What to Celebrate February 10 thru 16, 2020
Celebration Ideas for February 10 – 16, 2020
Valentine’s Day is just a few days away! Are you ready? Do you care?
Or would you prefer to celebrate something else entirely? Like baking with your family. Or counting birds. Maybe protecting pangolins. Or snacking on almonds.
Those are all options to consider in the coming days. Along with many more of course (yes, Valentine’s Day too … although we didn’t list it, ’cause we’re pretty sure you don’t need the reminder!).
So jump right in to take a peek and plan your week. And as always remember to …
Enjoy!
Celebrate All February Long
February is all about food! And if the month is cold where you are, what could be better than staying in and creating & eating delicious meals, desserts, and snacks?
National Hot Breakfast Month: What’s better than a hot breakfast on a cold morning? Not much! So it’s appropriate that we’re celebrating hot morning meals during this cold month. Yes, it takes a bit more effort to make a hot breakfast, but it’s also a more satisfying start to your day. So make that extra effort for this month. You can even make your breakfast in the slow cooker overnight so it’s ready for you when you get up!
Bake for Family Fun Month: With that hot breakfast fueling your day you’ll be all set for some family fun in the kitchen. And when you’re done you’ll have something delicious to eat. Give each person at least one prep job & clean-up job, and you’ll spend a fun and productive day together.
National Snack Food Month: What’s your favorite snack food? If it’s something you made for Bake for Family Fun Month, you’re all good to go! Enjoy. But you might want to mix up those baked snacks with something a bit more nutritious. So stock up on fruits, nuts, veggies, and other favorites too.
National Cherry Month: These sweet fruits can help you celebrate all 3 of the above months. Add them to breakfast bars or oatmeal for the morning. Use them in cakes, cookies, muffins and more for your baking fun. And snack on fresh or dried cherries the rest of the time. So good!
Weekly Celebrations for February’s 2nd Week
It’s time to count birds again! And this one’s even easier than the Christmas Bird Count, because if you have a yard you don’t even have to leave home to participate. But you can if you’d like to.
It’s also time to get a jump start on your spring cleaning. In your closet, anyway. And if you know any freelance writers, show them some appreciation for their hard work (yes, it is hard work!).
Fuel all that counting, cleaning, and appreciating with some kraut & franks.
Great Backyard Bird Count (February 14 – 17, 2020): Join this citizen science effort, and help count birds in your neighborhood for at least 15 minutes sometime between the 14th & 17th. That’s all there is to it! Or count in a nearby park or forest preserve. It all helps.
Freelance Writer Appreciation Week (February 9 – 15, 2020): If your business uses freelance writers, make a special effort to thank them for this week. Here are a few simple tips for doing that. And if you are a freelance writer, give yourself a pat on the back. You deserve it whether or not your clients acknowledge this week!
National Secondhand Wardrobe Week (February 9 – 15, 2020): Clean out your closets and donate anything you no longer wear (that’s still in good condition) to a local second-hand shop. And while you’re there, see what bargains you can find to fill in any gaps in your newly lightened wardrobe. This week is both fun and productive. And eco-friendly too!
National Kraut and Frankfurter Week (February 9 – 15, 2020): This one’s pretty self-explanatory. Enjoy sauerkraut and hot dogs (or brats, polish sausage, whatever tubed meat you prefer) all week long. And don’t worry, sauerkraut’s full of probiotics, vitamins, fiber, and more … so it’s good for you!
Celebration Days coming up for Feb. 10 thru Feb. 16
Spend your days this week making a friend, declaring your love for yourself, and giving the gift of books. And maybe sharing a peppermint patty, plate of tortellini, or a buna ceremony with your new friend.
If any of your new friends happen to be grouches … well you’ll have the chance to do them a favor!
We also spread the word about pangolins, pet theft, and the importance of being an organ & tissue donor.
Of course there’s plenty more options to ensure yet another fun-tastic week for you!
February 10:
Umbrella Day: Hopefully it rains on the 10th, ‘cause otherwise how can you use an umbrella? And how can you celebrate Umbrella Day right without using an umbrella? Unless you have an umbrella party or something … Hey, that’s not a bad idea!
National Clean Out Your Computer Day: Keep your computer running faster longer with regular maintenance. At least take part in this annual cleaning day. Get tips for cleaning both software and hardware here.
National Home Warranty Day: Ah, the joys of home ownership. Air conditioning systems that break on the hottest day of the decade. Washing machines that stop working when you’re packing for a trip. Hot water heaters that refuse to heat your shower. Fixing these emergencies can get expensive. But a home warranty can help. This is the day to learn more about this service that you may never have heard about.
National Cream Cheese Brownie Day: Mondays can be hard. Improve this one with a pan of brownies. But not any brownies! No, for this celebration we must also improve on the already amazing brownie with swirls of cream cheese. And of course homemade is best. So if you have the time, try this recipe for sinfully delectable cream cheese brownies.
February 11:
White Shirt Day: This day honors the GM employees who staged a 44-day sit-down strike for the right to unionize and negotiate safe working conditions. They ended their strike on Feb. 11, 1937 when GM recognized their union.
Safer Internet Day: The internet is a fantastic place. It’s full of valuable information, simple ways to keep in touch, and entertainment galore. But it’s also full of pitfalls and even danger. On safer internet day learn about some of those darker aspects of the net & how you can help create a better internet.
National Make a Friend Day: On this day we get to know someone new and hopefully make a life-long connection. Because while many people will agree the quality of your friends is more important than the quantity, having another good friend is always a good thing.
National Shut-In Visitation Day: Do you know any people who can’t leave their homes for some reason? This is the day to make a point of visiting them. Because being a shut-in can be lonely, even if it seems like the person is making a choice to never leave the house.
National Peppermint Patty Day: Back in the 1800s those chocolate-covered mint disks were called mint cakes. Lots of companies have made them over the years, but probably the most famous is the York Peppermint Patty. They came along in 1940 and promptly became a favorite. And this is the day to have your favorite (York or otherwise).
February 12:
Darwin Day: Celebrate the birth of the man who revolutionized our understanding of evolution. His book On the Origin of Species became the basis for the field of evolutionary biology.
Safety Pup Day: Safety Pup makes learning about safety fun and non-threatening for kids. See if your local law enforcement offers Safety Pup materials that can help your kids learn how to handle different situations.
National Plum Pudding Day: Plum pudding is usually served during the holidays, but there’s no reason you can’t eat it any day of the year. Which is a good thing, since we’re celebrating it in the middle of February! Despite the name, plum pudding rarely contains plums! But it does contain lots of other goodies like apples, dates, nuts, & more. Try this plum pudding recipe to celebrate. Or try this traditional Irish plum pudding. Although if you follow the directions faithfully you can celebrate by making it but you can’t eat it for a few months! 😮
February 13:
National Tortellini Day: Make or order your very favorite tortellini dish to celebrate this scrumptious day. Or try something new … as long as it contains tortellini of course! Whether you have them in a soup, a salad, or perfectly dressed with your favorite sauce doesn’t matter. Just enjoy!
Madly in Love With Me Day: Before you declare your love for someone else, declare your love for yourself. Because loving yourself is not selfish, egotistical, or narcissistic. In fact, it makes loving others & accepting their love in return more fulfilling.
World Radio Day: Radio is an important medium for news, commentary/analysis, and entertainment all over the world. Yes, even in today’s world of streaming everything. Of course, you can stream radio stations too, or listen to them in the more traditional way. So celebrate the impact of radio on the world for this day. And see if your favorite radio station is having any special events or broadcasts for the day.
Break Up With Your Carrier Day: Are you still in love with your wireless company? Were you ever really? If not, this is the day to make the switch to one that treats you better. When T-Mobile founded this day last year they no doubt hoped you’d be switching to them … will you?
National Cheddar Day: Everything’s better with cheese! And for this day make it cheddar. Because cheese in general has its own day in June! But back to cheddar … it adds flavor to every meal. Add it to your breakfast omelet, your lunch sandwich (or burrito?), and try homemade mac & cheese for dinner! Or see which of these recipes tempt your taste buds (Bacon, Cheese & Scallion Waffle anyone?). And if you really want to celebrate right, use Tillamook cheddar, because the company founded this truly cheesy (in a good way!) day just last year.
February 14:
Pet Theft Awareness Day: Pet theft happens more than you might think, and definitely more than you want to believe. So help spread the word and make sure you and everyone you know takes precautions to make it less likely to happen to your beloved furballs.
International Book Giving Day: Forget the flowers & the chocolates. Give the gift of imagination and knowledge. Both fiction and nonfiction books can transport you to far away, long ago, and/or magical places through the power of your mind. Now that’s a gift worth giving and getting! Technically this day is about getting books to disadvantaged children. So definitely start there. But we believe everyone could use more books in their lives, especially in this increasingly image-centric digital world. We can’t forget the pleasures of sitting down with a good book!
International Quirkyalone Day: Every February we celebrate being part of a couple. And anyone who’s not one half of a pair feels left out. But don’t let the pressure cause you to settle! Instead celebrate being yourself, knowing what you want, and being unwilling to settle for anything less. And yes, couples who didn’t settle but found their perfect “quirkytogether” matches can celebrate too!
National Ferris Wheel Day: Do you love Ferris Wheels? Then you must celebrate the birth of the man who invented them! George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. created his wheel for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. He was born on Feb. 14, 1859 and sadly died in 1896, just a few short years after his invention’s successful introduction to the world.
National Donor Day: An organ is one of the most life-changing (and life-saving) things you can give. Of course, most organs can only be given after you die. But other, equally life-saving, donations don’t have to wait. You can donate blood, platelets, and bone marrow at any time. This day raises awareness of donation, and if you’re not already a donor it’s the perfect day to sign up.
National Cream-filled Chocolates Day: Lots of chocolate gift boxes include a variety of creme-filled chocolates. So if you’re giving/receiving chocolates for V-Day, enjoy your favorites!
February 15:
National Gumdrop Day: Buy a bag of gumdrops to snack on for the day. Or use them as an ingredient in cookies or cakes. Or, if you’re feeling really ambitious, make your own gum drops from scratch!
International Angelman Day: Angelman Syndrome is a genetic disorder that’s often misdiagnosed. It’s considered rare, but depending on how many cases have been misdiagnosed and never corrected, it may not be as rare as originally believed. But many people have still never heard of it, and getting a correct diagnosis requires a doctor familiar with it.
World Pangolin Day: Pangolins are fascinating, rather odd-looking animals that are some of the most trafficked mammals in the world. But lots of people have never even heard of them! This day raises awareness of both the fact that these animals exist and the danger they face from the illegal wildlife trade. Won’t you help spread the word?
February 16:
National Almond Day: Pack away the rest of those gumdrops from Gumdrop Day and tear open a bag of almonds for your snacking needs to celebrate Almond Day. They’re better for you anyway, and just as delicious! Possibly more delicious. And definitely more versatile, because you can use them to top things like fish & veggies. So make it an almond-licious day!
National Do a Grouch a Favor Day: We just celebrated curmudgeons (on Curmudgeon’s Day, of course!). But now we don’t just celebrate the grumpy grouches, we actually do something for them, in the form of favors. So find out what your favorite grouch might need done & take care of that.
National Buna Day: Celebrate the Ethiopian buna ceremony. It’s a coffee making ceremony that exemplifies Ethiopian hospitality. See if there’s anyplace near you that offers a buna ceremony experience, but be prepared to stay a while. An authentic ceremony can take hours.
