problem causing it, but that also means there’s no real treatment beyond “learning to live with it.” But there are things you can do to help yourself notice it less.
And get ready for Burn Awareness Week, starting on Sunday the 7th. You’ll learn to identify & fix burn hazards to keep you & your family safer.
Celebration Dayscoming up for Feb. 1 thru Feb. 7
Serpents & hedgehogs & Monarchs, oh my! Those are just 3 of the wonderful things you can celebrate this week.
There’s also some inspiring days and some serious days. Along with a ton of deliciousness to enjoy.
You’re sure to have another fun-tastic week with all these options!
February 1:
National Serpent Day: Celebrate your favorite serpent! Or celebrate all serpents. From the huge ball python and tiny garter snake to the mythical dragon (yes, they’re serpents!) or your pet corn snake, they all deserve attention for this day. So learn more about them, visit them at the zoo, or give your pet snake some extra attention (or whatever pet snakes enjoy!).
Change Your Password Day: This day was apparently originally inspired by the Zappos hack back in 2012. But there have been hacks before and since. And every time the advice is to change your password! Actually the general advice about passwords is to change them regularly. So here you go, an annual reminder to change those passwords and protect yourself.
Hula in the Coola Day: This day is for people living in cold areas to get outside and pretend they’re in Hawaii … or at least somewhere warm. So grab your grass skirt, some tiki torches, and your favorite tropical drinks. Then head outside and dance. All that movement will keep you warm! Maybe. 🙃 And if it’s warm where you live? Celebrate anyway! Dancing is fun. You could even pretend it’s cold & you’re trying to stay warm. 😁
National Get Up Day: No, this day isn’t about getting your butt out of bed. Although you will want to do that in order to celebrate this day right. Because this is an inspiring day to remember those times we fell (figuratively or literally) and got back up to persevere. Tell your story to inspire others. And listen to others’ inspiring stories too. If someone is having a hard time recovering from a recent setback, offering some encouragement would be the perfect way to celebrate the day.
National Baked Alaska Day: You know what your dessert needs to be for this day, right? Right??! 😉 If you have the time, consider making your Baked Alaska. Here’s a Brownie Baked Alaska recipe you might like. It’s not exactly the classic recipe, but it is delicious.
February 2:
Hedgehog Day: Here in the US we celebrate the groundhog’s weather predicting abilities (or lack thereof!) because we don’t have native hedgehogs. But let’s face it, hedgehogs are cuter. Of course they probably don’t predict the end of winter any better than the groundhogs.
World Wetlands Day: Did you know that wetlands are critical to our survival? They are! They capture & store rainwater. Filter water. Support all kinds of plants and animals. And much more. But humans have historically tried draining them and just generally treat them as impediments to development. Nothing could be further from the truth! Luckily we’ve figured it out. But lots of wetlands have already been polluted and damaged. This day raises awareness of the importance of wetlands and efforts to restore them.
Crepe Day: This might sound like a day for eating crepes. And it is! But its also a French (and Catholic) holiday, Chandeleur or Candlemas. Like a lot of religious holidays it has its origins in a pre-Christian celebration, this one marking winter’s half-way point. Apparently there are a lot of superstitions surrounding the eating of the crepes. But if you’re not actually in France we’re pretty sure you can celebrate this day just fine by simply eating crepes. Go out for them or make them at home.
Tater Tot Day: After you’ve had your fill of crepes it’s time to move on to the tater tot! These little golden nuggets of potatoey delight make just about anything better. So add some to every meal! Well, maybe not those crepes … but then again …
National Heavenly Hash Day: Make sure you don’t completely fill up on crepes and tater tots. Because you’ll want to leave room for this heavenly dessert! Although the debate over what, exactly, it is can be far from heavenly. Because all anybody seems to be able to agree on is that it must contain some sort of marshmallows or marshmallow creme. Beyond that you’ll find cakes, bars, and even fruit salads all with the same name: Heavenly Hash. So make your favorite Heavenly Hash for the day and enjoy. Don’t have a favorite? Find all kinds of different Heavenly Hash recipes here—everything from fruit salads to brownies and truffle bars.
February 3:
The Day The Music Died: On February 3, 1959 a small plane crashed and 3 rising musicians died too young. They were memorialized in songs, including Don McLean’s American Pie which includes the line that gives this day its name. If you’ve never heard any of Buddy Holly’s, Richie Valens’, or The Big Bopper’s music (or even if you have), give it a listen to honor their memories.
Global School Play Day: This day promotes the value of unstructured play to children’s health and development. If you’re a teacher or school administrator, get your school on board!
Feed the Birds Day: In the dead of winter it’s hard for your backyard birds to find enough food to survive the season. But we can all help! And as a reward for your kindness, your new feathered friends will provide hours of bird-watching enjoyment.
National Missing Person’s Day: Did you know thousands of people are reported missing each day in the US? Each day! Many are found safe. But too many more remain missing for years. Like Alexandria Lowitzer, daughter of this day’s founder. She has been missing for more than 10 years now. Help raise awareness of this very real problem. And share social media posts of missing persons when you can. If you know anyone whose loved one has gone missing, offer whatever support they need. Learn more about missing persons and the resources available to help find them here.
National Women Physicians Day: Female doctors are no longer a rare sight. But this is a recent phenomenon. So it’s definitely worth celebrating women’s accomplishments in the medical field. And remembering the first woman to receive a medical degree in the US. The woman was Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, and the year was 1849. We celebrate her and all the women who have become doctors since on her birthday.
National Carrot Cake Day: So many desserts this week! For day 3 you’ll want to make and devour a luscious, moist carrot cake. You’re welcome.
February 4:
USO Day: Celebrate the creation of the USO on February 4, 1941. This organization (actually a collection of 6 organizations) has one goal: supporting US troops all over the world.
National Hemp Day: Celebrate the plant that can be used to create everything from fabrics and papers to soaps, plastics, and paints. For too long low-THC hemp was lumped together with high-THC marijuana, so it was illegal to grow or use (except for a few, specific programs). That changed in 2018 and we can now make full use of this truly useful plant. Take some time on this day to research hemp products. And maybe even order some! Supporting hemp farmers and manufacturers of hemp products is the perfect way to celebrate.
National Create a Vacuum Day: No, we’re not suggesting you build a suction cleaning machine! The vacuum this day refers to is an area of nothingness, containing no particles. Also, the pressure in the vacuum is lower than the pressure of the surrounding air. We can’t actually create a perfect vacuum, but here are a few options for creating partial vacuums.
National Thank a Mail Carrier Day: The US Postal Service has been having some … let’s call them problems … lately. But your local mail carriers have still been trying to do the best possible job to get your mail to you. So give them a great big “thank you” for this day!
World Cancer Day: Help create a world without cancer. Use this day to learn more about cancer, the progress already made, and how far we still have to go. And spread the word to help raise awareness of this day and the campaign against cancer.
National Sweater Day: This is a Canadian holiday to raise awareness of energy conservation and take symbolic action to be part of the solution to climate change. But there’s no reason we can’t all take part! So, the climate goal is to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees. And on this day we lower our thermostats by that same 1.5 degrees, then stay warm by putting on a sweater.
National Homemade Soup Day: On a cold winter’s day there’s not much better than a hot bowl of soup. But for this day just any old soup’s not allowed. It must be homemade! No cans, boxes, or pouches allowed. So make your favorite soup recipe, then sit back & relax with your bowl of comfort.
February 5:
Western Monarch Day: On this day we raise awareness of the Western Monarchs (yes, they’re a separate population from the Eastern Monarch) and the challenges they face.
World Nutella Day: Eat Nutella all day. You’re welcome! 😋
National Wear Red Day: Wear red and raise awareness of women’s heart disease. This disease gets much less attention in women than in men. But heart disease actually kills many more women than breast cancer.
Working Naked Day: If you’re still working remotely this day may be easier to celebrate than it used to be! So make sure you’re not having any Zoom meetings (and that you’re not in the background of your kids’ school classrooms!), then get undressed & get to work. How does that feel? Freeing? Or weird?
National Weatherperson’s Day: This day honors all the weather people and volunteer weather observers. We celebrate it on the birthday of one of America’s 1st weathermen, John Jeffries, born on Feb. 5, 1744.
Bubble Gum Day: On this day kids pay for the privilege of chewing gum in school. The money raised goes to a charity chosen by the school. But you don’t have to limit this celebration to schools. Any organization and business can go ahead and hold this event to support the charities of their choice.
February 6:
Take Your Child to the Library Day: If your local library is open for in-person visits, do what the day’s name says and take your child to the library! Get your kids library cards if they don’t have them. Then wander the stacks to discover new books. And check them out!
National Chopsticks Day: Use chopsticks wherever possible all day. Or learn to use chopsticks. Sadly the next two celebrations do not lend themselves to chopstick use.
Ice Cream for Breakfast Day: Break all the rules and enjoy a big bowl of ice cream for breakfast. Because winter is cold & dreary & not much fun a lot of days. So start your weekend right & brighten up your Saturday morning with this frozen delight. The ice cream flavor(s) and toppings are all up to you.
International Frozen Yogurt Day: On a cold winter day we’re eating ice cream for breakfast and then frozen yogurt, too?! Yes! Because frozen treats of all kinds are delightful any day of the year. Check with your favorite froyo shop to see if it’s offering any specials or freebies to celebrate the day.
February 7:
Wave All Your Fingers at Your Neighbors Day: For this day we give our neighbors a friendly wave. With all our fingers. Not just one. 😉 A smile would be nice too (but apparently not strictly necessary). Seriously, we hope you like your neighbors, but whether or not you do you do have to live next to them. So be nice! At least for one day.
National Send a Card to a Friend Day: Staying in touch with friends can be challenging sometimes. Everybody’s busy and nobody’s schedules ever seem to sync up. But for this day we make the effort to at least let them know we care. We care enough to find a card, write a little note, stick a stamp on it, and send it off to brighten their day. Don’t forget to address it, too!
Periodic Table Day: For this day we celebrate the first table of the elements to show periodicity, created by Dmitri Mendeleev in 1871. Others had created tables before, but they weren’t quite right.
National Fettuccine Alfredo Day: What’s for Sunday dinner this week? Fettuccine Alfredo! Make your favorite recipe or order from your favorite restaurant. If you don’t have a favorite recipe, try this one. What a delicious way to end your weekend.
