What to Celebrate November 30 thru December 6, 2020
Celebration Ideas for November 30 – December 6, 2020
Happy Black Friday!
We do hope you had a good Thanksgiving, however you chose to celebrate. And that you’re making plans for an equally fun and safe Christmas.
It’s a different kind of holiday season to be sure. Whether you personally are making a lot of changes or only a few, the whole season has a different feel.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy every single day, in ways big and small. From mason jars to mutts, there’s plenty to keep you celebrating all week.
So do take a peek and plan your week. And as always remember to …
Enjoy!
Celebrate All December Long
It’s time to make the holidays bright for shelter pets. And safe for your gift recipients. And fun, with games of Bingo. Don’t forget delicious! Root vegetables & exotic fruits can help with that.
Operation Santa Paws: Between now and Christmas Eve you can play Santa for cats & dogs stuck in shelters this holiday season. Donate money or supplies. Or become a drop-off location. Although this drive operates all across the country if you’d rather support a local organization, consider donating directly to your favorite rescue or shelter. Or maybe become a foster so some lucky animal(s) can spend the holidays in a home instead of a cage?
Safe Toys and Gifts Month: Now obviously we hope that toys & other gifts for sale are safe to use! But sometimes it turns out one isn’t. Also, just because an item is generally safe doesn’t mean it’s safe for everyone. That’s the point of age recommendations on some toys. So before you buy the latest & greatest holiday must-have, do some research to make sure it’s appropriate for your intended recipient.
Bingo’s Birthday Month: Happy birthday to Bingo! Make sure you play at least once this month to celebrate. You could even create your own Bingo board(s) to make it more interesting.
Root Vegetables and Exotic Fruit Month: Root vegetables make a simple, delicious, and nutritious side or ingredient for almost any meal. And exotic fruits make a fun & unique dessert or snack. While most root vegetables are pretty common on American tables, most exotic fruits are not! Some have become easier to find recently though, like dragonfruit and mangosteen. So make it your mission to add more root vegetables to your diet. And to find and try some exotic fruits this month.
Weekly Celebrations for 11/30 to 12/6
Be aware of the dangers food bags pose for our pets. And keep them safe this holiday season & all year long. Then you can enjoy those cookie cutters with wild abandon!
National Pet Suffocation Awareness Week ( November 30 – December 1, 2020): Did you know that dogs and cats can and do suffocate when they get their heads stuck in chip bags or other food bags? Did you know it happens a couple of times a week?! It’s not something we really think about, but it should be! During this week pay attention to the food wrappers you use and where you leave them. Then make it a habit to never leave them where you pet can get at them. And when you’re done with them, cut them open before throwing them in the garbage. Learn more about preventing pet suffocation here.
National Cookie Cutter Week (December 1 – 7, 2020): It’s Christmas cookie season! And you know that means shaped sugar cookies. They’re pretty much legally required if you’re going to celebrate the season (ok not really … but are you sure?). So get out your favorite sugar cookie recipe and your favorite cookie cutters—maybe invest in a new one or two (or a whole set), too!—and get mixing, rolling, cutting, and baking. Decorating too! And check out the Cookie Cutter Collectors Club. They have a special Cookie Cutter Week cutter members can buy each year.
Celebration Days coming up for Nov. 30 thru Dec. 6
Are we ready to fill our mason jars, secure our computers, and protect our packages? Yes, we are!
And we can’t forget to be thankful for the roof over our heads, the socks on our feet, and the end of prohibition. Let’s not forget to enjoy some pie, fritters, & pears too.
Of course that’s only a little taste of all the ways you can create a fun-tastic week for yourself. So let’s get started!
November 30:
National Personal Space Day: This year has been all about giving pretty much everyone lots of personal space. But even during more “normal” times some people need more personal space than others. And we all have days where we need some extra space. Communicating and recognizing that need is what this day is about. It advocates the peach symbol as a way to signal your need for that space.
National Mason Jar Day: Do you love mason jars for all the ways they make life better? They offer a safe, simple way to preserve your garden bounty to enjoy all winter, of course. But they’re also perfect for storing just about anything that’ll fit in them. And lets not forget the craft projects you can do with them!
Cyber Monday: Didn’t get enough deals for Black Friday? Then hop online to shop some more! At one time these days were separate, since one focused on physical stores and the other promoted online shopping. But even before this pandemic year holiday shopping online had been growing in popularity. So now Black Friday and Cyber Monday are more like the bookends to a whole weekend of fabulous deals. And many stores expand their deals to a week or more (although they may still save their very best deals for Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday).
Computer Security Day: While you’re doing all that online shopping, double check that you’re doing it on a secure computer. That means all your connected devices, from the more traditional desktop and laptop computers to your tablets and mobile phones. Some simple ways to keep your computers secure are to keep all software updated, use strong passwords, and use antivirus software.
Stay Home Because You’re Well Day: Tom & Ruth Roy encourage us to call in “well” to work and enjoy our day. Besides, with all the online shopping and mason jar crafting you have to to, who has time for work?
National Mousse Day: After you’ve gotten your computer secured, your deals purchased, and your mason jars crafted (or something like that 😁), you deserve a treat. Like a light, airy mousse perhaps?
December 1:
National Day of Giving/Giving Tuesday: After spending the weekend scoring deals & spending money we spend just a little more. But this spending is about making sure those who can’t afford the shopping spree we just had can at least have the basic necessities and maybe a little extra joy for the holidays.
Bifocals At The Monitor Liberation Day: It’s another day from Tom & Ruth Roy at Wellcat. This time they ask us to take pity on people wearing bifocals while trying work work on a computer. This may be less of a problem today, with progressive lenses. But at one time moving your head around to see different parts of the screen with the correct part of your lens was a tedious reality!
National Eat a Red Apple Day: Apples are the perfect snack any time of day. They’re not only delicious, they’re also good for you! Not to mention low in calories. Of course, apples are also good for cooking & baking. So snack on an apple, use one (or more) to add sweetness to a meal, or bake some (in a pie or all by themselves with some spices). Even better, do all three! Just make sure you use only red apples for this day.
National Pie Day: If you do make an apple pie for Eat a Red Apple Day then you’ve got this day covered too! If not, then you’ll just have to have some other kind of pie. Such a hardship 😉. Of course, you’re not limited to sweet pies. Pot pies & other savory pies are also a thing. So you could have pie for dinner and dessert too. Now that would be celebrating right.
December 2:
National Mutt Day: Mutts are awesome! So awesome in fact that they get two days each year for us to celebrate their awesomeness. Because these dogs are just as loving, trainable, and beautiful as any purebred. And you can find them just waiting to love you at your local shelter.
National Package Protection Day: You know all those packages you just ordered? Depending on the shipping options you chose they’re showing up on your doorstep about now. Make sure they don’t fall victim to porch pirates. Try to schedule deliveries for when you’re home, have them delivered to work or a trusted neighbor, or include delivery instructions for placing the packages somewhere out of sight.
National Special Education Day: Back on December 2, 1975 Gerald Ford signed into law the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This law meant kids with special needs could get an education just like any other child. Before that these kids were at the mercy of the local school districts, which didn’t necessarily offer special accommodations. Or they had to go to special schools which weren’t usually free. So if their parents couldn’t afford tuition they couldn’t go. This day celebrates that Act and the advances we have made in special education since then.
National Fritters Day: Celebrate hump day with fritters. Why? Because it’s National Fritters Day, of course. And since there are so many different kinds of fritters you can have fritters all day long if you’d like! Yes, for your meals and dessert too.
December 3:
National Roof Over Your Head Day: Thanksgiving may be over, but we should never stop being thankful. So here’s a reminder to be thankful for the roof over your head. Because plenty of people don’t have that. Or aren’t sure how much longer they’ll have that. Especially this year.
International Baboon Day: Learn about baboons!
E-Discovery Day: This day recognizes the important role electronic discovery plays in the legal process. During this day e-discovery professionals get to learn & network with their colleagues around the world. And the rest of us can celebrate the critical (and growing) role they play in making sure the rest of the legal team has all the relevant information they need for a successful case outcome.
December 4:
World Wildlife Conservation Day: Human activities, from development to poaching and trafficking in our wildlife, threatens the survival of tens of thousands of species around the world. This day tries to raise awareness of this problem and understanding of why it is a problem. See if there are any events (virtual or in-person) that interest you at zoos or conservation groups. Or watch a documentary about wildlife issues. And pledge to do your part to help protect wildlife. It doesn’t have to be anything big. Something as simple as avoiding unsustainable food ingredients like palm oil or donating to a conservation group can help.
National Dice Day: Play with dice! Either an actual dice game or a board game that uses dice. Whatever works for you. Did you ever have fuzzy dice hanging from your rear-view mirror?
National Sock Day: Play with your dice while wearing comfy socks! Preferably from Pair of Thieves, founder of the day. They chose Dec. 4 to celebrate socks (and help people in need) to honor the final performance of the Judds in 1991 and the final curtain for the 1st revival of the musical On Your Toes in 1954.
Faux Fur Friday: Real fur belongs on real animals. But faux fur makes for a fun fashion statement. These days good faux fur looks just like the real stuff. It’s even better than the real stuff in that it’s easier to store (no special storage needed!) and lasts longer. It’s not as warm or breathable as real fur, but that seems like a minor trade-off when it means the animals get to keep wearing their own fur.
Bartender Appreciation Day: If your favorite bar has managed to stay open this year—or reopened after a lockdown order—you probably appreciate the bartender(s) already. But this is the day to show them just how much you appreciate them! Go have a drink and tell them of your appreciation. Then leave an extra generous tip if you can. They’ll appreciate your appreciation!
National Cookie Day: If you need a sweet snack after your drink (or before your drink), grab a cookie or two. Pick some up at your favorite bakery or make a batch of your favorites. Even better, get someone else to bake them them thank them with a drink at your favorite bar. Safely & responsibly, of course.
December 5:
World Soil Day: Dirt?! We’re celebrating dirt? Well, yes! Sort of. We’re not celebrating just random dirt. We’re celebrating specifically soil (which a lot of us do just call dirt!). Because soil is critical to the biodiversity of our world. Because without healthy soil (full of microbes) plants won’t grow well (or at all depending on how bad it is). And then animals (including us) can’t survive. So yes, soil definitely deserves a day of celebration and recognition for all the good it does for us all.
International Day of the Ninja: On this day we’re all ninjas! So wear black & a ninja mask. Then go be stealthy and do ninja-y things. But most of all have fun with it!
Bathtub Party Day: After all that ninja-ing you’re going to need a bath. No, not a shower. A bath to soak in & soothe those sore muscles. The day’s creators, Tom & Ruth Roy suggest to invite a few friends. So do that. Maybe anyone who joins in your ninja adventures? Or just pamper yourself with a long soak using your favorite bubble bath, oils, or salts. Ahhhh …
National Repeal Day: Celebrate the anniversary of the end of Prohibition in the US. It was on this date in 1933 when the 21st Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, formally repealing the 18th Amendment and ending Prohibition.
National Rhubarb Vodka Day: Celebrate your Saturday evening (and Repeal Day!) with a refreshing rhubarb vodka drink. If you’d rather not head to a bar (or your local bars are closed), try whipping up a rhubarb vodka cocktail yourself. You could even try making your own rhubarb vodka. Of course, it won’t be ready for making cocktails for a few weeks.
World Pear Day: Traditionally this has been a 24-hour pear tasting feast. This year will be a combination of in-person tasting and virtual events that include games & prizes. See what’s happening near you and/or online and celebrate the scrumptious, juicy pear!
National Sacher Torte Day: A chocolate cake is always the perfect ending to the day. And on this particular day it must be a particular kind of chocolate cake. Try your hand at making a Sacher torte yourself, with the (almost) original recipe!
December 6:
National Pawnbrokers Day: Have you been to a pawnshop recently? Whether you’re looking to pawn an item or buy something, pawnbrokers offer a valuable service. And this is the day we celebrate them. In fact, it’s just the first day of a whole week of celebration. Why not find out what’s happening each day? You might be surprised!
National Miner’s Day: On the anniversary of the worst industrial accident in America’s history—a mine explosion in Monongah, West Virginia that killed 362 miners—we honor the hardworking people who still risk their health and their lives to make the rest of our lives easier.
National Microwave Oven Day: Speaking of things that make life easier, we’re also celebrating that marvel of technology, the microwave oven. This little box made cooking (and especially reheating) simpler & quicker, so we could get back to the rest of our lives quicker. And like so many other things, some of the materials that go into a microwave must first come out of the earth … thanks to a miner.
National Gazpacho Day: Well, in most cases you won’t need a microwave to make this soup. It’s cold! Unless your recipe requires cooking some of the ingredients or the broth. But however you make it, you’ll be serving it cold. Probably on a cold December day. Which seems a bit weird. But since it’s delicious we’re happy to eat it no matter the weather.
