What to Celebrate September 14 thru 20, 2020
Celebration Ideas for September 14 – 20, 2020
There’s less than 2 weeks until fall officially starts! It’s been feeling like fall here the past few days. Although we’re getting a bit of summer back for a couple of days.
So are you ready for fall? Or do you want summer to last a bit longer? Maybe you don’t really feel you had a summer, with all this staying at home stuff?
Either way, Mother Nature doesn’t much care, and fall’s arriving quite soon. Some of this week’s celebrations are taking advantage of that too, encouraging us to enjoy mulled cider and apple dumplings. Mmmm …
And of course many celebrations don’t care about the season at all. So do jump right in to take a peek and plan your week.
And no matter what you think of autumn, make it a point to …
Enjoy!
Celebrate for the rest of September
The fall season is also learning season. And library cards can help with that. Speaking of learning, spend some time learning about ovarian cancer to help protect yourself. And perhaps learning new sewing skills. Hot mulled cider can keep you warm through it all.
Library Card Sign-up Month: Everybody should have a library card! It’s your passport to learning and entertainment. It gives you access to more than just books, too. Many libraries offer access to online databases, archives, & more to card holders. And it’s all free to you! There’s no deal better than that. If you or your children don’t yet have a library card, get yourselves over to the library and fix that.
National Sewing Month: Do you sew? This month’s for you! Not that you need a special month to sew, but the month does offer a chance to score some deals, connect with other sewing enthusiasts, and even get new sewers excited about the craft. This year’s theme is “I Create with Fabric and Thread. What’s Your Superpower?”
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month: There’s no easy screening test for ovarian cancer, so it’s usually diagnosed at an advanced stage. Learn more about ovarian cancer, how you can protect yourself, and how to spread the word.
National Mulled Cider Month: Fall is all about apples. Apple pies, baked apples, apple crumbles … and apple cider! Now it doesn’t have to be mulled cider. Except during September! Because you can’t celebrate mulled cider month with just plain apple cider. So make yourself some hot mulled cider and savor fall in a cup.
Weekly Celebrations for September’s 3rd Week
There’s a lot to appreciate this week: assisted living facilities, truck drivers, and humming birds! Celebrate them all if you can.
National Assisted Living Week (September 13 – 19, 2020): This week celebrates assisted living communities, the amazing caretakers there, and the residents too. If you or a loved one lives in one of these communities you know just how valuable they can be. This year’s theme is an appropriate one: “Caring is EssentiAL”.
National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (September 13 – 19, 2020): Thank a truck driver (or 2 or 10) this week! Because without truckers your store shelves would be empty, hospitals wouldn’t get critical supplies, and your online orders wouldn’t get to you. Yes, truck drivers are essential employees. That may not always have been obvious before, but it became quite obvious this spring. Thank you truck drivers!
HummerBird Celebrations (September 17 – 20, 2020): It’s a virtual celebration of hummingbirds! Learn about these tiny birds, their biology, and plants that attract them. Watch a banding demonstration, and get tips on birding. There are also additional sessions you can register for at an additional cost. Looks like a fascinating 4 days!
Celebration Days coming up for Sept. 14 thru Sept. 20
Food, fun, creativity, and history. It’s all here. And it’s got the makings of another fun-tastic week.
September 14:
Eat a Hoagie Day: Stuff a roll with meats, cheeses, & veggies. Then drizzle on your favorite sauce. Voila! You’re celebrating Eat a Hoagie Day. Assuming you eat your scrumptious creation, anyway. Do you call these sandwiches hoagies or subs? Or maybe grinders? Heroes? Something else?
National Live Creative Day: Let your creative side shine for this day. (Yes, you do have one!) However you express your imagination—on canvas, through music, in the garden, wherever!—do more of that. But also try to bring your creativity to the rest of your life. You never know what interesting solutions you could dream up!
National Sober Day: This day supports everyone living a sober life. Because sobriety is ok; something to be celebrated, even. Whether you’ve been sober for years or you’ve just begun your sober journey, start the celebration by vowing to remain sober all day. And even if you’re not living a sober life, if you have friends who are (most of us do!), stay sober for them at least for this day.
National Cream Filled Donut Day: Indulge in donuts! But only the cream-filled ones. It doesn’t matter what kind of cream—Boston, vanilla, caramel, Bavarian, lemon, or any other—as long as it’s inside a donut. You could even make your own cream filled donuts (the recipe is for vanilla cream).
September 15:
Felt Hat Day: With cooler weather arriving it’s time to pull out the cooler weather clothes. And hats! Like the felt hat celebrated with this day. If you’ve got one, wear it! And if you don’t, then get yourself a felt hat!
National Online Learning Day: Online learning has been growing in popularity for years. Mostly for college and continuing education, although younger students used it too. But this year it has become critical to students at every level. So it’s entirely appropriate to celebrate the advances this learning avenue has made in just a few months.
Greenpeace Day: Celebrate the founding of the activist movement Greenpeace in 1971. On September 15, 1971 a small group of 17 activists staged a protest against nuclear testing happening just offshore of Alaska. The protest failed in that mission but spawned a larger movement of environmental activism that continues to grow to this day. (Some Greenpeace moves over the years have been more than a little bit boneheaded. But overall we applaud their willingness to take a stand to protect the environment).
National Creme de Menthe Day: Enjoy your favorite creme de menthe cocktail to celebrate Tuesday. And creme de menthe, of course. Consider the classic Grasshopper. Or maybe Irish Eyes. Then again you might prefer to create a delightfully minty dessert with this liquor. Like these Creme de Menthe Bars.
National Linguine Day: Make your favorite linguine dish for dinner. Or try a new one! If you grow your own tomatoes and are wondering what to do with them all, consider this bacon-tomato linguine. Just make sure you leave room to enjoy your creme de menthe cocktail or dessert bar.
National Double Cheeseburger Day: Not a pasta fan? Make dinner a double cheeseburger instead! Add all your favorite toppings for a satisfying end to your day. Of course, there’s nothing stopping you from celebrating linguine and double cheeseburgers. After all, you need to eat lunch too!
September 16:
National Guacamole Day: Make a big batch of guacamole and use it for everything all day. Top your eggs with a dollop for breakfast. Add it to your tacos, burritos, sandwiches, or other foods for lunch and dinner. And if there’s any left, finish it as a dip for your chips. What a delightful day.
Mayflower Day: Celebrate the anniversary of the Mayflower’s departure from England in 1620. These “pilgrims” planned to sail to Virginia, but they ended up what is now Massachusetts, where they stayed.
National Stepfamily Day: At one time anything other than the “traditional” family of a married couple and their biological children was considered somehow “less than.” But no more (usually). Non-traditional families, including stepfamilies (or “blended” families) are not just acceptable but reason to celebrate. Becoming a successful stepfamily can be challenging but is worth the effort.
National Play-Doh Day: Did you play with Play-Doh as a kid? Did you buy it for your own children too? And did you know the stuff was originally a wallpaper cleaner?! 😲 There’s only one way to celebrate this day … Steal your kids’ Play-Doh and get creative! 😁 Or get your own. Don’t feel silly, you’re never too old for creativity, no matter the medium.
National Cinnamon Raisin Bread Day: Eat cinnamon raisin bread! Buy it if you must, but make it if you can! Then toast it for breakfast or make French toast with it. Of course you can toast it any time of day. Like for a snack after you’ve worked up an appetite playin’ with your Play-Doh. 😉
September 17:
International Country Music Day: Celebrate Hank Williams’ birthday with your favorite country music. Preferably some Hank, but any country music will do!
Responsible Dog Ownership Day: We’ve been celebrating responsible dog ownership all month. But if you’ve been slacking on that celebration, this day can help you get back on track. It’s a virtual celebration this year, like so many others. But that just makes it easier to join in the events! It’ll be an information-packed day designed to help you & your dog have your best life together. And it’s free!
Constitution Day: The Founding Fathers signed the US Constitution on this date in 1787. They were 39 men with a vision of creating a “more perfect Union.” As important as this document was, even its creators recognized it was not perfect and immediately began work to add additional “declaratory and restrictive clauses” to it. The Bill of Rights was ratified 4 years later, in December 1791. Various additional Amendments came along between 1795 and 1992.
National Monte Cristo Day: Monte Cristo is a fancy name for a toasted ham and cheese sandwich. But there’s nothing wrong with that! They’re delicious and worthy of a day of their own. Some recipes also include turkey, like this Disney-style Monte Cristo recipe.
National Apple Dumpling Day: Fall is (almost) here, which makes it apple season! And one yummy way to use those apples is to make apple dumplings. And then devour them, of course. Here’s an apple dumpling recipe to get you started. It’s super-simple, and once you’ve made it you’re going to want to do it again and again. But for this day they’ll make a great dessert after your Monte Cristo. Maybe with a scoop of ice cream?
National Paw-Paw Day: Have you ever had paw-paw? If not, this is the perfect day to try it! And if you have, well you know you want one. This fruit is native to the eastern US (and Canada too). It tastes a bit like a cross between a banana and a mango. Fall is pawpaw season, so it makes sense we’re celebrating it now. See if any grocers near you sell pawpaw and get one to enjoy! These fruits have gotten more popular and easier to find in recent years but can still be scarce in some areas.
September 18:
National Ceiling Fan Day: Ceiling fans are amazing things. They can help you feel cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Without changing your air or heating settings!
Read an Ebook Day: It’s another reading day! Read a Book Day was just on Sept. 6, and we’re pretty sure it included Ebooks too. We suspect lots of people celebrated with a physical book though. We sure did! But for this day Ebooks get the love. And they do have their advantages … like being able to carry dozens of them around without taking up any space at all. Well, except digital space anyway.
World Water Monitoring Day: The world has a water problem. Because while the earth is covered in the stuff most of it isn’t good for drinking or cooking. And the good stuff isn’t distributed evenly. But we can each take small steps to “Solve Water” that can add up to big results.
Air Force Birthday: The US military used air forces almost as soon as flight became possible. But the Air Force as its own branch of the military didn’t exist until September 18, 1947, when President Truman signed the National Security Act. Give the US Air Force a shoutout in honor of its birthday.
International Grenache Day: Celebrate the wine grape that doesn’t get the credit it deserves. It’s one of the oldest wine grapes in the world. But nobody seems to talk about it! Maybe because it’s often used in blended wines? It can also stand alone, though. So find yourself a grenache wine, and discover what you’ve been missing.
National Cheeseburger Day: Make a juicy, melty cheeseburger part of your day. Your taste buds will thank you. And yes, you can dress up your cheeseburger with extras like bacon, mushrooms, and even caramelized onions if you’d like.
September 19:
Talk Like a Pirate Day: You know how t’ celebrate this one, aye? Choose yer words wisely t’ sound jus’ like yer favorite sea dog!
International Red Panda Day: Red pandas are the original panda! Or at least they were discovered before their more well-known giant panda “cousins”. So learn more about these adorable little critters. And see if a zoo near you is having any events for the day. But check as soon as possible, because many zoos are requiring reservations just to get in!
Puppy Mill Awareness Day: Sadly puppy mills still exist. And these breeders continue to scam the public, selling themselves as caring, humane people who just want to get people the adorable little puppies they long for. Help spread the word that puppy mills are cramped, inhumane places, and shelters are full of puppies and dogs who’d be forever grateful for a place in your heart & your home.
World Cleanup Day: Join 20 million of your fellow humans in 180 countries to help clean up the planet. How? Pick up trash littering our streets, waterways, parks, etc. Do it on your own or join an organized team. And consider doing some digital cleanup too!
National Butterscotch Pudding Day: Butterscotch makes almost anything better. Including pudding! So enjoy a sweet, creamy butterscotch pudding at least once for the day. Eat it plain in a dish or combine it with other ingredients for a decadent dessert. Mmmmm …
September 20:
Wife Appreciation Day: Appreciate your wife. And make sure she knows it. That is all.
International Doodle Dog Day: Poodle-mix fans, your wait is over! COVID cancelled and delayed all kinds of celebrations this year. Including this one! But your 4-month wait is over, and you can celebrate your doodle dog with other doodle dog lovers near you.
National Punch Day: Quench your thirst with your favorite punch. The basic recipe includes just 5 ingredients: alcohol, sugar, citrus juice, water, tea/spices. But you can make a variety of flavors with this base. Along with non-alcoholic, of course. And these days many “fruit punch” varieties don’t contain much fruit juice at all. If you make it yourself you have more control, so consider some of these punch recipes. Some follow the basic 5-ingredient recipe better than others, and the list includes both alcoholic and non-alcoholic punches.
National String Cheese Day: Ahhh, cheese, the ultimate snack. And so convenient in the single-serving “logs” called string cheese. Snack on some to celebrate right.
Pepperoni Pizza Day: But don’t fill up on string cheese! You’ll want to leave room for another cheesy food. Pizza! But not just any pizza. Pizza covered in the meaty, salty goodness known as pepperoni. Buy it or make it yourself. Just make sure you eat it!
National Fried Rice Day: It’s a good thing there’s more than one meal in every day. Because you need to find room for fried rice too! Whether you prefer chicken, beef, shrimp, or even tofu, fried rice is a simple but delicious and filling meal. Order from your favorite Chinese restaurant and relax.
