Cartoons brighten up and lighten up our lives. So, it is only fitting that today is Cartoonist Day, a May 5 holiday.  Today we celebrate past, present, and future cartoonists. We are all indebted to them for making our lives happier and more light-hearted.

From Sponge Bob Squarepants to Bart Simpson and Mickey Mouse, cartoons make us smile. They make us feel good. Most cartoons are intended to be funny. Others are designed for an almost endless number of reasons. Some cartoons are designed to send a message of some kind. On occasion, they are serious, political, instructional, or promotional. Of the many types of cartoons, absent are sad or sorrowful ones. That would run counter to the reason cartoons exist.

 Cartoon characters can be found in practically all media. They are on television, in newspaper and magazine comic strips, or in the “Funny Papers”. Peanuts, Dennis the Menace, Beetle Bailey, Betty Boop, and so many more cartoon characters got their start in printed media. Comic books abound with cartoon characters. Cartoon characters have been on both daytime and nighttime television since the days of black and white TV. Cartoon characters grace the big screen, too. Disney’s Mickey Mouse first appeared in the movie “Steamboat Willie” on November 18, 1928. More recent examples include Shrek, Aladdin, Nemo, and Dora the Explorer. Cartoon characters are used everywhere in advertising, too. Characters like the Trix Bunny and Captain Crunch adorn many cereal boxes. A well-recognized gecko and duck, each sell insurance on television. 

The First Cartoon Character:  In 1895, Richard F. Outcault introduced the “Yellow Kid”, the first cartoon character. He appeared in publisher Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World, running from 1895 to 1898. This bald kid in a yellow nightshirt later ran in William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal.

National Candied Orange Peel Day is dedicated to…you guessed it…. candied orange peels! This May 4 holiday celebrates a food we seldom eat. 

Now, just what the heck is a candied orange peel? And, is it edible? Yes, it’s edible. If you are a chef or a baker, then you know just what it is, and how to use it. They use it in fancy desserts. For the rest of us, we likely have enjoyed it in seasonal baked goods all of our lives, without even knowing we have eaten it. Or perhaps, it was in a cocktail we consumed.

Candied orange peels are a boiled, sliced, sugar-added treat. You can eat them by yourself. But most often, they are used in holiday cookies, snacks, and fruitcakes.

Also see National Fruitcake Day and  Fruitcake Toss Day. Fruitcakes contain a lot of candied orange peel.

Brothers and Sisters Day is a May 2 holiday. It is a day to cherish your siblings. Sure, there are times when you love your brothers and sisters. Sibling rivalries often get in the way And, there are times when you want to disown them. However, having a brother and/or a sister or two is invaluable. The older you get, the more you learn to appreciate and need them.

Celebrate Brothers and Sisters Day by touching them in some way.  A card or a phone call is appropriate for those who are separated by too many miles. A visit, or sharing a meal, is a great way to enjoy this special day.  

Boys and Girls Club Day, a May 19 holiday, celebrates the invaluable Boy’s Clubs and Girl’s Clubs around the country. There are clubs all over America providing safe recreational activities for our youth. They teach values, morals, and citizenship. Clubs teach a variety of life skills. They help to keep kids out of trouble and off of the street. And, the clubs’ leaders are the perfect role models that so many children and especially teens are lacking in their life.

Today is a day to recognize the importance of these groups for our children and to the community. With more and more parents at work, and broken families, these groups take on added importance.

Birth Mothers Day recognizes the biological mothers of adopted children. It is celebrated primarily by mothers who for whatever reason, gave up their child for adoption. This decision is often made with great pain. Usually, a birth mother gives up her child in a selfless manner to allow her child to have a better life. 

If ever there was a controversial holiday (let’s call it a special day), this is it. Birth mothers use this day to educate, to remember, and to cope. But, many mothers who gave up their children have feelings of remorse, and often guilt. Many don’t want a special day. And, of those mothers who want to be remembered, they don’t necessarily want a special day, aside from Mother’s Day. They feel they should remember, and be remembered, on Mother’s Day. 

From the child’s perspective, adopted children understandably have a high level of anxiety over this topic. A fair number of them don’t want a relationship with their birth mother, adding more controversy to this day.

National Bike to Work Day is today. This is a fantastic opportunity to get some exercise and save a little gas, along with less wear and tear on your automobile. Once you commit to biking to work today, you will discover how enjoyable it is. Hopefully, it encourages you to form a new habit and cycle to work any day when the weather is good.

Here is what National Bike to Work Day is all about. This information is straight from the League of American Bicyclists:

National Bike Month was started by the League in 1956. The event was timed to coincide with the arrival of warmer weather. It has inspired countless bike rides, safety inspections, commuter challenges, ribbon-cuttings, “share the road” promotions and other varied celebrations of bicycling in communities across the nation.

One of the most popular activities in Bike Month is encouraging people to bicycle to work and forsake their motor vehicles for just one day. Bike to Work Week is the third week in May, and the third Friday in May is designated as National Bike to Work Day.

The League was founded as the League of American Wheelmen in 1880. Bicyclists, known then as “wheelmen”, were challenged by rutted roads of gravel and dirt and faced antagonism from horsemen, wagon drivers, and pedestrians.

National Bike Month is in May. That makes the first Wednesday in May, the perfect time to ride your bike to school. The sunny spring weather is perfect for a ride. Yessiree, Bike to School Day couldn’t be at a better time. Biking is relaxing. Biking is fun. And, biking is a healthy exercise. The League of American Bicyclists and schools around the country work together to encourage students to skip the bus ride, and bike to school for both exercise and fun. In today’s digital electronic world, most kids in America can use exercise and time away from their ipads and cell phones. Encouraging today’s youth to ride a bike, can lead to a lifelong addiction to cycling. And, that’s a good addiction. It also leads to healthier adults.  

The first Bike to School Day was held in 2012 with approximately 1,000 schools participating. It has quickly grown, and now thousands of schools take part in this special day. In addition to promoting health and exercise through biking, the promoters are also seeking to assure safe baking routes to and from schools.

Participate in this day, by riding your bike to school, if possible. It is recognized that not all schools are located where the route to school has sidewalks, and roads that are safe to ride on. If you can’t ride your bike to school, perhaps you can walk. For those who are no longer in school, ride your bike to work, the gym, or the store. In other words, get your bike out of the garage and get some healthy and enjoyable exercise.

Beverage Day is today. This May 6 holiday encourages us to kick back with our favorite beverage and enjoy the day. Most likely, that means enjoying a drink or two with that special person, your bestie, or a group of friends. The term “beverage” is broadly defined. So, we’re talking about celebrating all beverages today, alcoholic and non-alcoholic.  

Beverage Day should be a day of pleasure and relaxation.  Grab a bottle, can, glass, or six-pack of your favorite beverage. Sit down in a comfortable chair….. indoors or out. Slowly sip and savor your drink. Life is good!

BE BOLD! Take advantage of Beverage Day to try a beverage that you have never had before.

Be a Millionaire Day is a day everyone wants to enjoy. Some people are born into it or inherit a fortune. Meanwhile, others work hard and gain their fortune through hard work and long hours. And, there’s always the lucky few who fall into it by way of the lottery. If you are not there yet, use this May 20 holiday as a stepping stone toward joining the club. Doesn’t everyone want to be a member of the millionaire club!?

There are 22 million millionaires in the U.S. and over 62.5 million worldwide. Thanks to inflation, a million bucks isn’t what it used to be. But, it is still a lot of money. I have no doubt everyone reading this would like to join the Millionaire’s Club. Then, after reaching it, you can work on your qualifications for the Billionaire’s Club.

Theme Song for Today: “I Wanna be Rich” by Calloway

Favorite Television Shows: The Millionaire (1955 – 1960) and ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

Baby Day celebrates babies! At least we think it does. This May 2 holiday is recorded in countless internet websites and especially Ecard companies. But, we found no content or information to define what this special day is truly about or why it exists. Logic tells us that it’s a day to enjoy and care for young infants. And, it gives us the opportunity to celebrate the miracle of birth and life.

Parents, especially new parents, can celebrate this day by spending extra time with your infant. (Doesn’t a baby already consume all of your time day and nigh.!?) After all, they will be babies for an all too short time. Also, learn more about how to care for them.

For young couples who have yet to have children, maybe today is a day to do something special so you will be able to enjoy Baby Day next year. Now that sounds like fun.

Did you Know? The movie Baby Day aired in 1913. It was a black and white silent movie.