Moreholidays December Don’t Make Your Bed Day

Don't Make Your Bed Day

About Don't Make Your Bed Day

When is Don't Make Your Bed Day? This holiday is always observed on December 21

Without a doubt, this will save you a few minutes of your time in the morning. Today is Don’t Make Your Bed Day. On this December 21 holiday, you get to avoid a somewhat pointless chore, if only for today. Researchers tell us that about 45% of us make our bed every day. Only 7 percent of us never make the bed. So, that means the rest of us perform this task sometimes. Most likely, mom made this task a routine daily chore during our childhood. As a result, we somewhat kept this habit into adulthood.

Did You Know? The term “Hit the Hay” goes back to around 500 B.C when people slept on a sack stuffed with hay or straw.

Today’s Theme: “You made your bed, now you have to lie in it”. Author Unknown

The Great Make or Don't Make Your Bed Debate

There is much debate on whether you should make your bed every day or not. Here are the arguments for both sides:

For Making Your Bed:

It creates a neat and tidy appearance if someone comes into your room.
It promotes good habits.
According to researchers, it enhances mental health.

Against Making Your Bed:

It takes time in the morning that is better spent on other activities.
No one can or should go into your room, So, why does it matter?
An unmade bed promotes evaporation of moisture in the sheets and blankets promotes bacteria growth.

How to Celebrate Don't Make Your Bed Day

Here are some fun things to do during this holiday

Don’t get out of bed. Rather, stay there all day. Then, you don’t have to make the bed.
If you do get up, do not make your bed.
The night before this holiday, tell all your friends not to make their beds in the morning.
Let your parents know that this is a holiday and you will be following it in good spirit. So, they won’t get mad about your messy bed as you rush off to school.

Today's Quotes

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” – – Benajmin Franklin

“I’m so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark.” – – Muhammad Ali

History and Origin of Don't Make Your Bed Day

In 2014, fifth-grade student Shannon Barba of Tijeras in New Mexico created Don’t Make Your Bed Day. Shannon was tired of this daily morning chore. He felt it was time-consuming as he rushed to get ready for school. He wrote a petition that many fellow students signed. Then, he sent it to Congress.

Shannon chose December to celebrate this annual holiday because it is the shortest day of the year. And, he felt that he could do more valuable and useful things with less time available on this short day.

This Day in History

In addition to today’s holiday, many other things happened on this day. Accordingly, here are some of them:

The Mayflower pilgrims land at Plymouth, Massachusetts. (1620)
Pierre and Marie Curie discover radium. (1898)
Penn State football coach Joe Paterno was born on this day in 1926.

See more historical events.

Related Holidays

Additionally, people who like this holiday will also like:

Make Your Bed Day – Click Here to see this holiday. If you like today’s holiday, then you might not like this one.

More December 21 Holidays

Besides Don’t Make Your Bed Day, here is another December 21 holiday you will enjoy:

Crossword Puzzle Day

Forefather’s Day

Humbug Day

Look on the Bright Side Day

National Flashlight Day

If you want to enjoy all of these holidays on the shortest day of the year, then you have to efficiently use all the time available to you.

More About Today

This Day in History

Famous November Birthdays

Recipe of the Day: Easy Noodle Ring Recipe

Ecards Send a free Ecard daily for just about any December calendar holiday, occasion, observance, or event. Or, just for the fun of it!

Holiday Insights, where every day in December is a holiday, a bizarre or wacky day, an observance, or a special event. Join us in the daily calendar fun each and every day of the year.

Did You Know? Furthermore, in addition to Don’t Make Your Bed Day, there are literally thousands of daily holidays, special events, and observances, more than one for every day of the year. and many of these holidays are new. People and organizations are creating new holidays regularly. December holidays are no exception. Consequently., at Holiday Insights, we take great efforts to thoroughly research and document the details of each one, as completely and accurately as possible.

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Moreholidays December Tick Tock Day

Tick Tock Day

About Tick Tock Day

When is Tick Tock Day? This holiday is always observed on December 29

What are you doing today? Chances are you are sitting back and recovering from the hectic holiday shopping season and the big day itself. Or, maybe you’re back to work. Either way, this is an important day for everyone. Today is Tick Tock Day. This December 29 holiday serves as a reminder that time marches on. And, most likely you have things yet to do before the year ends. And then there’s all those things you need to do with the arrival of the new year. So, use this holiday to regain control of your “To Do” list and knock off the things on the list that you’ve spent the whole year procrastinating over.

Did you accomplish all of those 2024 New Year resolutions that you made a year ago? Today is another reminder that time waits for no man. And, it’s likely we still have unfinished business this year. Do you still have things to do before the ball drops in New York City on New Year’s Eve? If so, what are you waiting for!? Today is a day to take action and be as productive as possible. So, get off the couch and start whittling down your “Honey Do” list. And, just imagine. If you manage to cross off everything on the list today, your spouse or significant other can join in on the fun by starting a new list.

The clock began its relentless ticking billions of years ago when the Big Bang occurred. And, there’s no stopping it.

Important Note: This holiday has nothing to do with TikTok, the controversial social media platform.

A Related Holiday

This holiday is sometimes called Still Need to Do Day. Actually, Still Need to Do Day is a separate holiday all to itself. It just happens to have similar goals and objectives. And, it occurs on the same day as Tick Tock Day. However, it was not created as part of Tick Tock Day. Also, this holiday is not directly about the ticking of a clock. Rather it is a reminder that time never stops, and you are running out of time to do those nagging year-end tasks.

Time Trivia and Fun Facts

Here are some interesting trivia and factoids about time:

Over 5,000 years ago ancient cultures in Mesopotamia and Egypt were the first to use sundials to tell time. According to Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, time and motion are relative to each other. It leaves open the possibility that time travel is possible.
Horology is the science of timekeeping.
Before clocks were invented, people kept time with an hourglass. Hourglasses use sand or water to mark the passing of time. It is believed that a French monk named Luitprand invented the hourglass in the 8th century.
A Fortnight is an old English word. It means 14 nights. And therefore, it is 14 days as well.
A “light year” is not a unit of time. It is a measure of distance.
A Jiffy is a measure of time. And, someone has actually defined it. A “Jiffy” is defined as the amount of time light takes to travel one centimeter. And, that’s a very small fraction of a second. It is about 33.3564 picoseconds.
Johnny Carson created the term “In a New York Minute”. He defined it as how long it takes after a New York City traffic light turns green, for the second car in line to begin honking at the first car to move…. not long.
February 30 was once a calendar date.
According to the Guinness World Book of Records, the oldest working clock dates to 1386 (or earlier). It is located at the Salisbury Cathedral in Wiltshire, UK. So far, it has ticked over 500 million times.
All of us are living in the past. It takes the brain about 80 milliseconds to perceive what the eye sees.
The French, Italian, and Spanish word for “Tick Tock” is “Tic Tac”.

Today's Theme Songs

Time is on My Side – The Rolling Stones (1964)

Time in a Bottle – Jim Croce (1973)

How to Celebrate Tick Tock Day

The clock is ticking like a time bomb. Here are some great ways to participate in Tick Tock Day:

Finish up the New Year resolutions you made in January this year.
Start your list of New Year resolutions.
Clean and declutter your home and your computer.
Plan next year’s vacation. It will be vacation time before you know it!
Assist someone in their efforts to complete projects on their list.
Look for ways to better manage your time.
Set up next year’s calendar.
Remember to make year-end charitable contributions.
Post pictures on social media of the projects you work on.

Tick Tock Day Quotes

“Time waits for no man.” (Or, no woman for that matter.)- – German Saint Mahrer was the first to make this quote in 1225 A.D. century.

“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” – – Sam Levenson

“No clock is more regular than the belly.” – – Francois Rabelais

Did You Know? Sunlight takes on average 8 minutes and 20 seconds to reach the earth. The earth’s distance from the sun varies on its elliptical path. So, this time varies slightly.

History and Origin of Tick Tock Day

Tick Tock Day is a copyrighted holiday. Thomas Roy and his wife Ruth created this holiday. It is provided courtesy of the great folks at Wellcat.com. We are so glad that they took the time to create and document this holiday.

If you like Tick Tock Day, you will also enjoy all the wild and crazy holidays in Chase’s Annual Events with CDROM

This Day in History

Here are some things that happened on this day:

Gas lighting is installed at the White House. (1837)

Emma Snodgrass is arrested in Boston for wearing pants. (1852)

Andrew Jackson, 17th U.S. President was born on this day in 1808.

See more historical events.

More December 29 Holidays

In addition to Tick Tock Day, here is another December 29 holiday to enjoy:

Pepper Pot Day

Related Holidays

People who like Tick Tock Day will also like:

Fight Procrastination Day

More About Today

This Day in History

Famous November Birthdays

Recipe of the Day: Deviled Eggs

Ecards Send a free Ecard daily for just about any December calendar holiday, occasion, observance, or event. Or, just for the fun of it!

Holiday Insights, where every day in December is a holiday, a bizarre or wacky day, an observance, or a special event. Join us in the daily calendar fun each and every day of the year.

Did You Know? There are literally thousands of daily holidays, special events, and observances, more than one for every day of the year. and many of these holidays are new. People and organizations are creating new holidays regularly. December holidays are no exception. Consequently., at Holiday Insights, we take great efforts to thoroughly research and document the details of each one, as completely and accurately as possible.

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Moreholidays December Ugly Sweater Day

Ugly Sweater Day

About Ugly Sweater Day

When is Ugly Sweater Day? This fun holiday is celebrated on the third Friday in December

Sure, the holidays have you stressed out to the max. There’s so much yet to do before the big day. But, you need a break. It’s time to have a little holiday fun. Today is that day. It is Ugly Sweater Day. Some people incorrectly refer to it as National Ugly Sweater Day. On this December holiday, we encourage you to make a fashion statement. Put on the ugliest sweater in your closet. Wear it with pride all day and night long. Better still, hold a party where everyone can show off their gaudy and revolting sweaters.

They say beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Well, when it comes to Christmas sweaters, little holiday eggnog helps to improve their good looks and allure. Interest in ugly sweaters begins as soon as the holidays arrive. It reaches a crescendo during the holiday party season just before Christmas. Ugly sweater parties and contests abound. Then, it disappears with the start of the new year. People who receive a gaudy sweater as a holiday gift might wear it once in front of the “gift” giver. Then, it is hidden as far back in the closet as possible. It will remain hidden until next December arrives.

One wonders who creates these warm, yet abominable sweaters. The likely culprit who comes to mind is your dear, sweet grandmother. Remember in your childhood, Grandma knitted sweaters for you. Your loving and doting Grandmom decorated them with everything imaginable. And, you couldn’t wait until you outgrew them, only to find another hideous sweater from her under the Christmas tree next year. Did Grandma really think the sweaters were cute and adorable? Or, did she know what she was doing.? After a few years, you realize that “Sweet” little granny is really “Sinister” little granny.

The History of Ugly Sweaters

In the 1950s, Jingle Bell sweaters became a fashion trend. However, no one knows why, this trend evolved into the ugly sweater. By the 1980s, ugly sweaters hit the fashion market. Dr. Cliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show on television, and Clark Griswold on the classic movie Christmas Vacation the main stars wore these sweaters. This fueled their quirky popularity. By the 1990s, the ugly sweater craze began to fade. Then, it came roaring back in the early 2000s, thanks to several movies and television shows where characters wore them.

In 2002, two men from Vancouver, Canada created Tacky Sweater Day. It was created as a fundraiser to raise money for a friend’s cancer treatment. Over the next ten years, the name of the holiday evolved into Ugly Sweater Day. In 2012, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson officially proclaimed Ugly Sweater Day as an annual event.

The popularity of Ugly Sweater Day grew exponentially. Grandma was not the only one to make them. Thanks to consumer demand, stores began to sell them. Nowadays, people strut around the office and shopping malls proudly displaying their gaudy, garish, grotesque, and unsightly sweaters. Ugly Sweater parties abound, complete with prizes for the ugliest ones. They are auctioned off in charity events. And even nighttime talk show hosts joke about them. They have skits giving them away. Certainly, everyone gets in on the fun.

How to Celebrate Ugly Sweater Day

It’s the middle of the holiday shopping season and everybody is stressed to the max. Celebrated amidst the hectic holiday season, National Ugly Sweater Day arrives at just the right time. It gives us a chance to take a deep breath and have a little fun before finishing up the final hectic shopping for gifts and stocking stuffers. Here are some ways you can celebrate and enjoy this fun holiday:

Do you have a gaudy and grotesque sweater? If not, go out and buy one. There are plenty on the market to choose from.
Make one yourself. US our imagination to make it as hideous and unsightly as possible.
Grandmothers, it’s time to get your knitting needles out and get to work. Your grandkids are counting on you.
Give an ugly sweater as a gift.
Regift one that you have and give it to someone. See National Regifting Day.
Hold an Ugly Sweater party. Award a prize to the ugliest one.
Wrap it up as a gift for a White Elephant party. See White Elephant Day.
Hold a charitable fundraiser to support cancer treatment efforts, or for other diseases.
Don’t forget to post pictures on social media.

Today's Chuckles

“Phil lost his wife’s audiobook. He’ll never hear the end of it.” – – Author Unknown

“Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.” – – Margaret Mead

History and Origin of Ugly Sweater Day

As previously mentioned, the roots of this holiday began in Vancouver, Canada. Two men held a “Tacky Sweater” party as a fundraiser to help pay for a friend’s cancer treatment. Then in 2012, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson declared Ugly Sweater Day. This holiday became an annual event. Like other important holidays, its popularity quickly spread.

In the early 2020s, some websites began to incorrectly refer to this as National Ugly Sweater Day.

There is no documentation confirming this holiday to be a “National” day. We found no congressional records or presidential proclamation.

Definition of “National” Days – Learn why it is so important to distinguish true national days.

Related Holidays

People who like this fun-filled Ugly Sweater Day will also like:

National Re-gifting Day – We know the perfect item to re-gift.

White Elephant Day

Have a very Happy National Ugly Sweater Day

More About Today

This Day in History

Famous November Birthdays

Recipe of the Day: Cranberry Apple Pie Recipe

Also See: Holiday Recipes and Pumpkin Recipes Galore

Houseplant of the Day: Cyclamen

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Moreholidays December Lego Build Day

Lego Build Day

About LEGO® Build Day

When is Lego Build Day? This holiday is observed on December 28. The date may vary.

The Christmas presents are all open. Hopefully, you found a LEGO set with your name on it under the tree. Now, two days after Christmas, Lego Build Day has arrived. On this December 27 holiday, you can set aside all of the other toys and presents you received. Adults should take the day off. Then, we can spend this fun day working with our Lego sets.

Obviously, the creators and marketers of Lego sets established this day to sell more of their products. But, we are glad that they did. This holiday allows us to celebrate these wonderfully popular building blocks. It gives us more ways to use them and have more fun, as well as show off our projects.

While Legos are marketed to children, millions of adults around the world play with the building sets. Adults have a wide selection of challenging and pricey Lego sets with hundreds and sometimes thousands of pieces. Instructions for the largest sets can be over 30 pages long.

Did You Know? Used Lego pieces are sold in bulk on Amazon. They can also sometimes be found at flea markets.

How to Participate in LEGO Build Day

According to the LEGO Group who created this holiday, the objective of this day is to express your creativity and imagination. Here are the recommended activities for today:

Take your existing Legos and build something creative and unique. The design should be your creation. You can make it big or small. And, you can make the design simple, or elaborate.

Once you have completed the construction of your building or scene, show it to the world on social media. Use the tag: #LEGOBuildDay.

Not all of us are creative. As an alternative, if you are not creative or do not have a lot of time today, you can construct a building from the set you got for Christmas. Then, show your completed project on social media. Don’t skip this step. Showing it off is a big part of today’s fun.

Other Things to Do on Lego Build Day

In addition to playing with our Legos, here are some other things we can do:

Have a Lego party. Get together in groups to construct your Lego sets.
Hold a contest. Establish two or three categories and give out prizes.
Make a cake and decorate it to look like Legos.
Give a Lego set to a child.
Buy a new set for yourself.
Go to a flea market in search of used sets and extra pieces in bulk.

Lego Trivia

Here are some fascinating facts about Legos:

Kirk Christiansen from Denmark created the Lego Toy Company in 1934.
In 1949, Kirk Christiansen made the first Lego bricks.
The bricks were originally called “Automatic Binding Bricks”.
In 2014, the Lego Group was sold to Hasbro.
Over 220 million sets are sold worldwide every year.
In 2000, they were voted “Toy of the Century”.
Each year, children spend over 5 billion hours playing with them.
There are an estimated 400 billion bricks in the world.
Brick sizes have not changed. A brick made in the 1950s fits a brick made in the past year.
Over 60 different brick colors are currently in production.
The bricks consist of ABS plastic which does not decompose.
The largest manufactured set is the LEGO Art World Map. This wall map contains over 11,000 pieces.
In 1978, the first minifigure hit the market. It was a police officer.
Do you want to make a unique mini figurine? The company estimates that you can make over 8 quadrillion minifigures from pieces made over the past 30 years.
Most mini-figurine heads do not have a nose.
Chinese factories do not make this toy. Manufacturing sites include Denmark, Hungary, and the Cheh Republic.
If you placed all the Lego bricks sold in a year end to end, they would circle the earth 5 times.
The plastic bricks are strong. One brick can support 375,000 bricks.
In 2009, James May in Surrey, Great Britain, created the first full-sized LEGO house. It contained 3.3 million bricks.

Today's Quote

“To a Lego Master, every day is Lego Build Day” – – Lego Master Kim Francis, Rochester, NY

History and Origin of Lego Build Day

The LEGO Group, makers of these wildly popular toy bricks, created Lego Build Day. Quite obviously, they did so to promote the products and the brand. First created in 2020, it is now an annual event.

We all love Legos and appreciate the company’s ideas on more and different ways to use them.

This Day in History

In addition to Lego Build Day, here are some other things that happened on this day:

William F. Semple patented chewing gum. (1869)
The first U.S. test tube baby is born. She is Elizabeth Jordon Carr, born in Norfolk, VA. (1981)
Actor Denzel Washington was born on this day in (1954)

See more historical events.

More December 28 Holidays

Here is another December 28 holiday we are certain you will enjoy:

Card Playing Day

More About Today

This Day in History

Famous December Birthdays

Recipe of the Day: Green Bean Casserole – a favorite at holiday meals

Holiday Insights, where every day in December is a holiday, a bizarre or wacky day, an observance, or a special event. Join us in the daily calendar fun each and every day of the year.

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Moreholidays December Cookie Cutter Day

National Cookie Cutter Day

About National Cookie Cutter Day

When is National Cookie Cutter Day? This holiday is always observed on December 1

As soon as the Thanksgiving dinner is over, the Christmas holiday decorations go up, and the outdoor lights are turned on. Black Friday ushers in the wild and frantic holiday shopping period. Our minds spin with all of the things we need to do before the big day arrives. High on the to-do list is making plenty of Christmas cookies. Indeed, National Cookie Cutter Day arrives at just the right time. On this December 1 holiday, we pull out our extensive collection of cookie cutters and begin to make dozens upon dozens of cutout cookies. I can almost taste them!

Cookie cutters come in all shapes and sizes. There are ones for just about any object, and any holiday or event. And, they are inexpensive, too. So, over the years, most people have collected dozens of them. Using cookie cutters to make cutout cookies is holiday fun for the whole family. And, you can never have too many of these cookies. How many batches of cutout cookies will you bake and decorate this year? We bet you can’t eat (just) one!

Did You Know? Outside of North America, these versatile cookie-making tools are called biscuit cutters.

The History and Origin of Cookie Cutters

Some form of cookie cutter has been around for thousands of years. They were first used by ancient Romans in 2,000 B.C. Ancient Egyptians used them, too. The first cookie cutters were first made from wood. Often, they used them to make biscuits.

In the 16th century, Europeans began to use cookie cutters. Germens made shapes out of gingerbread with them. About the same time, they arrived in Great Britain. First, they appeared in the royal court. However, it didn’t take long for the common citizen to discover the fun of using cookie cutters for biscuits and cookies. Europeans brought them to the New World. By the 18th century, American tinsmiths were making them and selling them to the citizenry.

As mentioned previously, early cookie cutters were made of wood. Today, they are made of aluminum, steel, plastic, or copper.

Did You Know? There is a National Cookie Cutter Historical Museum. It is in Joplin, Missouri.

When to Use Cookie Cutters

While we most often think about cookie cutters around the year-end holidays, you can make cutout cookies any day of the year. You can make them for any event, too. Or, make them for no occasion at all!

Here are some of the most common occasions to make them:

Christmas and Hannukah, of course!
Halloween
Thanksgiving
Easter
Valentine’s Day
Superbowl
Baby showers
Birthday parties.

Uses for Cookie Cutters

Cookie cutters have all sorts of uses. It’s only limited by your imagination. Here are some ways they are commonly used:

Making cutout cookies
Craft projects
Shaping peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for kids.
Stenciling
Stocking stuffers.
Holiday gifts
Pancakes
French toast
Edible decorations
Ornaments for the Christmas tree.
And, here’s a novel use: Use the cookie cutters to decorate the Festivus tree! See Festivus.

How to Celebrate National Cookie Cutter Day

It’s a lot of fun to celebrate and participate in National Cookie Cutter Day. Here are some ideas:

Bake cutout cookies.
Next, decorate them.
Then, eat some of the cookies with a glass of milk. This is the best part of celebrating this holiday.
Buy new cookie cutters and use them today.
Use them to make holiday crafts.
Use them to cut out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the kids. Use them to shape your sandwich, too!
Trade them among friends.
Give a box of cut-out cookies as a holiday gift.
They are great as a stocking stuffer.
If you are too busy with holiday activities, buy some cut-out cookies.
Bring some of the cookies to work to share with your co-workers.

. Ps Don’t forget to save a few of the cookies to leave for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.

Today's Quote

“I’m so glad I’m not a dentist. How many times does someone say, ‘Oh, Doc, it felt so good when you were drilling my teeth’? Never. But when you give someone a wonderful cookie, you put a little of yourself in, and you see someone’s face light up – that’s immediate approval.” – – Paula Deen

History and Origin of National Cookie Cutter Day

While cookie cutters have been in use since ancient times, this holiday is quite recent. In 1996, National Cookie Cutter Week was created by Paula Mullins from Kentucky. Then in 2019, this avid cookie baker founded National Cookie Cutter Day. The date for this holiday at the start of December is perfect. Certainly, you can make cutout cookies any time of the year, and for any event. But, most people make them during the holiday season which has just begun.

We found no congressional records or presidential proclamation creating this day as a national day.

Definition of “National” Days and why it is so important to distinguish nationally declared days.

Related Holidays

People who like this holiday will also like:

Bake Cookies Day

National Cookie Day

National Homemade Cookies Day

More December 1 Holidays

Here are more December 1 holidays we’re sure you will enjoy:

Eat a Red Apple Day

World Aids Awareness Day

More About Today

This Day in History

Famous November Birthdays

Recipe of the Day: May we suggest: Apple Sauce

Also See: Holiday Recipes and Pumpkin Recipes Galore

Ecards Send a free Ecard daily for just about any December calendar holiday, occasion, observance, or event. Or, just for the fun of it!

Holiday Insights, where every day in December is a holiday, a bizarre or wacky day, an observance, or a special event. Join us in the daily calendar fun each and every day of the year.

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Moreholidays December White Elephant Wednesday

White Elephant Wednesday

About White Elephant Wednesday

When is White Elephant Day? This holiday is observed on the second Wednesday in December

Take a break from all of your holiday shopping and have some fun. One of the fun things to do during the season is have a holiday party. Join in on the holiday cheer of Christmas parties. Today is White Elephant Day. It’s one of the most enjoyable holidays of this joyous season. On this holiday, small groups get together for a holiday party and exchange gifts while playing the White Elephant game. These gifts are items of some value (not junk) that you no longer want but may be of some value to another person. As you decide what gift you want to contribute to the game, look for things that might evoke laughter when opened. It is also important that all partygoers know how to play the white elephant game before they decide what gift to bring.

Importantly, if your Christmas or Hannukah party is not on White Elephant Wednesday, you should still play the white elephant game at your party. It’s a laugh and a half to play.

This holiday is similar to, but different than National Regifting Day. On National Regifting Day, new, unused items are wrapped and regifted. And, it’s not associated with a party or a game.

Other names for white elephant gifting: Dirty Santa, Thieves’ Christmas, and Yankee Swap.

Did You Know? In Southeast Asia, a rare albino elephant is sacred and a sign of peace and prosperity.

The Roots of White Elephant Day

People have been passing off unwanted items as gifts for a couple hundred years. The tradition of giving white elephant gifts goes back to 1828! Then, in 1907, a well-to-do society woman in Columbus, Ohio held a White Elephant party, and a new tradition took off. Youth, especially teens, and adults like this often-hilarious gift exchange. We do find that young children have trouble understanding the concept of the game.

You can exchange gifts in a group setting, or just between two people. We find it’s the most fun with small groups. Today, these parties are held all over the world. White Elephant party games are often a part of Christmas and Hannukah parties. They are held at office and work parties, scout meetings, and youth group meetings, to name a few. While most often this game is played during the holidays, you can play it with any group at any time of the year. Try playing it at a birthday party.

How to Celebrate White Elephant Day

Without a doubt, you and your friends are going to have a lot of fun celebrating this holiday. Participating is easy. Here’s how:

Invite family, friends, neighbors, or co-workers to a party. The location of the party is irrelevant.
Tell them in advance to bring a white elephant gift. If they are unfamiliar with what it is, explain it to them.
Play the game sometime during the party.
Have fun!

How to Play the White Elephant Game

White Elephant game rules are simple and basic. Here’s how to play the White Elephant game. Feel free to alter the rules as you see fit.

Each partygoer brings a wrapped gift.
The gifts can be virtually anything, new or old. However, it should be something that can be perceived to have value to someone. An ugly lamp or sweater is perfect. But, don’t wrap up something useless like dirty socks with holes in them, or a broken platter. Something with a little wear and tear is okay.
Place the gifts in a pile and put chairs in a circle around them.
Explain the rules clearly before the game begins.
Use a deck of cards to determine who picks a gift first.
The first player picks a gift from the pile and opens it.
The next player can select an unopened gift from the pile or steal an already opened gift.
A player can only have one gift stolen. Note: Many people vary this rule.
The game ends when everyone has a gift.

Today's Chuckle

“One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got into my pajamas I’ll never know.” – – Groucho Marx

History and Origin of White Elephant Day

Bob Matthews from Rochester, NY created White Elephant Wednesday in 2023. The objective of this holiday is to enjoy a little holiday cheer by giving and receiving laugh-inducing gifts. Trading these gifts is best enjoyed by playing the game in a small group setting. Matthews has played this game many times and says it’s “always a blast”.

This game is most often played at holiday parties. So, the date selected is early in the time period where these parties are held. This is an annual event.

Related Holidays

People who like White Elephant Wednesday will also like:

National Fruitcake Day – Fruitcake is a great gift for the White Elephant game.
National Regifting Day
Ugly Sweater Day – It’s a great item to wrap up on White Elephant Wednesday.

More About Today

This Day in History

Famous November Birthdays

Recipe of the Day: Gumdrop Cookies

Holiday Insights, where every day in December is a holiday, a bizarre or wacky day, an observance, or a special event. Join us in the daily calendar fun each and every day of the year.

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Moreholidays December Regifting Day

National Regifting Day

About National Re-Gifting Day

When is National Regifting Day? This holiday is observed on the third Thursday in December

Have you received an early Christmas gift? By now, many of us have. Is it something you don’t want or don’t like? Then, National Regifting Day is perfect for you. You’re going to have a lot of fun on Re-Gifting Day. On this holiday, it’s perfectly okay to get rid of that ugly sweater you just received. If you don’t like the fruitcake someone gave you as a holiday present, don’t throw it away. Regift it today. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So, you never know, that ugly sweater you regift today might be beautiful and cherished by its new recipient.

Regifting has gone on for a long time. Over the years, it has become acceptable as long as the new recipient does not know it is a regifted item. Unlike white elephant gifts, which can be virtually anything old or new, a regifted item must be new and unused. And, it needs to be in the manufacturer’s original packaging.

Today’s Slogan: One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure.

The Roots of National Re-Gifting Day

The roots of this holiday go back to office parties in the 1980s. Often the parties included a “White Elephant” game. Co-workers wrapped up something they did not want and played a game of giving away the white elephant gift to each other. White elephant gifts can be new or used. And, the gift could be worth something, or useless.

Eventually, the idea of rewrapping new, unused presents you don’t want and giving them to someone else caught on. The popularity of regifting took off as a result of a Seinfeld sitcom episode in 1995 titled “The Label Maker”. In this hilarious episode, the Seinfeld characters wrapped an unwanted label maker and gave it to one another. As a result, the popularity of regifting became wildly popular. And importantly, regifting became acceptable.

Basic Rules for Regifting Presents

There are few rules. And, they are simple.

The item must be new.
The item must be unused. For example, if Grandma gave you a store-bought ugly sweater and you haven’t worn it, you can regift it and give it to some “lucky” person.
Do not tell the person who originally sent it to you. They will be offended.
Do not tell the receiver of the regifted item. They will also be offended.
If you receive a gift, you suspect is re-gifted accept it and say “thanks.
It is rude to refuse to accept it. And, it is offensive to regift it and give it right back.
However, you can regift it and give it to someone else.
It is okay to snicker and chuckle as you re-wrap the gift. Just don’t let anyone see you do it.

How to Celebrate National Regifting Day

Participating in National Regifting Day is simple. When you receive a gift you don’t want, re-wrap it and give it to someone else. It must be a new, unused item.

The only problem with celebrating this holiday is you may not have received any gifts yet, especially one you do not like. We won’t tell if you re-gift something you’ve had for a while. However, remember, it must be new and unused.

Did You Know? Some of the most commonly regifted items include candles, wine and alcohol, fruitcake, gift baskets, and bath soaps and gels.

Today's Quote

“Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.” – – Buddha

History and Origin of National Regifting Day

On October 24, 2008, the Colorado state government officially declared National Re-gifting Day. The holiday was first celebrated later that December.

One could argue that it was a state government that declared this a national day, so it is not a true national holiday. In our opinon, it is certainly close enough.

Definition of “National” Days – And why it is important to distinguish true national days.

Related Holidays

People who like this holiday will also like:

National Fruitcake Day

Ugly Sweater Day – It’s a great item to wrap up on National Regifting Day. However, it must be new and unsed to qualify.

White Elephant Day

More About Today

This Day in History

Famous November Birthdays

Recipe of the Day: Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies

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Moreholidays December App Day

National App Day

About National App Day

When is National App Day? This holiday is always observed on December 11

Without a doubt, mobile devices and the apps we put on them have changed our lives. And, it has certainly changed things for the better. We use them for fun, gaming, shopping, education, business, and just about anything imaginable. So, it’s only fitting that we have a National App Day to celebrate them. This December 11 holiday exists to promote their use and the culture it creates. The holiday also promotes creative technical innovation. It’s a holiday we all can celebrate and enjoy. While most of us are users, there are plenty of software professionals who are celebrating their field of expertise today.

Looking for something to make your life easier or more fun? “There’s an App for that”. From humble beginnings just a couple of decades ago, there are now literally millions of Apps. With so many of them available, you’d think there’s nothing new to create. Yet, many new Apps become available every day. Perhaps you will create the next revolutionary App!?

What does "APP" Stand for?

We all lovingly to refer to a software program that we download onto a mobile device or tablet as an “App” which is short for “Application”. But, did you know that “app” is an abbreviation for dozens, if not hundreds of terms? Americans are addicted to creating and using abbreviations and anachronyms. Many of them, you’ve never heard of. Restaurants feature appetizers that are referred to as “Apps”. As a result, we can become occasionally confused as to which “App” we are talking about. Here are a few of the many others:

Approximate
Accessible Parking Permit
Airport Planning & Programming
Army Procurement Procedures
Application Portable Profile
Ashbury Park Press
Average Physical Product
Assistant Public Prosecutor
Average Purchase Price

App Trivia

What do you know about Apps? Although we use them on a daily basis, most of us simply download them without giving a thought to how the app itself is created or the software that makes it work. Many of us know little about them, except that we couldn’t imagine life without them. So, here’s some App Trivia to make you one of the most informed users:

Apps are primarily for mobile phones and tablets.
There are an estimated 6.3 billion mobile phone users worldwide.
There are an estimated 1.14 billion tablet users worldwide.
There were 230 billion App downloads in 2019.
In 1983, Steve Jobs conceived the idea of the “App Store”. He was a wise prognosticator, as there weren’t enough apps to create the store until 14 years later.
In 1984, the British Psion Company launched the Psion Organizer. It is the first personal digital assistant (PDA) device.
In 1997, the first app, called “Snake” became available for mobile phones.
The Apple App Store premiered on July 10, 2008. It begins with 500 apps.
Oxford declares “App” the 2010 Word of the Year.
The Google Play Store has over 2.8 million apps.
The Apple Store has over 1.96 million apps.
88% of the time we spend on our mobile devices is spent on apps.
The average user has 40 apps. But, we spend most of our time on just a few of them.

How to Celebrate App Day

Here are some fun things to do during this holiday

First, spend the day using the apps currently on your phone.
By all means, search for new apps today.
Download new apps.
Count the number of Apps you have on your mobile devices. You’ll probably be surprised.
Share your favorite App on social media. Let your friends know where you got them.
If you are a software developer or programmer, create a new App.

Today's Chuckle

“Some days I amaze myself. Other days, I look for my phone while holding it.” – – Author Unknown

History and Origin of App Day

National App Day was created in 2017 by Christopher John (C.J.) Thompson. He is the founder of the mobile marketing agency Platinum Edge Media.

Obviously, the objective of this holiday is to celebrate and promote the creation and use of Apps.

We found no congressional records or presidential proclamations proclaiming this to be a true “National” day.

Definition of “National” Days – And why it is important to distinguish true national days.

This Day in History

In addition to today’s holiday, many other things happened on this day. Accordingly, here are some of them:

Miles Standish and a group of 18 settlers are attacked by 30 Indians. It became known as “The First Encounter”. (1620)
In his 61st and last boxing fight, Mohammad Ali loses to Trevor Berbick in a unanimous decision after 10 rounds. (1981)
Novelist Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was born on this day in 1918.

See more historical events.

More December 11 Holidays

Besides National App Day, here is another December 11 holiday you will enjoy:

National Noodle Ring Day

More About Today

This Day in History

Famous November Birthdays

Recipe of the Day: Easy Noodle Ring Recipe

Ecards Send a free Ecard daily for just about any December calendar holiday, occasion, observance, or event. Or, just for the fun of it!

Holiday Insights, where every day in December is a holiday, a bizarre or wacky day, an observance, or a special event. Join us in the daily calendar fun each and every day of the year.

Did You Know? Furthermore, in addition to National App Day, there are literally thousands of daily holidays, special events, and observances, more than one for every day of the year. and many of these holidays are new. People and organizations are creating new holidays regularly. December holidays are no exception. Consequently., at Holiday Insights, we take great efforts to thoroughly research and document the details of each one, as completely and accurately as possible.

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Moreholidays December Llama Day

National Llama Day

About National Llama Day

When is National Llama? This special day is always observed on December 9

Many people describe Llamas as mystical and magical creatures. Others see them as cute and fuzzy farm animals or pets. Yes, that’s right. You can have one as a pet. Or, you can keep a Llama as a therapy animal. And, they are a common attraction at zoos around the world. Wherever you see them, you quickly become enamored with this lovable creature. Today is National Llama Day. It is sometimes called Llama Appreciation Day. Appropriately on this December 12 holiday, we celebrate them and spend time appreciating adorable llamas.

Today is a perfect time to visit your local zoo to see them. They make good animals in petting zoos, too. But, don’t irritate them as they are known to spit. If you can’t get to see them live today, spend some time learning more about them. And, pull up pictures of them on the internet.

About Llamas

Llamas are members of the Camelid family. They are related to camels. As a camelid, they are more able to survive droughts than most other animals. Adults grow up to six feet tall. When mature, they weigh 400-500 pounds. Their close cousin, the Alpaca, looks very similar, only smaller. Alpacas are also domestic. Both Llamas and Alpacas are native to South America.

Existing Llamas are native to the Andes Mountains of Peru and Bolivia in South America. They once roamed North America. But, they died off during the Ice Age. Today, most wild herds live in their native South America.

Many thousands of years ago, natives in South America hunted them for food and clothing. Originally, they were found high in the Andes mountains at elevations of 13,000 to 14,500 feet. Llamas were domesticated over 6,000 years ago. Ancient Incans brought them down from the mountains and raised them for a variety of reasons. Notably,this beast of burden is a great pack animal.

Today, most Llamas that live in the wild, are in South America. In South America, domestic Llamas are pack animals and farm animals where they are grown for meat and wool. However, many countries imported them, primarily in the Americas and Europe.

How Llamas are Used

Llamas are used for many purposes. Here are some of them:

As previously mentioned, they are excellent pack animals.
They have fed people for many thousands of years.
Clothing is made from Llama wool.
You can even make string from the wool.
Their excrement is a source of fuel.
Llamas make great guards for livestock, most notably sheep. 78% of domesticated llamas guard livestock.
Llamas are found in many petting zoos.
Some people keep them as pets.
Llamas are also used as therapy animals.

Population of Llamas Around the World

There are an estimated 7 million Llamas and Alpacas around the world in the world and zoos. About 5 million are Llamas. The population goes up and down with changes in people’s attitude towards them. Years ago, they were an investment. Their numbers went up and down with their popularity. People spent big money to get them. People bought them simply to keep as pets. Then, as interest in them dropped, so did prices. Today, you can buy a Llama to guard your livestock for under $600. Accordingly, with the drop in demand, their population dropped off, too.

Here are some of the estimated Llama populations in select countries:

Peru: 750,000

United States of America: 165,000

Argentina: 75,000

Chili: 70,000

Germany: 15,000

Canada: 6,000

United Kingdom: 5,000

New Zealand: 1,500

Did You Know? In 1986, a single Llama was auctioned off in Salem, Oregon for $220,000. It remains a world record.

How to Celebrate National Llama Day

Here are some ways to celebrate National Llama Day:

Go to a zoo or Llama farm to see them. Take your kids, niece, or nephew with you.
Go to a petting zoo that has one. Feel how soft the wool is.
Learn more about them.
Teachers can have the class draw them in art class.
Be creative. Make llama cookies. Take cookie dough and shape it like a llama. Then, decorate it with decorative sugars and candies.

Today's Quote

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” – – Dalai Lama

History and Origin of National Llama Day

This holiday originated in Manitoba, Canada in 1932. That year there was a drought and many domesticated animals died. However, the hardy Llama survived that dreadful summer. This led to the creation of Llama Day. Canada celebrates this holiday from sunup to sundown.

Our research showed this holiday spread to the United States. And in the U.S. is it called National Llama Day. We did not find any documentation of why the word “National” was added to the title. And we found no U.S. congressional records or presidential proclamation about this special day.

Definition of “National” Days – and why it is important to distinguish true National days.

More December 9 Holidays

Here are more December 9 holidays we’re sure you will enjoy:

Christmas Card Day

National Pastry Day

More About Today

This Day in History

Famous December Birthdays

Recipe of the Day: May we suggest: Candy Cane Cookies

Also See: Holiday Recipes and Pumpkin Recipes Galore

Ecards Send a free Ecard daily for just about any December calendar holiday, occasion, observance, or event. Or, just for the fun of it!

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Moreholidays December Lard Day

National Lard Day

About National Lard Day

When is National Lard Day? This special day is always observed on December 8

Today is not just a day for Fat Cats. It’s a day everyone can enjoy, except Jack Sprat of course. Today is National Lard Day, perhaps the fattest day of the year. The Healthy Fats Coalition created this day to promote the benefits and versatility of lard. They seek to improve the bad reputation of this animal fat. On this December 8 holiday, we are encouraged to eat foods that either have lard in them or are made with lard. Fortunately for you, there are thousands of recipes on the internet with lard as one of the ingredients.

Lard is not all bad. It enhances the flavor of many foods. Over the years, its popularity has ebbed and flowed with every article written about it, especially when referencing its impact on your health. But, before you go off to get your fill of lard, let’s understand what lard is. It is the rendered fat of pigs. It is high in mono-saturated fats and saturated fats. However, it is certainly better than trans fats. And, it has benefits in the kitchen. Lard makes pie crust flakier. It makes cookies and other baked goods softer. Lard is added to deer meat and the meat of other livestock to make it lighter and juicier. And, many people say it makes food taste better. And, it has uses outside of the kitchen, too. Read on…..

Did You Know? Lard has less fat than butter.

How to Celebrate National Lard Day

Forget your low-fat diet for a day. Here are some ideas on how you can enjoy National Lard Day:

Look up recipes on the internet or in your cookbook.
Cook things that include it in the ingredients.
Eat things that contain it.
Fry or sauté foods in it. Fried chicken anyone!?
Share a recipe that uses it with others.
Season cast iron pans with it.
Make an inexpensive candle with it.
Use it to soothe burns.
Use it as a lubricant. Try it on squeaky hinges or wheels.

Today's Quotes

“It’s simple, if it jiggles, it’s fat.” – – Arnold Schwarzenegger

“Pasta doesn’t make you fat. How much pasta you eat makes you fat.” – – Giada de Laurentis

History and Origin of National Lard Day

In 2018, the Healthy Fats Coalition created National Healthy Fats Day. This soon Led to the creation of National Lard Day. The coalition created it to show that lard belongs in the kitchen, and to educate people that it is a better alternative than trans fats.

We found no congressional records or presidential proclamation about this special day. We do not believe the fat cats in Washington greased the political wheels to enact legislation making this a national day.

Definition of “National” Days – and why it is important to distinguish true National days.

More December 8 Holidays

Here are more December 8 holidays we’re sure you will enjoy:

National Brownie Day

Take it in the Ear Day

More About Today

This Day in History

Famous November Birthdays

Recipe of the Day: May we suggest: Susan’s Chocolate Brownies

Also See: Holiday Recipes

Ecards Send a free Ecard daily for just about any December calendar holiday, occasion, observance, or event. Or, just for the fun of it!

Holiday Insights, where every day in December is a holiday, a bizarre or wacky day, an observance, or a special event. Join us in the daily calendar fun each and every day of the year.

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