What to Celebrate October 8 to 14, 2018
Celebration Ideas for October 8 – 14, 2018
Are you ready for Halloween yet? We see decorations starting to go up. Candy showed up in our stores last week. But of course the day itself is still 3+ weeks away.
But never fear! There’s plenty to celebrate until then.
Like squirrels & teddy bears & penguins.
And things a bit more fall-like, like chili & apples. Plus other deliciousness. Along with a bit of fun (yarn!) & some seriousness too (fire prevention).
So we have again come to the point where we ask you to take a peek & plan your week.
And always remember to …
Enjoy.
Celebrate All October Long
October is a delicious month … and not because of the pumpkin-spiced everything! No. (No!) Because of the chili and the apples and the fall vegetables.
And apparently it’s also about the squirrels, those critters that manage to be equal parts irritating and amusing.
Squirrel Awareness Month: Yes, squirrels can be annoying little bird food & tomato thieves. But they’re also fascinating to watch. Clever little critters, too! So learn more about them for this month. And yes, appreciate them. 🐿
National Apple Month: Eat apples! 🍎 New crops are here and it’s the perfect time to snack on apples, cook with apples, and bake with apples. Try different varieties, too. You might find a new favorite!
National Chili Month: Mmmm. Autumn weather just begs for hearty one-pot meals. And chili fits the bill perfectly! ☕️ So make a big pot of your favorite chili recipe. And then make at least one more big pot of a new recipe that looks interesting. Mix up your toppings, too. It’s simple to have chili almost every night & make it a bit different each time!
Vegetarian Awareness Month: It started with World Vegetarian Day (Oct. 1) and eventually expanded to a whole month of plant-based foods. Don’t worry, you don’t have to commit to eating only veg every day of the month. You could start with just one (Meatless Mondays!) or 2 days a week. And you can still celebrate Chili Month with vegetarian chili!
Weekly Celebrations for October’s 2nd Week
This week we send postcards, brush up on our fire prevention tips, and encourage teens to read.
International Postcard Week (October 7 – 13): During this week people from around the world exchange postcards. It looks like it’s probably too late to sign up for the “official” participation list. But why not take part unofficially and send friends & acquaintances some postcards this week? It’s sure to be a welcome change from the usual ads/political messages/etc.
National Fire Prevention Week (October 7 – 13, 2018): Your annual reminder to take simple steps to stop fires before they happen. And review your plan for what to do if the unthinkable does happen. Or finally make a plan if you don’t have one.
Teen Read Week (October 7 – 13): If your teen isn’t already a regular reader, this is the week to encourage reading more & using the library. If your teen likes science fiction & fantasy, this year’s theme is perfect: “It’s Written in the Stars: READ.” Of course this could also be interpreted to mean reaching for the stars through reading & learning. Or any other way that will get your teen reading!
And get ready for National Veterinary Technician Week, beginning on October 14. Start planning now to thank your favorite vet tech! And if you are a vet tech: Thank You!
Celebration Days coming up for Oct. 8 thru Oct. 14
Do you have Columbus Day off? Or is it Native American Day for you? Or do you not care what it’s called ‘cause you’re working either way? Well console yourself with a dish of pirogi!
And then get ready to celebrate animals as different as octopi, penguins, and obese pets. Well technically preventing obese pets.
Plus a ton of deliciousness ranging from 2 days of pizza to moldy cheeses, eggs, and dessert (any kind of dessert!).
With all those choices you have no excuse not to find a way to make the upcoming week a fun-tastic one!
October 8:
World Octopus Day: Celebrate the ancient and quite smart octopus! 🐙 These odd-looking creatures were swimming around long before the dinosaurs even existed. And they’re still here, fascinating humans with their 3 hearts, blue blood, and 8 mini-brains.
Native American Day: Instead of Columbus Day some communities celebrate Native Americans. Why? Because Columbus treated the people he found living here badly. Many people don’t want to celebrate his cruelty.
National Salmon Day: Eat salmon! It’s a tasty, good for you fish. And versatile. Have it grilled, broiled, poached, or made into burgers. Or use it in place of other fish in recipes. Find some salmon recipe ideas here. Chicken of the Sea (yes, the tuna people) created this day in 2015.
National Pierogi Day: Another yummy dish for your Monday. If you’re making your own to celebrate the day, maybe try using salmon in the filling (it’s not “traditional” but who cares!)?
October 9:
World Post Day: World Post Day celebrates the anniversary of the creation of the Universal Postal Union in 1874. The Union, and the Treaty that created it, made international postal delivery much simpler.
National Moldy Cheese Day: Celebrate the moldy cheeses for this day! No, not the hunk of cheddar that’s been sitting around so long it’s covered in a rainbow of moldy colors. This day celebrates the stuff made with molds. Like bleu cheese, Roquefort, camembert, and gorgonzola. Yum! Eat ‘em with crackers, add them to sandwiches, or cook with them.
International Beer and Pizza Day: Don’t stress about dinner for this evening … make it a beer and pizza night! Because really, there’s just no other way to celebrate. And yes, there’s no reason you can’t celebrate this day and moldy cheese. But if moldy cheeses on your pizza is to frou-frou for you, just use it for other meals or have it as an appetizer while waiting for your pizza to be ready.
October 10:
World Porridge Day: Despite the name, this day doesn’t really celebrate porridge. Instead it celebrates what porridge can do: provide good nutrition to desperately poor children at a low cost. And that’s exactly what Scotland-based charity Mary’s Meals does in 17 countries around the world.
Pet Obesity Awareness Day: Is your pet overweight? In 2017 more than half of dogs & cats in America were overweight or obese. For this day the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention wants to hear from vets & pet owners. Owners who complete a short questionnaire will be entered into a drawing for a book about pet obesity & nutrition. Participating vet clinics could win an iPad Mini.
National Cake Decorating Day: Decorate a cake for this day! 🍰 Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be as elaborate as the ones you find on Pinterest. If all you can manage is practicing your frosting technique & adding some sprinkles, that’s good enough! If you have more time & talent, then go for it! Either way, cut up & enjoy that decorated cake.
October 11:
Take Your Teddy Bear to Work Day: Is your workplace teddy bear friendly? It should be! How else will you be able to celebrate this day?! And you know you want to celebrate … teddy bears are comforting at any age.
Southern Food Heritage Day: Celebrate the foods of the Southern US. Yes, even if you’re not from the South. How? Southern Living offers a few suggestions.
National Sausage Pizza Day: Mmmm … It’s a pizza kinda’ week! If you missed Beer and Pizza day on the 9th (or even if you didn’t), here’s another chance to celebrate pizza. But for this day only sausage pizza will do.
October 12:
World Egg Day: Celebrate the delicious & versatile egg. They’re an important source of protein & nutrients all around the world. And there’s an almost infinite number of ways to make them! So scramble ‘em, fry ‘em 🍳, make stratas, whip up egg nog, or drop ‘em in soup. And enjoy!
National Farmer’s Day: For this day we recognize and thank the hard-working farmer’s who make it possible for us to eat well every day.
National Gumbo Day: Eat gumbo! Now Southerners will probably say you can’t find good gumbo outside the South. But don’t let that stop you. Head out to your favorite restaurant or make it yourself. Find some recipes here.
October 13:
African Penguin Awareness Day: Raise awareness of the threats African penguins face. 🐧 The IUCN Red List classifies this bird as endangered and the number of breeding pairs is currently too low to sustain the population. :(
Navy Birthday: The Continental Congress established the Continental Navy on October 13, 1775. And since 1972 the Navy has celebrated that date as its birthday. It’s mostly an internal Navy celebration, but if you know any current or former seamen, wish them a happy day.
I Love Yarn Day: More proof that there really is a day for everything! And if you love yarn … for knitting, other crafting, or … anything else, well this day’s for you. Spend it using yarn in your favorite way.
October 14:
National Dessert Day: This is your no-guilt excuse to enjoy your favorite dessert. Because what else would you eat on National Dessert Day? Not just any old dessert. No. You get to indulge in your favorite dessert. Mmmm …
Pickle Day: So this is apparently a celebration specific to New York’s Lower East Side. And it comes complete with a pickle festival. But even if you can’t get to New York and all the pickled fun, you can still celebrate with a pickle or two!
Be Bald and Be Free Day: Tom & Ruth Roy are at it again! This day celebrates the hair-free head in all its glory. If you’re bald (by choice or by genetics), celebrate it today. And if you’re not you probably know people who are, so celebrate them!
