What to Celebrate November 11 thru 17, 2019
Celebration Ideas for November 11 – 17, 2019
Welcome back to Friday and another chance to make sure every upcoming day is special. And delicious too.
Maybe even a little quirky (buttons!). Or possibly productive (clean out that fridge). Educational, even (geography).
So dive right in to take a peek and plan your week. And as always,
Enjoy!
Celebrate All November Long
For November we practice gratitude. So let’s spend the month focusing on the positive things in our lives and being grateful for them.
Manatees, picture books, and Georgia pecans are also worthy of gratitude. Because without them the world would be a little less fascinating and delicious.
Manatee Awareness Month: Learn more about the gentle and fascinating manatee for this month. They’re smarter than you probably think. Unfortunately that won’t help them survive. Only we can do that. Manatees can’t tolerate cold water for very long, so we need to make sure they have safe access to the warmer waters they need.
Picture Book Month: For this month get your young children (or grandkids/godchildren/nieces/nephews/etc) some new picture books to enjoy. Physical books only!
National Georgia Pecan Month: Snack on, bake with, and cook with Georgia pecans all month long. But only Georgia pecans. Save all other pecans for the rest of the year. Although after a month of big, meaty Georgia pecans you may never want one from anywhere else!
National Gratitude Month: Did you know that simply practicing gratitude can help us feel more positive and less stressed? The feeling can literally change our brains! The month’s creator is hosing a 30 Day Gratitude Challenge on the A Grateful Planet Facebook page. Try it out!
Weekly Celebrations for Nov. 11 – 17, 2019
For this week we explore the importance of geography and literacy. And we fuel this exploration with split pea soup.
National Geography Awareness Week (November 10 – 16, 2019): Geography is more than learning what countries are where. Geography affects us all. So let’s all learn more about how & why geography is important. And especially encourage our young people to think about how our natural environment affects us.
National Young Readers Week (November 11 – 16, 2019): Although the name suggests kids reading all week, this week is really about school principals demonstrating a love of reading. Principals are asked to choose a day during the week and a location at school. And then spend their entire chosen day reading. Schools may also bring in guests to read to the kids. The goal is to raise awareness of the importance of literacy and reading.
National Split Pea Soup Week (November 10 – 16, 2019): For the 2nd full week in November we eat split pea soup! So make a big pot for the week. Or a smaller pot so you can try different recipes. You might be surprised at how many different ways you can turn split peas into soup! Try this Country-style Split Pea Soup to get started.
Celebration Days coming up for Nov. 11 thru Nov. 17
Monday the 11th is Veterans Day, of course. So please do honor our very deserving veterans. The day also includes other worthy observations, along with a delicious one.
Then, as the week moves on we celebrate ourselves, kindness, and recycling. Then there’s buttons, hiking, and fancy rats & mice.
And more deliciousness of course. We get to enjoy pizza with the works, spicy guacamole, and bundt cakes. Plus so much more.
Yes, we are indeed looking at yet another fun-tastic week!
November 11:
Death/Duty Day: On the last day of World War I—after the armistice was signed but before the fighting officially ended—2,738 men died. We honor them on the anniversary of their death, November 11, 1918.
Red Lipstick Day: This day supports sexual violence survivors. Wear red lipstick, take a selfie or make a video, and post it to show your support.
National Sundae Day: The weather may be chilly (or maybe not, depending on where you live!), but it’s never too cold for an ice cream sundae. Enjoy your favorite sundae to celebrate the day.
November 12:
Fancy Rat and Mouse Day: Cats & dogs aren’t the only pets that get their own days. Rats & mice deserve recognition, too. They make fantastic pets, and the American Fancy Rat & Mouse Association wants everybody to know it! If you already know, give your pet rat and/or mouse some extra love & treats to celebrate. And maybe join AFRMA to connect with others who share your passion.
Chicken Soup for the Soul Day: In much the same way the Chicken Soup for the Soul books celebrate inspirational stories, this day celebrates your story. So reflect on where you’ve been and look forward to where you’re going. But don’t forget to celebrate who you are today too!
National French Dip Day: Mmmm … thin, tender slices of beef (or pork) piled on a French roll & dipped in savory au jus. It’s just about the perfect dining experience. And you know the only way to celebrate this day is to dive right in. So order one at your favorite restaurant or make ‘em at home. If you’ve never made one, here’s a French Dip recipe for you.
National Pizza with the Works except Anchovies Day: The name of this day says it all. So enjoy a pizza with any and every conceivable topping except anchovies to celebrate. Although we’re not sure we can celebrate a day that forbids adding the savoriness of anchovies to our meal …
November 13:
GIS Day: If you’re wondering what a GIS is, you’re probably not alone. GIS stands for Geographic Information Systems, and the day is all about geography awareness. But what does that mean? It means understanding location data to help us make better decisions. Learn more about it and maybe even try putting it to use (geocaching!) to celebrate the day.
World Kindness Day: On this day we spread kindness and highlight the kindness we see. And hopefully we take this attitude with us into the rest of the year. Because kindness should be an everyday thing, not a once-a-year thing.
National Indian Pudding Day: This day celebrates the English colonists’ version of hasty pudding. The colonists substituted the ingredients they had, including “Indian meal” (cornmeal), to create a custard-like dessert that came to be called Indian Pudding. Here’s a recipe if you’d like to try making it yourself.
November 14:
National Family PJ Day: Celebrate the very 1st Family PJ Day by lounging around in your PJs all day … with the whole family, of course! Gather together under a warm blanket on the couch or in bed & watch movies, read, play games, or even nap. Or do a little of everything. After all, you have the whole day. Make sure you stock up on your favorite movie snacks too. (This day is different from National Family Pajama Night).
National Spicy Guacamole Day: On this day we make and enjoy guacamole. But not just any guacamole. Your mashed avocado mix must include spicy peppers of some sort to celebrate properly. (If you’re not into spicy foods, National Guacamole Day in September may be more your style).
National Pickle Day: Snack on pickles for the day! Or have a pickle or two with your sandwich. Or make a recipe that includes pickles. However you choose to eat them, just make sure you eat them!
International Tempranillo Day: Have you heard of the Tempranillo grape and the wine made from them? Well, now you have! And so you can celebrate them. Preferably by opening a bottle of Tempranillo with a friend or two.
November 15:
America Recycles Day: Do you recycle? It can sometimes be hard to figure out what can & can’t be recycled. But it’s important we all do our part to keep our planet clean. It’s worth it! This day helps educate & motivate us all to do better.
National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day: With the holidays coming you’re going to need all the space in your fridge you can find. So this is the perfect time for a Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day. So purge anything old, unidentifiable, or iffy. (Recycle any recyclable containers, in keeping with America Recycles Day). Wipe down the sides, shelves, and drawers. Then organize what you’re keeping so you can use it before it goes bad!
National Bundt Day: Celebrate the Bundt pan and the cakes it creates. If possible, use your Bundt pan to make a Bundt cake. Or at least buy a Bundt cake to enjoy.
National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day: Have you ever heard of Hermit Cookies? These cookies are full of warm spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, & cloves), along with raisins or dates & nuts. Make a batch to celebrate the day.
November 16:
National Button Day: Did you grandmother (or even mother) save the buttons off worn-out clothes & coats? She probably saved them in jars, sorted by color or size (or both!). Were you ever fascinated with those jars? Are you still fascinated with buttons? Then you have something in common with National Button Society members and this day is for you! Celebrate by wearing something with buttons and/or making a craft with buttons.
International Day for Tolerance: We don’t have to agree with or even like everybody (or anybody, for that matter). But understanding and tolerating differences can go a long way toward creating a kinder world. This is the day to start promoting understanding and tolerance.
National Fast Food Day: Eat fast food for the day! If you’re not willing to forget about fat & calories for the day, plenty of fast food places offer healthier options and even vegetarian choices.
November 17:
Take a Hike Day: Get outside, head for your favorite nature trail, and take a hike. Or try a new trail. Maybe see if there are any special events for the day at a trail near you.
National Unfriend Day: Pare down your social media connections for this day. Are these people really your friends? Do they add value to your life (on- or off-line). If not, it may be time for them to go! Jimmy Kimmel created this day back in 2010. And we probably need it more today than we did then! (And anyone who wouldn’t celebrate Take a Hike Day with you should probably be unfriended. 😉 )
National Baklava Day: Plan to have baklava for dessert to celebrate this day. You deserve it after your hike! And all that unfriending. If you have the time and the desire, make it yourself. But store-bought is also perfectly acceptable.
National Homemade Bread Day: Unlike most food days you don’t have a choice of making or buying for this celebration. Your only option is right there in the name: Homemade! So make some bread to enjoy for this day. It doesn’t have to be sandwich bread either (but it could be!). Consider banana bread, zucchini bread, monkey bread, breadsticks and more. Find some bread inspiration here.
