Dyngus Day, also spelled Dingus Day, is a fun Polish holiday. It is very popular in Poland, as well as in Polish communities across America. After the long Lenten holiday, holiday is a day of fun. And, Dyngus Day traditions include a little romantic fun. It is always celebrated on the Monday after Easter.

The Irish traditions and celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day are well known. For those of Polish descent, Dyngus Day is a similar day of fun, parades, drinking, and festivities. You do not have to be Polish to enjoy this holiday. Rather, consider yourself Polish for the day, and join in on the fun. After all, everyone is a little bit Polish on Dyngus Day. And, you’ll be glad you participated in this fun holiday. 

Today’s Quote: “If there hadn’t been women, we’d still be squatting in a cave eating raw meat, because we made civilization to impress our girlfriends.” – – Orson Welles

Great news! You don’t have to wait until Halloween to dress up your pet. National Dress Up Your Pet Day, a January 14 holiday, gives you the opportunity to …. you guessed it……dress up your pet! It’s going to be a fun-filled day.

Some pets like to get dressed up. Others want nothing to do with it. However, one thing is for certain, pet owners love to dress their pets up in all sorts of attire. This day is an opportunity to really dress up your pet(s). Make something for them to wear.  Or, go to a pet store and buy an outfit. It’s winter, so something warm is best.

Sorry, we don’t have any ideas on how to dress up goldfish.

Make Your Dream Come to True Day, a January 13 holiday, allows you to do something to realize your goals and dreams. Whatever your dreams are, they usually don’t come true without some effort on your part. If that were the case, then this day would be called Dreams Come True Day. So, today is the perfect opportunity get off the sofa, and do something about it. Then, you will be on cloud nine!

Dreams are powerful. They motivate us to attain our goals and aspirations. On this dreamy day do something, anything, to move in the direction of achieving your dreams. Sure, sometimes it takes several steps to accomplish them. So, view today as a time to get started on them. With a little effort, they will come true!

  Favorite Song of Dreamers: Somewhere over the Rainbow and If I had a Million Dollars.

Famous Speech: I Have a Dream speech by Martin Luther King Jr.

Today is Canadian Dominion Day, also simply called “Canada Day”. This July 1 holiday is the birthday of Canada, our northern neighbor, and the second largest country in the world. In 1867, the confederation of Upper and Lower Canada and some Maritime Provinces joined the Dominion of Canada.

Canada Day is a celebration of Canadian nationalism, heritage, and pride. The country became self-governing on July 1st, 1867, with the passage of the British North America Act (BNA Act) in the British Parliament. The holiday was originally known as Dominion Day. ON October 27, 1862, the Canadian Parliament changed it to Canada Day.

Did you know? The U.S. and Canada share the largest un-defended border in the world.

Wow, it’s sure hot and muggy. The thermometer’s edging toward triple digits.  That’s because we’re in the Dog Days of Summer, the hottest, muggiest days of the year. As the song goes “roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer”.  If you are feeling the effects of hot, muggy, sultry, “weather that you can wear”, you can be certain that you are in the Dog Days of Summer. It is also a period of drought and occasional strong thunderstorms. 

By definition, the Dog Days Summer are the hottest and steamiest part of summer. Typically, this is the period when Sirius, the Dog Star, rises at the same time as the Sun, from July 3 -August 11.

Whatever your favorite pastime for the Dog Days of Summer, we do not believe it should be spent indoors all day long, in air conditioned comfort. Rather, get out and enjoy the hot weather while it is here. After all, the days are already growing shorter, and you know what that ultimately leads to……

National Make a Difference Day began in 1992. This is a national day is for devoted to helping others by doing volunteer work in the community. The activity can be almost anything. On this day, millions of Americans participate in community improvement projects. Activities can take almost any form: cleanup, fix-up, painting, and repair in poorer neighborhoods, parks, and municipal facilities. It doesn’t matter what project you take on. Nor, does it matter whether you help a non-profit organization, the community, your town, a nursing home, a church, a food kitchen, or any other group in need. What matters is that you participate.

Commit to helping others for just one day. Make a difference today and every day!

On Make a Difference Day during his later years, ex-President Jimmie Carter gets out his hammer and saw. Then, he helps to build or rebuild housing in underprivileged areas. There is no better example of people helping others than this!

Strength,  stern disciplinarian, sage advice. We must be talking about Dad. Dad always has those wise sayings and quotes. He has words of wisdom, things that teach you about life, values, and family. You know, the ones that contained a hidden message or pushed you to succeed at a difficult task, or towards a higher level of performance at something. And, don’t forget the subtle and not so subtle guidance and direction his words offer. We call these words of wisdom “Dadisms”. And, we are sharing Dad-isms here. Certainly, they will bring back fond memories of Dad.

It’s cold outside. Fortunately, Cuddle Up Day has arrived to warm us up. On this January 6 holiday, we take time out of our busy schedules to snuggle up to someone on a cold winter’s day or night. Chances are it’s cold outside. So, cozy up to a special someone, and enjoy the warmth and love. This day is enjoyed by both young and old. A warm blanket is a great accessory.

This day is a great opportunity to:

… cuddle with your cutie

… snuggle with your sweetie

… hug your honey

Of course, it doesn’t have to be with a person. It might be ……

• Cuddling up in your easy chair is a great idea.
•  Snuggling with your pet is rewarding.
• A stuffed animal is an excellent choice. It’s quite secure and comforting.
• Cozy up with a good book is enjoyable.
• Cozying up by the fireside is always a pleasant experience.
• But, nothing beats cuddling up with a special someone.

Today is Cosmonaut Day. This April 12 holiday is also called the International Day of Human Space Flight.

Space flight began with unmanned flights. Like any new technology, it was a learning process. Like any new process, things can go wrong, and things did go wrong.  Once rocket science improved and became safer, monkeys were launched into space, to test the safety of space travel and how it might affect humans. Finally, a human being was launched into space. Russian astronaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space on April 12, 1961, aboard Vostok 1. He spent 108 minutes in space, orbiting the planet once. This flight marked the beginning of the space race between the USSR and the U.S. While Russia (then the USSR) put the first man in space, the United States went on to be the first to put a man on the moon. Gagarin’s space flight was the catalyst to create Cosmonaut Day.

Fifty years after that momentous space flight, the 65th Session of the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed this day to be “International Day of Human Space Flight“, to mark the beginning of space flight by humans. Resolution # A/RES/65/271 stressed the importance of human space flight to science and technology. While this event started as a Russian celebration of a major Russian accomplishment, it is truly a celebration for all mankind to savor.

 This day is also called the International Day of Human Space Flight. This title seems much more appropriate, as it is far more inclusive. 

Today is Constitution Day, a September 17 holiday. The Continental Congress of the United States of America was tasked by representatives of the 13 colonies with coming up with a U.S. constitution for our fledging, newly formed country. The congress held its final meeting on September 17, 1787. Do you have any idea why? That’s right! It was to sign the Constitution of the United States of America, a document for which they so painstakingly labored to create and perfect.

In the first early years of the republic, it was recognized that more laws and a series of declared rights were needed in addition to the original constitution. Subsequently, the Bill of Rights and the first ten Amendments were adopted on December 15, 1791.

After the meeting, there was still much to do. Individual states then had to meet and vote on it. The U.S. Constitution did not go into effect until two years later on March 4, 1789.