What to Celebrate October 12 thru 18, 2020
Celebration Ideas for October 12 – 18, 2020
Welcome to the middle of October!
Our celebrations are starting to reflect the cooler weather (make chili!) and even the upcoming holidays (a charity drive for shelter pets).
Of course we also have some just plain silly days. And some serious awareness days. We hope there’s a good mix of things to help you be productive, helpful, and happy all week.
So go, take a peek and plan your week. And as always, remember to …
Enjoy!
Celebrate All October Long
It’s time to get going with those holiday preparations. And that includes thinking of the shelter animals who may not get their furever homes in time for the holidays. And despite the preparation stress and homeless animal sadness we do our best to keep a positive attitude.
We fuel it all with chili and pizza!
Wishbones for Pets Month: This “month” is actually 6 weeks long. It starts on October 15 and runs through the end of November. During these weeks pet sitters across the country and in Canada collect supplies for their favorite pet charities. If you’re a pet sitter, consider starting your own drive. If you know any pet sitters, find out if they’re participating and help them out! The homeless pets thank you for making their holidays a little more special.
National Chili Month: Cooler weather has arrived (mostly)! And that means soups & stews are the order of the day. That includes chili! With all the different chili recipes around you could probably eat chili every day of the month & never have the same kind twice. Or you could just make your favorite(s) repeatedly all month. It’s just not possible to get tired of chili.
National Pizza Month: On the days you don’t have chili you must have pizza! Much like chili, there’s a nearly limitless number of ways to make pizza. So have your favorite of course. But also try new toppings, cheeses, and crusts. You never know what new favorite you’ll discover.
Positive Attitude Month: Do you have a positive attitude? Then this month will be easy for you. But if you’re more of a “glass half empty” kind of person, well use this month to try to change that. You may never be all light and sunshine—and that’s ok!—but a positive attitude can go a long way toward keeping you healthy and happy. Yes, a positive attitude has been linked to less depression and better resistance to illness. So what do you have to lose? Work on fostering a more positive attitude for this month.
Weekly Celebrations For October’s 2nd Full Week
Raise a glass of local wine in a toast to the vet techs who help us take care of our pets’ health. And another glass to the researchers working on ways to help us manage any bone or joint problems we may have. Perhaps a 3rd glass to the local wineries supplying that wine? But maybe make those toasts on different days.
National Veterinary Technician Week (October 11 – 17, 2020): Celebrate the dedicated people who help keep your furbaby healthy and happy. Much like nurses in your doctors’ offices, vet techs keep the vets in line 😉 and the practice running smoothly. Thank any vet techs you know for this week. And if you are a vet tech: Thank you!
Bone and Joint Action Week (October 12 – 20, 2020): A disturbingly large number of adults, even young adults, have some type of musculoskeletal problem, like back pain, arthritis, osteoporosis, or other conditions. Learn more about these conditions, how to prevent and/or manage them, and current research (or lack thereof).
Drink Local Wine Week (October 11 – 17, 2020): For this week pour yourself a glass or 2 (or 7 … but not all on the same night!) of local wine. And before you say “But there’s no wineries near me!”, you might be surprised where you can find wineries. In fact, if you’re in the US there’s most likely at least 1 winery in your state. Here’s a guide to wineries by state.
Celebration Days coming up for Oct. 12 thru Oct. 18
Columbus Day is here again, although you may prefer to celebrate the people who were already here when he arrived. If you’re anything like us what you really want on Oct. 12 is a bowl of gumbo.
As the week goes on we get to be silly, celebrate grouches, and get a second chance. On the serious side we learn about arthritis, metastatic breast cancer, and pet obesity.
And if we’ve been hiding under a rock these last 7 months, we learn the importance of washing our hands with soap. Plus much more, for yet another fun-tastic week!
October 12:
Native American Day: On the 2nd Monday in October—also known as Columbus Day—we celebrate the peoples who were already here when Columbus arrived. Some communities & schools have replaced Columbus Day with Native American (or Indigenous People’s) Day. Others celebrate both.
World Arthritis Day: For this day we raise awareness of arthritis and the problems sufferers face. Because while most of us have mostly likely heard of arthritis, many people don’t realize how crippling it can be. Sure, some people have “only” mild soreness and/or stiffness in their joints. But others have severe pain and even deformity in their fingers. Early diagnosis and treatment can help slow progression of this disease.
National Savings Day: In the current economy saving even a tiny fraction of your paycheck probably seems like a pipe dream for most people … if you’re even lucky enough to have a paycheck. But it has also highlighted the importance of having savings. So this might be a good day to take a hard look at your finances and make a plan to start saving something (even a little bit adds up over time!). Preferably now. But definitely as soon as possible.
National Freethought Day: On October 12, 1692 Governor William Phips (of present-day Massachusetts) declared “spectral evidence” inadmissible at trial. He thus ended the Salem With Trials and saved hundreds of accused “witches”. We honor this reasonable act every October 12 by celebrating (and using!) facts, logic, and science to inform our thinking and our conclusions. And hopefully we do this every day of the year, not just on Oct. 12!
National Farmer’s Day: For this day we recognize the hard work farmers and ranchers put in every day to provide us all with the food we eat. Especially the small farmers, so buy local when you can! And if you know any farmers or ranchers, give them a great big “thank you”.
National Gumbo Day: It’s soup & stew season! Which makes it the perfect time for a savory bowl or two of Gumbo. There’s no one way to make Gumbo, so whip up your favorite or try this Cajun Gumbo recipe. It includes a lot of explanation & detailed instructions, in case you’re never made it.
October 13:
Silly Sayings Day: It’s time to get silly! But not just any kind of silly. Nope, for this day we trot out the silliest sayings we know. Things like “the cat’s meow” or “snug as a bug in a rug”. Or how about “slower than molasses in January”. Now that last one kinda makes sense. Molasses flows slowly no matter the temperature, but it’s really slow when it’s cold! But who ever decided a bug in a rug must be snug?! At any rate, use as many silly sayings as you can all day.
International Day for Failure: Celebrate your failures! Because, as we all (should) know, it’s just not possible to succeed at everything you try. So if you’ve never failed you’ve never really tried anything. And since we’re celebrating failure, make sure you share yours with the world. And of course, learn from whatever you fail at so you can do better next time.
National Train Your Brain Day: Can failure help train your brain? Absolutely! Because learning new skills is a great way to train your brain. And it’s when we’re learning new things that we’ll have failures. Some big & some small, but failures just the same. So start learning something new to train your brain. And if at first you fail … celebrate it!
Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day: During Breast Cancer Awareness Month we take a day to focus on the scariest breast cancer. The kind that has already spread beyond the breast. Treatments have improved but metastatic cancers are always harder to treat, and a cure is impossible. The best hope is to keep it stable. Use this day to learn more about it and help raise awareness of the need for more research into treatment options and finding a cure.
National Yorkshire Pudding Day: Do you think “dessert” when you think “pudding”? Well, stop that! Yorkshire pudding is more like a popover, and you eat it with meat & gravy. If you’d like to try making some, try this Best Yorkshire Pudding recipe. And yes, heating your baking pans before filling is important!
October 14:
National Dessert Day: Eating dessert is legally required for this day! Ok, not really. But enjoy a dessert guilt-free anyway. Even better, have dessert after every meal. Yes, even breakfast. You know you want to! 😇
National Pet Obesity Awareness Day: Too many pets are overweight, and that can affect their health just like it does for humans. Learn more about pet obesity, and if your pet is obese or overweight make a plan for helping him (or her!) lose that weight & hopefully give you many more healthy years together.
National Fossil Day: Fossils are fascinating! These remains of plants & animals that lived ages ago help us imagine what life looked like long before humans. See if there’s a National Fossil Day event near you or online that looks interesting to you.
World Standards Day: Did you know the international community has agreements covering protocols and measurement methods for things like energy use and air quality? They do! And it’s all about using our limited resources efficiently to help us all live well while also reducing our impact on the planet.
October 15:
National Grouch Day: Celebrate all the grouches you know. Which will, of course, make them even grouchier. And a fun time will be had by all! 😁
Global Handwashing Day: This day launched to promote handwashing with soap as an important way to avoid getting sick. And this year has amplified that message to the point there really shouldn’t be anyone who doesn’t know! But we humans get distracted and lazy pretty easily. So this is still an important reminder. Wash your hands!
Spirit Day: On this day we go purple to stand against bullying and with our LGBTQ youth, who are a frequent target of bullying just for being themselves.
I Love Lucy Day: The I Love Lucy show debuted on October 15, 1951. That may be generations ago at this point, but the campy silliness is still fun to watch. And many people, young and old alike, still Love Lucy! So why not watch some Lucy and Ricky and Ethel and Fred? You know you want to!
White Cane Awareness Day: Blind people obviously can’t navigate the world the same way sighted people do. One of the things that helps them explore and stay safe is the white cane, which allows them to feel what’s around them as well as signal the rest of us to give them the space they need. Learn a bit more about what it’s like to be blind for this day.
National Cheese Curd Day: Eat cheese curds! Have them fresh, deep fried, over fries & smothered with gravy (poutine), or however you like them.
National Shawarma Day: Shawarma is a flavorful meat (any kind!) cooked on a vertical rotisserie. The cooked meat is shaved off as needed for making wraps, topping salads, or pretty much anything you want. Order some from your favorite Middle Eastern restaurant for a simple but delicious dinner.
October 16:
Global Cat Day: For this day we celebrate and help community cats. They’re also called “feral”, often in a negative way. But they’re living creatures that deserve care and humane treatment. Which is what this day is all about: controlling the community cat population with TNR and recognizing those compassionate people who make sure they’re fed, TNR’d and taken care of as well as possible.
National Dictionary Day: Celebrate Noah Webster’s birthday by learning a new word or two. And marveling at the dedication of the Father of the American Dictionary … his first dictionary took 27 years to finish!
World Spine Day: Do you think about your spine health? Probably not unless you have spinal pain. But just like the rest of your body you can take steps to care for your spine and lower your chances of spinal problems. Take some time on this day to learn more!
National Liqueur Day: Enjoy your favorite liquer your favorite way. Whether you like it neat, over ice, or in a cocktail there’s no wrong way to drink it … Well, except in excess! So celebrate responsibly please.
World Food Day: Hundreds of millions of people around the world were undernourished even before COVID hit. And with many economies in trouble, food insecurity and malnutrition is only getting worse. This day is about ensuring access to safe, nutritious food for everyone everywhere. And this year it’s more important than ever.
October 17:
National Pasta Day : Enjoy your favorite pasta to celebrate this day right. With 600 different kinds to choose from, you can’t not have a favorite! What? … Your store doesn’t offer 600 different kinds of pasta? How can that be? Well, no matter. You’ll just have to settle for one of the pastas your sub-par store does offer. 😉
Virtual Bridge Day: October 17 is normally Bridge Day, a West Virginia festival on the New River Gorge Bridge. But the Bridge Day Commission cancelled the usual celebrations this year. Instead it will be a virtual celebration on Facebook. Check it out!
Sloth International Day: Sloths! They’re kinda weird looking but also adorable. And fascinating. So make like a sloth and slow down & enjoy life. And help make sure sloths can continue enjoying their lives too. (Many sites put this celebration on Oct 20, but this page seems to suggest it’s on the 3rd Sat. in Oct).
National Edge Day: This day celebrates the “straight edge” lifestyle, in which young people abstain from alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs. It originated with a subgroup of punk rockers who followed this lifestyle, and the first Edge Day was in 1999 in Boston.
National Mulligan Day: This is your official unofficial permission to take a do-over! Whatever it is you need a second chance at, take it. And if there are people who need a second chance with you, consider granting them mulligans too.
October 18:
National Exascale Day: Let’s celebrate the researchers who advance the science of medicine, energy, and more using some of the fastest supercomputers ever created (also by scientists). These exascale computers can perform a quintillion (billion billion) calculations per second (1018). That speed has the potential to help create some serious advances in every part of our lives. This brand new day started just last year. Celebrate by thanking a scientist or science teacher. And if you are a scientist or science teacher, share the wonders of advanced computing with the world. Or at least your class.
International Legging Day: If you love leggings, put on your favorite pair to celebrate this day! Seriously, it’s that simple. Enjoy!
National No Beard Day: On this day everybody shaves! Everybody. No, ladies, not your legs. You’re covering those with leggings, remember? We mean everybody with a beard or who’s capable of growing a beard. Those chins must be bare for the day! But don’t worry, with No Shave November and Movember (they’re similar but not the same!) right around the corner you’ll have plenty of opportunity to grow that facial hair back.
National Meatloaf Appreciation Day: End your Sunday with the soul-soothing comfort of meatloaf. Make your favorite recipe, and make sure there’ll be enough leftovers for a second meal and some sandwiches, too. Double the recipe if you have to!
National Chocolate Cupcake Day: After your comforting meatloaf, indulge in an equally comforting dessert: a tender, luscious chocolate cupcake. You know homemade chocolate cupcakes are best, so since you’ve got the oven going for your meatloaf, whip up a batch of cupcakes too!
