What to Celebrate May 3 thru 9, 2021
Celebration Ideas for May 3 – 9, 2021
Welcome to May! (Well, almost May if you’re reading this the day we post it 🙂)
It’s a brand new month full of possibilities and new celebrations. There’s pets & wildlife. Food & drink. Teachers & astronauts. And so much more.
So do take a peek and plan your week. And whatever you choose, remember to …
Enjoy!
Celebrate All May Long
For May we keep our pets as safe & healthy as possible, help feed homeless pets, and encourage wildlife to visit our gardens. 🥰
Chip Your Pet Month: Did you know microchipping your pets is one of the most effective ways to ensure they’ll find their way back home if they get lost? It’s true! Most shelters & many vets have the ability to check stray animals for chips & read the information on them. And as long as you’ve kept your contact information up to date, they’ll contact you to let you know where your pet is!
Gardening for Wildlife Month: Create a wildlife-friendly yard during May & reap the rewards (watching wildlife!) all summer long. You could even take it a step further & get your garden certified.
Go Fetch! Food Drive for Homeless Animals Month: Shelters & rescue organizations always need food! And especially in the spring, during puppy & kitten season they need kitten milk & other foods especially for the babies. So why not organize a food drive for your favorite shelter at your work, school, or church? The homeless animals will be forever grateful.
Pet Cancer Awareness Month: We don’t like thinking about the possibility of cancer for any of our loved ones, including our pets. But pets can and do get cancer, so knowing the signs & understanding treatment options is important. And helping researchers learn more about pet cancers & improve treatments can help more pets survive a cancer diagnosis. So during May learn about pet cancer and, if you can, consider donating to find a cure. (As always, check out the organization yourself before sending any money)
Weekly Celebrations for May 3 to 9
For the first full week in May we celebrate our pets. And all animals, really. We also admire & maybe even plant beautiful wildflowers.
We put down our digital devices as much as possible too. Which makes it easier to do all of the above!
National Pet Week (May 2 – 8, 2021): This week is all about loving your pets & giving them the best life possible! Each day has a different theme, so check them out & make sure you’re doing all you can for your precious furballs.
Be Kind to Animals Week (May 3 – 9, 2021): Of course anyone with pets they love is kind to their animals (we sure do hope!). But kindness shouldn’t be limited to the animals we invite into our homes. All living creatures deserve kindness. Let’s remind ourselves & others of this simple truth for this week. And then practice kindness to animals every day of every year.
Screen-Free Week (May 3 – 9, 2021): This week is all about taking a break from digital devices & spending time in the real world for a whole. Of course, for anyone still learning or working remotely that’s not exactly realistic. And the folks behind this week understand that! So they want you to celebrate however you can. Maybe start by reading a real book or taking a walk every evening. Or playing board or card games as a family (the physical kind, not the online kind!). Basically whenever you can step away from the devices, do it!
National Wildflower Week (May 3 – 9, 2021): Here’s a way to take a break from your screens—go looking for wildflowers! Take a walk through a nature preserve or a conservatory. Maybe even plant some wildflowers in your own garden! It’s planting season, after all. Get some more Wildflower Week celebration ideas here.
Celebration coming up for May 3 thru May 9
Of course Sunday is Mother’s Day. But that’s a whole week away! (Or less depending on when you’re reading this ☺️)
Between now & then there’s plenty to keep you busy. Like specially-abled pets, cartoons, and reason. Along with chocolate custard, candied orange peels, and more.
And even on Sunday you have a few options. So if Mom (or you) enjoy moscato or butterscotch brownies, make those part of the celebration! Which sounds like the perfect ending to a fun-tastic week. 💕
May 3:
National Specially-abled Pets Day: This day is all about perfectly imperfect pets. You know the ones: missing an eye or a leg, blind, wobbly, etc. They often (but not always) need extra care & attention. But other than that they’re just like any other pet. They want to play, get pets, & be near their humans. If you have specially-abled pets, give them some extra attention & treats for the day. If you have room in your home & heart, consider adopting one of these extra-special animals.
Wild Koala Day: This appears to be an Australian celebration (which makes perfect sense!). But there’s no reason fans of wildlife—and especially of koalas—everywhere can’t celebrate. Because the day is about raising awareness of the threats to koala survival and helping to protect their habitats. Anyone can do that!
World Press Freedom Day: For this day we celebrate the importance of independent journalism & its ability to shine a light on issues some would prefer remain in darkness. It also reminds us there are still places in the world where the press doesn’t enjoy the freedom to publish as it sees fit. And it honors those who have died in the pursuit of the story. This year’s theme is Information as a Public Good.
National Garden Meditation Day: It’s another day to get out in your garden! This time fully clothed (did you get to celebrate Garden Naked Day?). This time we meditate, surrounded by the fresh new growth of spring. If you’re one of those people who find the act of weeding or planting meditative, go ahead & do that! Or just sit & enjoy the peace in your garden. And if you don’t have a garden of your own, head out to a botanical garden or even just a park near you & commune with nature.
National Paranormal Day: Go ghost hunting! Share stories of your UFO sightings. Or bigfoot/cryptid, chupacabra sightings. Or try to convince your skeptic friends the paranormal is real. If you’re the skeptic, let your believer friends shower you with their stories.
National Textiles Day: This day celebrates woven fabrics and all the ways they improve our lives. From beautiful clothing, draperies, & furniture coverings to cozy bedding and art canvases, textiles are all around us. Too often they’re unnoticed & underappreciated. But not for this day!
National Raspberry Popover Day: Start your day with raspberry popovers. Mmmm …
National Chocolate Custard Day: Dessert must include custard! This delightful creation is versatile, so have a custard-filled pastry or parfait layered with custard or even a creme brulee. It’s all up to you! As long as the custard is chocolate.
May 4:
International Respect for Chickens Day: All living things deserve some basic respect. Yes, even animals raised as food, like chickens. Unfortunately, factory farming operations often lose sight of that, and this day raises awareness of that fact.
Bird Day: Chickens aren’t the only birds we celebrate on May 4. We also celebrate all the birds of North America! If you have the chance to go birdwatching, do it. If not, you can probably spy at least a few different birds right outside your window. Celebrate by enjoying their antics and even taking some pictures and/or learning a bit about the birds you see. (This day is different from National Bird Day in January, although the basic idea is the same)
National Teacher Appreciation Day: Also called simply National Teacher Day, this day is for … you guessed it! … appreciating teachers. Teachers are critical to our children’s lives, guiding them in their journey of learning. And hopefully giving them the tools—and the love of learning—to continue that journey for life. Let your children’s teachers (and even your own former teachers) know how much you appreciate them.
International Firefighters Day: Save some appreciation for the brave souls who help keep us safe from fires. Thank any firefighters you know. And take a moment to remember those who died protecting your community.
National Renewal Day: Spring is a time of renewal for the earth. So it’s only right that we humans renew ourselves and our surroundings at the same time (clearly this is aimed at those of us who live where it’s currently springtime). So do some spring cleaning of your mind, your home, your office, your relationships, or whatever area of your life needs some attention.
National Star Wars Day: May the fourth be with you, in whatever celebrations you are enjoying on May 4.
National Orange Juice Day: Have a refreshing glass of orange juice to start your day. Or use orange juice in recipes, like marinades, salad dressings, smoothies, and even quick breads.
National Candied Orange Peel Day: If you squeezed your own fresh juice to celebrate Orange Juice Day, you’ll have some orange peels to use up. Yes, use up … They’re not garbage! Boil them with sugar & water to make a delightful candy.
May 5:
National Cartoonists Day: Read your favorite cartoons! And send a note of appreciation to the cartoonist(s) who create them. If you’re a cartoonist yourself, consider creating something new for the day.
Great American Grump Out: Turn that frown upside down & have a grump-free day! Focus on positive things. Find the silver lining in negative situations. Take a moment to breathe before you let normal, everyday annoyances make you grumpy. It really is up to you how you react to situations, so do your best to make your reactions non-grumpy for at least one day.
National Astronaut Day: Celebrate the heroes among us who have literally reached the stars. And be inspired to reach for the stars yourself. We celebrate astronauts on the anniversary of Alan Shepard’s flight on the Freedom 7 space capsule. It was “only” a suborbital flight & lasted all of 15 minutes, but it did make him the first American in space.
National Silence the Shame Day: Isn’t it about time we stopped treating mental illness as a shameful secret? For this day we talk about the challenges of mental health. And mental health care. And we encourage everyone to continue the conversation throughout the year.
Bike to School Day: For this day children ride their bikes to school. Assuming they can do so safely. And they have in-person classes. And if this day doesn’t work for you/your school, pick a different day in May. The entire month is National Bike Month!
National Skilled Trades Day: Did you know the skilled trades are facing a worker shortage? It’s true! There are more job openings than there are workers. And an awful lot of skilled tradespeople are nearing retirement age. So the problem is only going to get worse if our young workforce doesn’t look to the skilled trades as a viable career option. And a viable option it is, with good pay and benefits. And in most cases without the enormous student debt of other career paths. Learn more for this day!
National Totally Chipotle Day: Cinco de Mayo seems like an appropriate day to celebrate the dried, smoked jalepeno we call chipotle. So whatever your Cinco de Mayo feast looks like, make sure it includes some chipotle. Their mild, smoky heat adds flair to almost any dish.
National Hoagie Day: We’re not sure why hoagies share a day with Mexican foods. But we’re pretty sure there’s no rule that says you can’t stuff your hoagie with carnitas & drizzle chipotle sauce over it. Or you can have a more “traditional” hoagie if you must …
May 6:
National Day of Reason: For this day we celebrate reason and our ability to use sound reasoning to make decisions. It started as an alternative to the National Day of Prayer, but there’s nothing that says you have to celebrate it that way.
National Nurses Day: It’s time once again to thank the nurses for all they do. And all they put up with. They’ve spent more than a year now riding the waves of hospitalizations that just kept coming. So thank them for their dedication this past year and for their commitment to continue to provide the care their patients need.
World Password Day: Do you use strong passwords for all your devices and website logins? Sadly too many people still don’t. And they’re more vulnerable to hacking than they need to be because of it. So take Big Monocle’s password pledge & upgrade those passwords!
National Beverage Day: On this day we enjoy our favorite beverages. Alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Fizzy or not. Hot or cold. It doesn’t matter what beverage you enjoy, because they’re all covered under this celebration!
National Crepe Suzette Day: While your beverage choice for the day is all up to you, your dessert is not! It must be a very special dessert crepe, specifically crepes Suzette. And they’re surprisingly easy to make, so make yourself a big batch of crepes Suzette. Share some with your family if you must. 😉
May 7:
International Tuba Day: Celebrate the tuba players! Because they’re not just people with strong legs, arms, & lungs, able to carry a tuba & make some noise at the back of the parade. So learn more about the tuba & how it’s played. And if you’re a tubist, celebrate yourself & your fellow tubists. You deserve it!
National Public Gardens Day: This day is all about raising awareness of public gardens and how they support their communities. Public gardens across the country not only provide a beautiful space to visit & learn about flowers & other plants, they actively work to preserve green spaces, conserve water, & even promote home gardening. If there’s a public garden near you this is the perfect day to visit.
School Lunch Hero Day: With kids back in school (finally!), cafeteria workers are back ensuring the kids get fed. But for these heroes it’s more than just a job. They truly care about “their kids,” and many even remember the kids they’ve served years later! Let your lunch heroes know how much they’re appreciated.
National Military Spouse Appreciation Day: Military spouses may not be in active service (except when both spouses are serving!), but they make sacrifices too. They follow their spouses wherever the military sends them. They “hold down the fort” while their spouses are deployed. They do all this and more so that their spouses can help keep us all safe. If you know any military spouses, do something special for them, especially if their active-duty spouse is deployed or otherwise off doing their thing.
Sauvignon Blanc Day: If you love a good sauvignon blanc, this is the day for you! Enjoy a glass or two of your favorite sauvignon blanc. And if you think you don’t like this wine, give it another try. Because different regions produce very different tasting wines!
National Roast Leg of Lamb Day: Pair your sauvignon blanc with a roast leg of lamb.
May 8:
National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day: We just celebrated PrepareAthon Day, encouraging us to be prepared for any disasters common where we live. This day reminds us to include our pets in all our preparedness plans.
National Dog Mom’s Day: If one or more of your children is kinda furry & barky then this day is all about you! Although in reality it’ll be all about them, like usual. ‘Cause that’s what moms do; they make it all about the kids. So spend a special day with your special doggo(s).
National Train Day: Celebrate the completion of America’s transcontinental railroad in 1869! See if there are any events near you & take a train ride, learn about trains, & check out train memorabilia. If there’s no event nearby, take a train ride anyway or explore a virtual train or train museum. Or read a book about trains, or watch a movie that takes place on a train.
World Belly Dance Day: For this day we dance! If you don’t already know this dance form, learn more about it & maybe sign up for a class! It’s fun & a great workout.
National Have a Coke Day: Even if you don’t usually drink pop (soda, soft drinks, colas, etc), this is the day to make an exception & enjoy a delightfully fizzy, cold Coke. You could even make a float with it if you’d like!
National Coconut Cream Pie Day: For desert you must have coconut cream pie. If you’re taking a train ride, make sure they serve this. If they don’t then skip the train! And if you’re worried about the calories, celebrate Belly Dance Day. You’ll burn plenty of calories to make up for your slice (or two?) of pie.
May 9:
Lost Sock Memorial Day: Have a moment of silence in remembrance of all those missing socks. May they rest in … lint? … wherever they may be.
National Sleepover Day: We usually consider sleepovers for kids & teenagers. But we see no reason moms can’t finish out their day by getting together & having a girl’s night, complete with sleepover. And since moms are old enough to get themselves a hotel room they can spend the night dishing with their friends without worrying about waking the kids or spouses! Of course, moms of girls might just let their girls have the overnight fun with their friends. Either way is a perfectly acceptable way to celebrate this fun day (night).
National Moscato Day: Enjoy a glass of moscato with your Mother’s Day brunch. Or with dinner. Or at your sleepover! This versatile wine can be sweet or dry depending on where the grape was grown. So grab a bottle of your favorite moscato & toast yourself.
National Butterscotch Brownie Day: If the kids are making the Mother’s Day meal, suggest a batch of butterscotch brownies (blondies) for dessert. Or a snack. Or to enjoy with your moscato. Hey, it’s mom’s day so she gets to decide how to enjoy it!
