Are You Ready To Celebrate?
ARE YOU READY TO CELEBRATE?
While February 14th is of course Valentine’s Day, a closer look at this month’s calendar reveals a host of ‘important’ events and milestones. If we obey February’s call to arms, we will be supporting a host of admirable causes as well as eating numerous Yorkshire puddings, somehow and preferably with a fine set of chopsticks.
Many of the key dates aim to promote good causes and positive outcomes. The United Nations has been behind many of them including on the first day of the month, the start of World Interfaith Harmony Week. The United Nations sponsored International Day of Women and Girls in Science follows on Sunday 11th.
Co-incidentally two of the celebrations are not only celebrated on the same day but were founded in the same year, 1995. Celebrated on the 17th of the month, we find Random Acts of Kindness Day, when we are urged to help elderly neighbours or others in need, smile at strangers and even pay for the coffee order of someone behind us in the queue! World Spay Day founded by The Doris Day Animal League is also on 17th. This promotes spaying, or neutering cats and dogs as a means of saving the lives of abandoned animals. In 2002, the goal was to spay and neuter 200,000 pets across the US. On that note, 22nd February, many Wenvoe residents will celebrate National Walking the Dog Day, which at least two of them, Dolly and Charlie, seem to think is every day….unless it rains!
In the UK some of our offerings although notable, are perhaps a little less noble. British Yorkshire Pudding Day, is celebrated on the first Sunday of February. The Yorkshire pudding first recorded in 1737, was devised as a way to conserve the fat that would drip off a roasting fowl or side of meal. In poorer quarters they would be served before the main meal to dull the appetite before the sparingly served meat course. If you are inclined to make your own, remember that according to the Royal Society for Chemistry, “A Yorkshire pudding isn’t a Yorkshire pudding if it is less than four inches tall.” Stranger still perhaps is National Chopsticks Day on February 6th. Practice using chopsticks, teach someone how to use them or have a family competition. If you join in remember there are several etiquette rules. Don’t point your chopsticks at other people and don’t leave your chopsticks stuck vertically in your food. That’s associated with death.
World Groundhog Day on February 2nd is celebrated in the US and Canada. If a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow, it will retreat to its den and winter will go on for six more weeks. If it does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early. The event started in Pennsylvania in 1887 when people named the forecasting groundhog Punxsutawney Phil, now a local celebrity. While Phil is the most well-known, other states have their mascots, such as Pothole Pete in New York or Buckeye Chuck in Ohio. Publicised by the Bill Murray movie of that name, current celebrations include festivals that draw crowds of around 40,000 people and are broadcast on TV. In the best quarters, matters are hosted by local officials, wearing top hats and speaking in Groundhogese!
Some ‘days’ don’t quite seem to have the best name. Did you know the average person spends 38 days of their lifetime brushing their teeth, a practice started by the ancient Egyptians c5000BC. While we should celebrate and promote this fine daily routine, perhaps a more positive title than National Toothache Day (February 9th) could have been chosen for this special day. Finally, we can all look forward to a really big day on Tuesday 27th.. Let’s all hear it for World Non-governmental Organisation Day!