Not everyone needs or wants public recognition, particularly given the judgmental, often brutal scrutiny that comes with it. But if only for their own self-esteem, most human beings desire to be significant to someone or something that will confirm, at least to themselves, that they truly matter.
The weeks leading up to Dec. 25 involve, among other things, trees to trim, cookies to bake, parties to attend, packages to mail, gifts to wrap, holiday cards to send, eggnog (and/or similar libations) to imbibe, football games to endure, and mistletoe to stand under (or steer clear of, depending on who else is lurking in its vicinity).
By the evening of the 25th nearly everyone needs to come up for air. We’re all holidayed out at that point, and as a result the calendar’s next five days become collateral damage.
It’s not fair that the 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, and 30th of December are annual casualties of holiday season overload. Why should people care more about some random date in February, June, or November any more than they do about these five no-less-ordinary boxes on the calendar? Feb. 29, which only comes along every fourth year, gets more genuine appreciation than Dec. 26 to Dec. 30 do, combined, in a decade of decades!
It’s time to stop ignoring these underappreciated days. According to Nationaldaycalendar.com, Dec. 26 is officially National Thank You Note Day, which makes perfect sense. The 26th has also been, since 1986, National Whiners Day. A Michigan Reverend, Kevin Zaborney, created it, hoping it would encourage people to appreciate all they have, rather than bemoaning what they lack, or focusing on whatever real or imagined shortcomings their existences entail.
Reverend Zaborney also created National Hugging Day, which occurs annually on Jan. 21. And despite an unavoidable COVID-related hiatus, the soon-to-be 40-year-old holiday is still a full-fledged “Day.” However, would-be NHD embracers are urged to ask permission from any and all potential huggees before applying an affectionate clasp. It’s more important than ever on National Hugging Day to respect the wishes of those who, for whatever justifiable personal reason(s), prefer to remain unsqueezed.
Dec. 27 is National Fruitcake Day. Laden with chopped candy, dried fruit, nuts, and occasionally spirits, fruitcake is popular with those trying to gain even more weight over the holidays. This can be accomplished either through direct consumption, or by securing two fruitcakes on each side of a weight bar and subsequently doing three sets of ten bench presses. This builds muscle mass, and remarkably quickly.
Dec. 28 is National Card Playing Day, Pledge of Allegiance Day (Congress officially recognized the pledge on this date in 1945), and National Chocolate Candy Day. President Woodrow Wilson was born on Dec. 28, 1856, 10 years after the day Iowa became the 29th state to join the union.
Not to be outdone by its immediate predecessor, Dec. 29 is also a president’s birthday (Andrew Johnson in 1808). In addition, Texas joined the union as the 28th state on Dec. 29, 1845, 364 days before Iowa.
Besides being New Year’s Eve eve, Dec. 30 is National Bacon Day. It’s also National Bicarbonate of Soda Day, which is convenient for those who’ve overindulged on bacon.
Every calendar year contains 52 weeks, but unfortunately The Windham Eagle only publishes during 51 of them. Next week will be Eagle-less, making it ideal for relaxation, or for trying something new.
Besides whining about fruitcake, that is. <
No comments:
Post a Comment