We think it’s important to take some time to have fun and to celebrate important and not so important dates in history AND our lives. We’ve been so busy “celebrating” this year, that it’s already past the beginning of Feb. and we’re just NOW getting around to posting our Calendar of Fun and Thoughtful Dates **. We’ve included January, just so you can see what you may have missed. You’ll have the rest of the year to plan for some of the other things…and many dates will evoke some very clever things to do with your great-grandchildren and family. Whether you live close or far away, here are a lot of “spring boards” for creative ways to stay in touch. Also, any day that refers to “parents” can definitely be substituted with “great-grandparents”. If you print this out, leave some room to add your own important remembrance dates (birthdays, retirement, anniversaries, successful sleepover dates, “you turned a certain age AND you’re still here”, etc.), and remember that next year many of these dates will change. TIME FLIES….WHEN YOU’RE HAVING FUN.
JANUARY
Clean Up Your Computer Month
International Creativity Month
National Mentoring Month
National Soup Month
National Thank-You Month
1 New Years Day
1-7 Celebration of Life Week
2-8 Someday We’ll Laugh About This Week
4 Trivia Day
6 Día de Los Reyes Magos (The Day of the Three Kings or the Feast of the Epiphany)
8 Bubble Bath Day
8-14 Universal Letter Writing Week
9 Step-Father’s Day
10 United Nation’s Day
11-17 Cuckoo Dancing Week
16 Appreciate a Dragon Day
16-22 Hunt for Happiness Week
17 Kid Inventor’s Day
18 Martin Luther King’s Birthday
21 National Hugging Day
24 Belly Laugh Day
24-28 No Name Calling Week
27 Holocaust Memorial Day
28 National Kazoo Week
FEBRUARY
Bake for Family Fun Month
Black History Month
Library Lovers Month
National Parent Leadership Month
1 Freedom Day
1-7 Children’s Author & Illustrator Week
1-7 National Parent Recognition Week
1-7 National Women’s Heart Week
2 Groundhog Day
2 National Girls & Women in Sports Day
3 Chinese New Year – Year of the Rabbit
4 Bubble Gum Day
5 Wear Red Day
8 Buddhist – Nirvana Day
9 National Stop Bullying Day
12 Lincoln’s Birthday
14 Library Lover’s Day
14 Valentine’s Day
16 Mardi Gras Day
17-23 International Friendship Week
20 Love Your Pet Day
21 Family Day - Canada
21 President’s Day
22 George Washington’s Birthday
28 National Tooth Fairy Day
29 Leap Year Day (not 2011..next one is 2012)
MARCH
American Red Cross Month
Deaf History Month
Expanding Girl’s Horizons in Science Month
Music In Our Schools Month
National Nutrition Month
National Women’s History Month
Sing with Your Child Month
Youth Art Month
1-7 Write a Letter of Appreciation Week
2 Read Across America – Dr. Seuss’ Birthday
3 Prophet’s Day - Islam
4 National Grammar Day
4 Shabbat Across America/Canada
5 Potty Dance Day
6-12 Celebrate Your Name Week
6-12 National Pancake Week
6-12 Return the Borrowed Books Week
7 Daughters’ and Sons’ Day
8 Day For Women’s Rights & International Peace
8 Mardi Gras
8-14 Universal Women’s Week
9 Ash Wednesday – Lent Begins
9 Get Over It Day
9 Learn What Your Name Means Day
11 Johnny Appleseed Day
13 Daylight Savings Begins (Spring Forward)
17 Absolutely Incredible Kid Day
17 Saint Patrick’s Day
20 Purim
20 Vernal Equinox
20 Won’t You Be My Neighbor Day
21 Memory Day
21-27 World Folk Tales & Fables Week
26 Make Up Your Own Holiday Day
27 Education & Sharing Day
31 Cesar Chavez Day
APRIL
Celebrate Diversity Month
Global Child Nutrition Month
International Guitar Month
Month of the Young Child
National Card & Letter Writing Month
National Humor Month
National Poetry Month
World Habitat Awareness Month
1 April Fool’s Day
1 Good Friday
2 International Children’s Book Day
2 International Pillow Fight Day
2 National Love Our Children Day
3 Mothering Sunday - UK
5 One Day Without Shoes Day
10 National Sibling Day
10-16 National Library Week
10-16 National Volunteer Week
10-16 Week of the Young Child
17 Blah! Blah! Blah! Day
17 Palm Sunday
18 Passover Begins
21 High Five Day
21 Kindergarten Day
22 Earth Day
24 Easter
24-30 National Playground Safety Week
25 thru 5-1 Safe Kids Week
28 Take Our Daughters & Sons to Work Day
29 Labor Day
29 National Dance Day
25 Día de los Niños
MAY
Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Get Caught Reading Month
Jewish- American Heritage Month
Latino Books Month
National Family Month
Young Achievers of Tomorrow Month
1 Día Del Trabajo
1 Join Hands Day
1 May Day (ribbons around the May Pole)
1 Mother Goose Day
1 National Dance Day
1 Step-Mother’s Day
1-7 Be Kind to Animals Week
1-7 Kids Win Week
2-8 Children’s Book Week
2-8 Teacher’s Appreciation Week
2-8 Work at Home Mom’s Weeks
3 National Teacher’s Day
3 National Two Different Colored Shoes Day
5 Cinco de Mayo
7 Child Care Provider Day
7 National Babysitter’s Day
8 No Socks Day
8-14 Reading Is Fun Week
8-14 Salute to Mom’s 35+ Week
8 & 10 Mother’s Day in US (in Latin America it’s the 10th)
10 Buddah Day
10-16 Universal Family Week
13 Friday the 13th (this is the only one this year)
14 National Chicken Dance Day
15 International Day of Families
16-22 National New Friend, Old Friends Week
18 International Museum Day
18 Visit Your Relatives Day
21 World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialog & Development
22 Neighbor Day
23-30 National Backyard Games Week
24 Brother’s Day
25 Cookie Monster’s Birthday (Frank Oz’s Birthday)
25 National Senior Health & Fitness Day
30 Memorial Day
JUNE
Children’s Awareness Month
Effective Communications Month
Great Outdoors Month
International Men’s Month
National Safety Month
Potty Training Awareness Month
1 National Go Barefoot Day
1 Say Something Nice Day
1 Stand for Children Day
5 World Environment Day
5-11 National Sun Safety Week
11 Worldwide Knit in Public Day
12-18 National Flag Week
12 Multicultural American Child Awareness Day
14 Family History Day
14 Flag Day
14-20 Universal Father’s Week
19 Father’s Day
19 Juneteenth – African American Freedom & Achievement Day
21 Summer Solstice (Longest Day of the Year)
24 Take Your Dog to Work Day
27 Happy Birthday to You Day
JULY
Family Reunion Month
National Black Family Month
National Make a Difference to Children Month
National Recreation & Parks Month
1 Canada Day
1 US Postage Stamp Day
4 Independence Day (4th of July)
4-10 Freedom Week
7 Chocolate Day
7 Father-Daughter Take A Walk Day
17 National Ice Cream Day
19 National Hug Your Kid Day
23 Gorgeous Grandma Day
24 Cousins Day
24 Parent’s Day
24 Tell An Old Joke Day
30 Father-in-Law Day
AUGUST
American Indian Heritage Month (See also November)
Get Ready for Kindergarten Month
1 Respect for Parent’s Day
1 Spiderman Day
1-29 Ramadan
3 Watermelon Day
5 National Underwear Day
6 Hiroshima Day
7 Sister’s Day
7 Friendship Day
7-13 International Clown Week
8-14 Exercise with your Child Week
12 International Youth Day
15 Best Friend’s Day
18 Cupcake Day
21 Senior Citizens Day
22-26 National Safe at Home Week
26 National Dog Day
30 National Toasted Marshmallow Day
SEPTEMBER
Baby Safety Month
Library Card Sign Up Month
National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
September is Healthy Aging Month
5 Labor Day
6-10 Play Days
8 International Literacy Day
11 National Grandparent’s Day (YEAH!!!)
12-17 Line Dance Week
13 International Chocolate Day
15 National Hispanic Heritage Month Begins
16 Mexican Independence Day
16 Step-Family Day
17 Constitution Day
18 National Respect Day
18-24 National Clean Hands Week
18-24 Turn Off Your TV Week
19 Talk Like A Pirate Day
22 International Day of Peace
24 Family Health & fitness Day USA
24 thru 10/1 Banned Books Week
25 National Museum Day
25 thru 10/1 National Keep Kids Creative Week
28 Rosh Hashanah
29 National Attend Your Grandchild’s Birth Day
OCTOBER
Celebrating the Bilingual Child Month
Children’s Magazine Month
Halloween Safety Month
National Book Month
National Popcorn Poppin’ Month
1 International Day of Older Persons
1-7 Universal Children’s Week
2 International Day of Non-Violence
2 World Farm Animals Day
2-8 National Carry a Tune Week
3 Child Health Day
3-10 No Salt Week
5 World Teacher’s Day
7 National Diversity Day
7 Yom Kippur
7 World Smile Day
7-9 National Storytelling Weekend
8 Universal Music Day
10 Columbus Day
10 Native American Day
10-14 Kids’ Goal Setting Week
12 Día De La Raza
12 International Top Spinning Day
12 National Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work & School Day
16 Dictionary Day
16-22 Teen Read Week
16-22 Freedom from Bullies Week
17-21 National School Bus Safety Week
23 Fall Equinox
23 Mother-in-Law Day
24 United Nation’s Day
28 Frankenstein Friday
29 National Cat Day
31 Books for Treats Day
31 Halloween
31 National Knock-Knock Jokes Day
31 National UNICEF Day
NOVEMBER
American Indian Heritage Month (also see August)
Family Stories Month
International Drum/Percussion Month
National Peanut Butter Lovers Month
1 National Author’s Day
1 National Family Literacy Day
1-2 All Saints Day/All Soul’s Day (Día De Los Muertos)
3 Sandwich Day
4 Use Your Common Sense Day
6 End of Daylight Savings (Fall Back)
7-13 Dear Santa Letter Week
7-13 National Young Reader’s Week
8 Election Day
8 National Parent’s As Teacher’s Day
8-14 World Kindness Week
9 National Young Reader’s Day
11 Veteran’s Day
13 International Tongue Twister Day
13 World Kindness Day
13-19 American Education Week
15 I Love To Write Day
15 America Recycles Day
16 International Day for Tolerance
19 Family Volunteer Day
20 Children’s Day
21 World Hello Day
20-26 National Family Week
20-26 National Game & Puzzle Week
21 World Peace Day
26 Muharran – Islamic New Year
24 Thanksgiving
25 National Native American Heritage Day
27 National Day of Listening
December
Safe Toys and Gift Month
Universal Human Rights Month
1 Special Kids Day
1-7 Cookie Cutter Week
1-7 Tolerance Week
2 National Mutt Day
2 Special Education Day
5 Bathtub Pary Day
10 Day of The Horse
10 Human Rights Day – United Nations
10-17 Human Rights Week
11 UNICEF Birthday
16-24 Las Posadas
20-27 Hanukkah Begins
22 National Re-Gifting Day
22 Winter Solstice (Shortest Day of the Year)
24 Noche Buena / Christmas Eve
25 Christmas
26 Boxing Day
26 National Thank-You Note Day
26 – 1/1/12 Kwanzaa
28-29 National Chocolate Day(s)
31 New Year’s Eve
31 World Peace Mediation Day
**WE’D LIKE TO SAY WE CAME UP WITH ALL OF THESE WONDERFUL CELEBRATIONS FOR OUR CALENDAR OF FUN AND THOUGHTFUL DATES, BUT WE DIDN’T DO IT ALONE! PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR LIST WAS GREATLY ENHANCED USING THE INGENIOUS WEBSITE:
WE CLAIM NO OWNERSHIP OF THIS LIST…WE MERELY PUT IT TOGETHER TO GIVE YOU SOME FUN FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
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