What to Celebrate Sept. 20 thru 26, 2021
Celebration Ideas for September 20 – 26, 2021
September is winding down, which means the season of official holidays is ramping up! Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Years, and other winter holidays are fast approaching.
Hopefully they’ll all be more festive than last year. Although for many of us they still won’t be quite pre-pandemic festive.
And of course, there’s still plenty of unofficial holidays to enjoy each and every day.
So do go ahead and take a peek and plan your week. And as always …
Enjoy!
Celebrate for the rest of September
How will you improve yourself this month? Maybe by learning to sew? Whatever you do, make sure you promote it shamelessly! Promote spinal cord injury awareness shamelessly, too.
Self Improvement Month: You are perfect just the way you are, and you can also be and do better. The same is true for me and for everybody else. We can always learn new skills, take better care of our health, be more patient or forgiving … any number of things! But not because others want us to. Because we want to! So use the rest of September to think about how you’d like to improve yourself and start the journey.
Shameless Promotion Month: Just as the name implies, this is the month to promote yourself/your business without shame. Well, maybe a little shame. Because despite the oft-quoted “There’s no such thing as bad publicity”, bad publicity can in fact hurt your image and your business. But don’t be afraid to toot your own horn loudly. Very loudly.
National Sewing Month: Do you sew? Celebrate yourself and your creativity … and the tens of millions of people just like you who find sewing the perfect creative outlet. Maybe learn a new technique or see if your favorite supply outlets are offering any deals in honor of the month.
National Spinal Cord Injury Month: A spinal cord injury (SCI) can derail all your life’s plans, big and small. But people with SCI from all walks of life have overcome the limitations and gone on to live full lives just the same. Learn more about spinal cord injuries, the challenges patients and their families face, and how you can help raise awareness for this month. And if you or a loved one has battled a SCI and come out stronger, celebrate Shameless Promotion Month and share your stories. You might just help others persevere.
Weekly Celebrations for Sept. 20 to 26
This week is all about dogs & kids. What could be better than that?
Deaf Dog Awareness Week (September 19 – 25, 2021): Deaf dogs may have some challenges, but they make amazing family members just the same. Learn more about living with a deaf dog for this week. And if you think a deaf dog might fit in your family, consider adopting one.
National Dog Week (September 20 – 26, 2021): All the other dogs get their days this week, too. For the 93rd year! That’s right, National Dog Week began way back in 1928, founded by WWI veteran Captain Will Judy. He knew dogs were special and formed deep bonds with their humans, and he wanted everybody else to know it too.
Child Passenger Safety Week (September 19 – 25, 2021): This week reminds us of the importance of making sure your child is safe in the car. For younger children, this means properly installed car seats that are appropriate for their age and size.
Celebration Days coming up for Sept. 20 thru Sept. 26
Celebrate peace, preparedness and pot pie. Along with situational awareness, Shamu, and snack sticks. Plus elephants, koalas, rabbits and more.
How will you make your week fun-tastic?
September 20:
National Care for Kids Day: Make a difference in a child’s life. Or many children’s lives. Donate, volunteer, and spread the word so others can make a difference too. This is the first annual celebration of this day, founded by Designetics Cares Foundation.
National Punch Day: This is the day to break out the punch bowl, mix up your favorite punch, and enjoy. Preferably with a few friends. Alternatively, you might choose to celebrate “punch” the verb by doing that … to a bag, not a person or wall. You could also celebrate hole punches, those once-useful tools we barely think about in today’s digital world (unless you’re a crafter, of course!).
National String Cheese Day: Does string cheese go with punch? Absolutely! String cheese goes with everything. So enjoy.
National Fried Rice Day: Make lunch or dinner fried rice. Maybe even at (or from) Benihana, founder of the day.
National Pepperoni Pizza Day: Whichever meal you don’t have fried rice for must be pepperoni pizza. Conveniently, pizza (of all kinds) also goes with punch. And a side of string cheese. Mmmmm …
September 21:
World Alzheimer’s Day: September is World Alzheimer’s Month, and for this day the focus is on raising awareness of Alzheimer’s and dementia in general. Because while Alzheimer’s may be the most recognizable form of dementia, it’s far from the only one. And by some estimates, in less than 30 years there may be some 16 million people with Alzheimer’s in America.
Get Ready Day: This initiative from the American Public Health Association reminds us to be ready for any kind of disaster or emergency. This includes everything from fires & floods to infectious disease outbreaks & accidents.
International Day of Peace: This day is about “strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.” Each year the day also has a theme, and this year’s is Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world, as we try to recover from a pandemic that is still ravaging the world and affecting less privileged groups and countries the hardest.
National Chai Day: Enjoy the delightfully rich & spicy tea called chai to celebrate this day. Or get a bit more adventurous and try something like a Vanilla Chaitini.
National Pecan Cookie Day: You know what you must eat for this day, right? And of course, if you can make them yourself, even better! We’re thinking these pecan pie cookies look divine.
September 22:
Elephant Appreciation Day: If you appreciate elephants, this day is for you. And if you don’t, it’s still for you! Because you can take some time to learn why you should. And then you will. ☺️
Remote Employee Appreciation Day: A whole lot more of us have become remote employees since this day began. But we still deserve appreciation! And while we won’t get cake & coffee with our co-workers, an e-card expressing thanks for all we do—or even a little gift card!—would be an appreciated gesture of appreciation. 👍
National Walk & Roll Dog Day: This day celebrates very special dogs; it’s about dogs with wheelchairs (and other special needs)! These dogs don’t care that they’re different. They’re just happy to be able to walk & roll (and run & roll!) wherever they want to go. And that makes them inspirational role models for us all.
Car Free Day: Remote employees will probably find it easier to go car free for the day. But the day isn’t really about going car free for just one day. It’s about creating communities where cars aren’t a necessity, where walking & bicycling are perfectly normal and useful ways to get around & get things done. And public transportation, too. But all change begins with one step. And this day is that step. Won’t you take it?
National Online Recovery Day: Did you know online treatment for substance abuse exists? It does, and this day raises awareness of the benefits of using telehealth visits for a variety of health issues, including substance abuse. Of course, this past year has already raised awareness, but many people may still not realize the full potential of telehealth, so help make sure they do.
National Centenarian’s Day: Celebrate the people who have survived it all and made it to 100 or more years of age. Because they’ve put up with all our garbage & deserve a day of their own. 😉
Ice Cream Cone Day: Head out (without your car!) to get your favorite ice cream cone. Or, if the ice cream shop delivers (a lot more do now!), send a sweet treat to your remote employees.
National White Chocolate Day: For this day, snack on white chocolate, either on its own or coating something salty, like pretzels. Or consider some white chocolate fudge.
September 23:
Restless Legs Awareness Day: Learn more about this admittedly weird syndrome that can make sleep nearly impossible and life pretty miserable.
Celebrate Bisexuality Day: Do as the day’s name says. This day is also called Bi Visibility Day.
International Day of Sign Languages: Yes sign languages, plural. Because there are hundreds of sign languages around the world. This day supports all sign language users and their diverse languages.
National Snack Stick Day: Snack on your favorite snack sticks for a quick energy boost or to quell mid-morning or -afternoon hunger pangs. These protein-packed sticks of smoked meats are convenient and keep you satisfied longer than cookies or chips.
National Great American Pot Pie Day: Make dinner a satisfying & comforting pot pie! Make a pot pie yourself, or buy one from your grocer’s freezer section. Maybe even Marie Callender’s, creator of the day.
September 24:
National Punctuation Day: Punctuation is important, and we will die on that hill. Because while common examples like “Let’s eat Grandma” can (hopefully!) be figured out based on context and common sense, others aren’t so simple. And punctuation can make the difference between understanding and misinterpretation that leads to hurt feelings and fights.
Save the Koala Day: Learn how we can all help save one of Australia’s most adorable animals. Because humans are the reason their survival is in doubt, so humans should be the ones to save them.
Schwenkfelder Thanksgiving: On September 24, 1734 just over 200 Schwenkfelders held their very first thanksgiving service to give thanks for being able to flee religious persecution in Europe and arrive safely in this new land. They have celebrated every year since. Today there are around 3,000 Schwenkfelders in the Pennsylvania Dutch area, and they celebrate on the Sunday closest to September 24. If you have something to be thankful for (you do!), why not have your own thanksgiving celebration?
Bluebird of Happiness Day: Bluebirds have long been a symbol of happiness, health, and prosperity. So be on the lookout for bluebirds! But don’t expect them to bring you happiness. They symbolize it, they don’t manifest it. So use this beautiful little bird as inspiration to be happy, make healthy choices, and be prosperous (whatever prosperity means to you). Do it for this day and every day.
National Cherries Jubilee Day: After giving thanks, saving koalas, and correcting all that punctuation 🙃 (all of which should make you quite happy!), you deserve a treat. Cherries Jubilee it is!
September 25:
International Rabbit Day: If you love rabbits—domesticated or wild—this day is for you. Because it’s all about protecting all the rabbits. So help do that.
National Research Administrator Day: Administrators in general often get less credit than they deserve for keeping things running smoothly. For this day we give a shoutout specifically to research administrators, who make sure projects stay on track and funding gets used appropriately, among (many!) other things. Take your favorite research administrators out to lunch to thank them for letting you focus on the research.
World Lung Day: This day reminds us to take care of our lungs. Healthy lungs are vital to a healthy body (not the only vital organ, but vital just the same!). And there are simple steps we can take to help keep them healthy, from not smoking to exercising regularly.
National Tune-Up Day: This is your annual reminder that winter is just around the corner, and you want to be prepared! Specifically, you want your heating system to be prepared. A tune-up can find little problems and fix them before they become big problems that leave you freezing on the coldest day of the year.
National Open the Magic Day: Open the magic with your kids by reading picture books with them. Picture books are especially magical for kids who are having trouble reading. But really they’re magical for everyone, because you get to create the story with your imagination based on the pictures, with only a few words of “help”. And imagination is always magical.
National Quesadilla Day: Eat quesadillas. Preferably made using Chihuahua brand Quesadilla Cheese from V&V Supremo Foods, founder of this amazing day.
National Lobster Day: Lobster quesadilla, anyone? Of course there are plenty of other ways to enjoy sweet lobster meat. Including the simplest: dipped in butter, which will always be our favorite. However you enjoy it, just eat it!
September 26:
National Shamu the Whale Day: This day honors the first female orca (“killer whale”) that performed at SeaWorld San Diego. Although she “retired” in 1971 after an incident with a park employee, the park named its star orcas Shamu for many years. Now that we know just how poorly trained orcas are treated, honoring the first Shamu and all that followed should include ending the practice of keeping these beautiful animals in captivity for our entertainment. Maybe donate to a whale/dolphin sanctuary or conservation group?
National Situational Awareness Day: This day reminds us to pay attention to our surroundings at all times. Being situationally aware can help you avoid trouble or at least act quicker if you can’t avoid it entirely. It also gives you time to assess a situation that seems threatening at first glance but is actually harmless. Situational awareness helped our ancestors survive. It can do the same for us.
World Contraception Day: Everyone has the right to decide when or if to have children, how many to have, and how far apart to have them. Access to safe, effective, and affordable contraception goes a long way to making that possible. So does understanding your options and choosing the one that’s right for you.
National Pancake Day: Yes, there are 2 pancake days each year. IHOP’s version is usually in late winter/early spring. This one started as simply an excuse to eat pancakes and was called Lumberjack Day. But who cares what we call it? Just eat pancakes!
National Dumpling Day: Eat dumplings all day! What a perfect end to the weekend. Choose all your favorite dumplings; it’s all up to you. Although, since the day was founded by TMI Food Group, an Asian food manufacturer, Asian dumplings would be an appropriate addition to your day’s dumpling menu.
