moms

Mother’s Day, May 10, 2020, is a time-honored tradition of recognizing the women in our lives who raised us, dried our tears, and well, mothered us. Everyone has one or has someone who is like a mother to them. On the second Sunday of May, we honor those women who are our mothers. Whether we shower her with gifts, take her to a fancy dinner or make her a homemade card, what moms want most is to be surrounded by the love of her family. Knowing the people they love are safe, sound, and healthy is a mom’s number one priority.

See our great Gift guide for the special mom in your life.

HOW TO OBSERVE #MothersDay

Remember to put mom first on Mother’s Day and use #MothersDay to share on social media.

MOTHER’S DAY HISTORY

Mother’s Day has been celebrated around the world since, well, since motherhood. In the United States, Julia Ward Howe inspired the first movement toward a national observance during the Civil War. Appealing to the public for a “Mother’s Day for Peace” after witnessing the devastation left by war, Howe went on an international crusade. While her efforts never gained formal recognition for an official observance, she was acknowledged posthumously in 1988 for her achievements and her efforts for women’s rights.

In 1905, Anna Jarvis, the daughter of Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis successfully introduced the idea for a national holiday recognizing mothers. Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis had followed Howe’s campaign and had pursued her own volunteer efforts during the Civil War. Ann Marie died on May 9, 1905, and her daughter, Anna, missed her mother greatly. She started a dedicated letter-writing campaign to declare an official Mother’s Day. Through Andrews Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia, the first observance occurred on May 10, 1908.

This day, to honor Anna Jarvis’s mother, grew into a national observance until in 1911 when every state participated. Soon it was spreading internationally, and on May 9, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Mother’s Day a national holiday to be held on the second Sunday of May.

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Each year on January 6th, National Cuddle Up Day encourages us to snuggle up with someone for the health benefits and more!

January is typically some of the coldest days of the year, so what better way to stay warm and reap the health benefits of cuddling on National Cuddle Up Day? Whether it’s a three dog night (a night so cold it takes three dogs to cuddle up with to stay warm) or only slightly chilly, there are multiple benefits to cuddling with human or canine or other pet.

Cuddling releases oxytocin. This hormone alone has tremendous health benefits. Besides giving us warm and fuzzy feelings, oxytocin reduces pain. So when the cold has made those muscles and joints ache, cuddling can help reduce those aches and pains.

Oxytocin also helps reduce heart disease, lowers blood pressure, stress, and anxiety. If it weren’t free, insurance carriers would probably cover cuddling since it’s such a huge health benefit!

Communication is more than just e-mails, texts, or conversation. Physical touch can communicate trust, commitment, safety, and reassurance. This goes for human to human contact as well as human to pet contact. Cuddling expresses all these things, which are vital to a healthy relationship.

Cuddling also boosts sexual desire. Dopamine is released, stimulating the brain to seek pleasure. But dopamine also can improve memory and focus as well.

Don’t have someone to cuddle up with?  Make an appointment for a massage.  Studies show massage provides similar benefits.

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalCuddleUpDay

Cuddle up with someone you love. Invite your pet up on the sofa for a snuggle session. Schedule a massage. Use #NationalCuddleUpDay

Since 2011, National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day has grown to be an international event. Now occurring on the third Friday of December, the celebration gives holiday lovers worldwide a chance to wear their ugly Christmas sweaters.

In 2014, they partnered with Save the Children in their “Make the World Better with a Sweater” campaign. 

Each year, ugly Christmas sweater wearers, decorate, shop, and do their darndest to out ugly last year’s ugliest sweater. Whether they sport the most lights or colors, bells or characters, ugly sweater wearers find the most ribbon and felt ladened sweaters and festoon them with glitter so blinding no Dustbuster invented will capture the wave left behind. The sweaters serve as beacons of light so bright, Rudolph himself will someday be out of a job.

However, don’t be sad. So often Rudolph is featured on many of the sweaters. Elfs, donkeys, snowmen, and many other holiday characters we love and adore find their way to these ugly monstrosities. It’s all part of the fascination with the holiday. So, join in the fun. Celebrate and donate, too.

HOW TO OBSERVE #UglyChristmasSweaterDay

Try these tips to take the prize:

• Animal or cartoon characters with a holiday theme give sweaters a kitsch feel. Think reindeer, snowmen, mice, kittens or elves.
• Select ridiculous colors. The more they clash, the better.
• Embellish. Scratch that. Over-embellish! Pom-poms, bells, felt, tinsel, or any other glittery, jingly items lying around the house.
• Add a collar, dickey, or ruffle.
• Electrify it! Put Rudolph to shame and go to the head of the team with bright, flashing lights!
• Give it some 80s flair with shoulder pads.

Wear your ugliest Christmas sweater. Use #UglyChristmasSweaterDay or #ChristmasSweaterDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER DAY HISTORY

In 2011, ugly Christmas sweater lovers created National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day as a way to lighten up the busy holidays and to show off their absurdly, ugly sweaters. The day has grown in popularity and is celebrated worldwide.

With all the holiday cheer this fun holiday is the perfect reminder, to get those holiday cards done by the 9th. For some added fun let the kids, write a letter to Santa. While in the mood pen an extra Christmas card to troops stationed overseas.

USPS can help you get a postmarked letter from Santa. Postmarked from the North Pole. Simply follow the instructions from the link above and have your own, “Yes Virginia” moment. Watch their faces light up when you give them mail postmarked from the north pole!

This year as you finish that card list write one more. Letters and cards sent directly to our military.

Pearl Harbor Day

Yes December 7, 1941 will continue it’s infamy. As we mark this day of Remembrance of this unprovoked attack on military and civilian both killing and wounding thousands on American soil.

2,403 service members and civilians who were killed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. A further 1,178 people were injured in the attack, which permanently sank two U.S. Navy battleships (the USS Arizona and the USS Utah) and destroyed 188 aircraft.

December 7, 2019

Information coming soon. Details about the 78th commemoration ceremony and other commemorative events will be provided on the official Pearl Harbor Events page, on our Facebook page, and on our website calendar.

National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day on November 15 encourages us to prepare for the upcoming holidays. Get together a soap and hot water filled bucket, disinfectant, a sponge and a garbage bag. Then you will be ready for the day!

With family gathering and a large turkey waiting to be roasted, cleaning out the refrigerator makes sense. Not only will we need room before the meals, but we also need space for all of the upcoming leftovers. Many dread this job. However, it is an important task none the less.

Due to our hectic and busy lifestyles, the cleaning of the refrigerator gets neglected. hence the creation of National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day.  There may be a surprise or two found at the back of the shelves. Things are often pushed back as new food is put in the front and gets forgotten.

Sanitation Foundation (NSF) International found that the meat and vegetable drawers were the dirtiest spots in our kitchens – well with regards to causing disease.

However, those who clean their fridges more often tend to waste more food. There’s plenty of advice available on the frequency of fridge cleaning. Understanding food labels and the meanings behind “sell by” and “best by” dates are also important. These labels don’t necessarily mean a product has gone bad, but that the quality is best by the date on the label. However, “use by” leaves some of us wondering.

HOW TO OBSERVE #CleanOutYourRefrigeratorDay

Some suggestions for your refrigeration cleaning are:

• Empty each shelf.
• Completely wipe down the inside of the refrigerator.
• Wash drawers and underneath the drawers.
• Throw away all expired food.
• Throw away any moldy food.
• Get rid of anything that you do not use.
• Vacuum condenser coils.
• Vacuum out under the refrigerator.
• Restock shelves and drawers with good food.
• Enjoy your nice, clean, organized refrigerator.

Use #CleanOutYourRefrigeratorDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL CLEAN OUT YOUR REFRIGERATOR DAY HISTORY

The home economists at Whirlpool Home Appliances created National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day in 1999 to encourage people to clean out their refrigerator in advance of the upcoming holidays.  At that time, the company even had a toll-free hotline that people could call into for cleaning tips.

Feel like your life sometimes spirals into a chaotic mess? Then Chaos Never Dies Day on November 9 is the holiday for you.

This made-up holiday encourages people to realize that chaos is part of life and that it will never die. So instead of getting hassled by it, just take a deep breath and let go of things that create chaos in your life on this day.

How fitting that this made up holiday is settled in November, just before the chaos of holiday, planning, eating, parties, shopping, and gifting begin in earnest. So much so that many started gift shopping for the next year on December 26th. For those who didn’t start that early or at all I can promise it is easier and a lot less chaotic when not scrunched into a limited two month time period.

If you are someone who thrives on chaos, you will find yourself firmly in your element as holiday events ensue. While I can quite happily join the holiday hustle, starting early gives me more time for personal gifting and enduring memory making.

Chaos Never Dies Day is also known as National Chaos Never Dies Day in the United States.

How to Celebrate?

• Take the day for yourself and do things that de-stress you. Pack your lunch and go for a picnic in the park with your loved ones.
• Watch a feel good movie or read a book.
• Take a nap in the middle of the day and remember chaos never dies, so it can wait to hassle you for one more day.

Information on this and many more fun holidays go to https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/fun/chaos-never-dies-day

Are you familiar with the saying “common sense is not that common”? Celebrate this rarely used quality on November 4, Common Sense Day.

My favorite saying is

Common sense is a flower that does not grow in everyone’s garden.

As you watch the news, surf the internet, or simply read the latest Google headlines, I’m sure most if us have shook our heads, laughed, or the phrase “Really” a utured out loud. Common sense has become both more talked about and something becoming more lacking in encounters every day.

Growing up this skill was taught along with lots of practical skills for life. Our parents taught us about real world living do we could grow and mature into responsible adults. Today the news is filled with stunning examples where for some reason this was missed. Is it because we’ve become more focused on technology? I’d like to think no, however the wealth of young adults lacking these skills that are entering the world should give serious reservations about humanities future.

While this is meant to be a fun holiday, recognize that these skills are being lost at an alarming rate. Have you ever worked with someone who threw away an article of clothing because it’s missing a button? I have.

The date coincides with the birth date of actor Will Rogers who was thought to have coined this phrase.

How to Celebrate?

• Well, what can we say? Use your common sense to celebrate this unofficial holiday.

Most important try to teach it to those around you. They may not say it today, but their future selves will likely thank you for it.