Goddess of Fertility Day is today, a March 18 holiday. It celebrates Venus, Aphrodite, and other gods and goddesses of fertility. In ancient times, most cultures had multiple immortal deities. Each one represented various aspects of life. The ancient Greek goddess Venus was by far the most well-known goddess of fertility. People would pray and make offerings to her when seeking to create a family.

If you are looking to procreate, today might be a perfect time. However, if you are looking to avoid the unexpected pitter-patter of little feet, one might suggest today is a day of abstinence.

Girl Scout Day recognizes and celebrates the Girls Scouts of the USA (GSUSA). This March 12 holiday celebrates the creation of the first Girl Scout group on March 12, 1912. Lady Olave Baden-Powell founded Girl Guides. She is the wife of Lord Baden-Powell (who created the Boy Scouts). She was born on February 22, 1889.

On March 12, 1912, Juliette Gordon Low started the first Girl Scout group in Savannah Georgia with 18 girls. They went on to become a national organization and were chartered by the U.S. Congress on March 16, 1950. Today, there are millions of girls involved with Girl Scouts. While membership dwindled over the past few decades, leaders have modernized the program. They no longer focus on teaching the girls good homemaker skills. Their focus now is on offering opportunities to excel and be leaders in the modern world.  

Are you a cookie monster? Americans eagerly await the annual Girls Scout cookie drive. It teaches the girls valuable skills and generates income to support girl scouting activities. And, you get to munch on a variety of delicious cookies. Most people buy several boxes.

Giant Panda Day is today. The Giant Panda Bear is one of the cutest, most adorable, and most loved animal on the planet. It’s a favorite stuffed animal of many kids and more than a few adults. So, it makes perfect sense that this special March 16 holiday exists in their honor.

The Giant Panda Bear is an endangered species. It is estimated that there are about 3,000 in existence in the wild. In addition, there are approximately 600 giant pandas in zoos and breeding facilities around the world. These lovable creatures are sometimes referred to as “beasts”. They are the symbol of the International World Wildlife Federation.

Did You Know? “Giant” was added to the name panda bear, to distinguish it from its cousin, the Red Panda. But, they are not related. Giant pandas are members of the bear (Ursidae) family, while red pandas are the only members of the “ailuridae” family.

The black and white giant panda bear is one of the most lovable of all animals, and is believed to have mystical powers. Giant pandas are native to China living in cool, wet, remote mountainous forests. Their favorite food is bamboo, spending up to 14 hours eating the leaves, stems, and roots. Fruit is also on their diet. Pandas are loners, except during the mating season. After mating, the female chases away the male and raises the cubs by herself. Their life span is 15 to 25 years.

Is something bothering you, got you down, or stressed you out? We all could use a little less stress and worry in our lives. If this sounds a little like you right now, today is just the day for you. It’s Get Over It Day. This March 9 holiday exists to encourage you to kick those problems to the curb. Sometimes it’s more than a little difficult to get past a problem, and it may prove a challenge to move on. Whether something has been weighing you down or holding you back for a little while or a long time, today is intended to help you to surmount the issue or problem and just get over it, to let go and move on.

There are so many problems and negative things that can linger in our minds for a long time. It could be almost anything: the break-up of a romance or friendship, problems at work, a personal loss, money problems, and anything else that makes you worry or gets you down and depressed. Sometimes it’s a challenge to put persistent problems in the rearview mirror. Life is too short to be feeling sad or depressed. Don’t you think it’s time to just let go of those problems and get past them? Getting past things often requires some thought and reflection, but you can do it, and you can do it today. You’ll be glad you did!

What’s in your genes?? Do you know your roots? Who’s in your family gene pool? Do you have famous people or notorious characters in your family tree? You never know what you will find, as you uncover information and learn about long-lost and ancient relatives.  Genealogy Day is an opportunity for you to begin traveling the exciting journey of your family history. Start your research with a DNA test.

The study of genealogy, tracing your family roots through history, can be a fascinating and addicting hobby. As my sister-in-law will attest, researching an interesting limb of the family tree can keep you up until three in the morning, on a day you have to go to work.

You’re certain to get hooked. Researching and identifying your family ancestry is easy and fun to do. The internet contains a vast amount of information on your roots, just waiting to be found. As you research your ancestors, you build a chart of your family tree. Amazing family facts and stories are uncovered. But, you have to be prepared to uncover both famous people, as well as a few inevitable skeletons in your family closet. Perhaps best of all, as you identify distant family members, invariably you will have the opportunity to meet some of your living relatives. Take time to enjoy a cup of coffee, lunch, or even dinner with them. In addition to helping you fill in whole segments of your family tree, your newly found kin adds richness to your life.

Did You Know? The family tree of Confucius has been maintained for over 2,500 years, a Guinness World Record. 

National Frozen Food Day celebrates all those yummy foods and snacks in your freezer. Sure, the invention of the freezer made this day possible. But the methods and techniques of preparing and freezing foods are what makes frozen foods taste great, look great and store in a frozen state until you need them. So, chow down and enjoy this March 6 holiday to the fullest. 

For the history buffs among us, Clarence Frank Birdseye II received the first patent for flash frozen foods in 1927. Frozen foods first hit store shelves in 1930 in Springfield, Ma. Frozen “TV dinners” that you heated in the oven were introduced by Swanson in 954. And, who can forget the old frozen “boil-in-bags? The microwave now heats your frozen dinners faster and more efficiently.

Imagine how your busy life would be if you didn’t have a frozen dinner to pop into the microwave in between a late day at work and your evening event.  You’d have to stop and make dinner from scratch!

Get in on the fun. Make your own foods to freeze for consumption later. You most likely already do and just don’t give it a thought. Some common foods that home cooks make and freeze include spaghetti sauce, soups, stews, and many meals. Leftover pizza freezes well for short periods of time. Got leftovers? Make them up into a one-person meal and freeze them.  If you have a home ice cream maker, you are making frozen food.

Freedom of Information Day celebrates and recognizes a valuable concept in the American Bill of Rights. The date for this March 16 holiday was selected as it is the birth date of James Madison, the 4th president of the United States of America. James Madison is the “Father of the Constitution” and the chief author of the “Bill of Rights”. Freedom of information and individual rights was very important to James Madison.

The Freedom of Information Act was passed into law in 1966 and signed by then President Lyndon M. Johnson. It opened up a wealth of information to American citizens. This act provided the right to access Federal government information and records. There are 9 exemptions. For example, exemptions exist for national defense secrets and personnel and medical files. Over the years there have been amendments to this act. More recently, President William Clinton signed the Electronic Freedom of Information Amendment to this Act in 1996. James Madison would be very pleased with the passing of this act.!

Don’t put up a stink about today, as it is Fragrance Day. This March 21 holiday is a scent-sational day. The olfactory nerves in your nose will enjoy the aroma of this special day. Ladies, in particular, will enjoy today because they just love perfumes. And guys, you’ve gotta admit that your gal’s perfume attracts you to her.

Perfumes have been in use for hundreds of years. In ancient times, they were used to hide body odors. At the time, baths were infrequent. After a few days, things began to smell less than ideal. Perfumes played an important role in making the atmosphere more palatable. Today, the daily shower eliminates the bad odors. But, we still like the smell and attraction of perfume. There are several methods of dispensing fragrances, including Dab-on, roll-on, and sprays. 

It is clear to us that the creator of this day created it to promote the sale of their fragrance products (See History and Origin below). However, we’d like to expand the intent of this day to include all kinds of pleasant fragrances and scents. So, let’s also celebrate items like detergents and cleaning supplies, hand soaps, scented candles, potpourris, room and auto deodorizers, and any other items that give off a pleasing scent.

Top sign you’ve put on too much cologne or perfume: Your dog, who has a great nose for scents, runs when you enter the room. 

Favorite Fragrance Day Movie: Scent of a Woman

Today is International Fanny Pack Day. Considering the title for this day, you can participate by wearing a fancy pack. But having and wearing one is just part of today’s great story. Nick Yates of Portland, Oregon gave a homeless person food from his fanny pack and right there conceived of the idea to create a charity to feed the poor and needy. Yate’s idea spread and he encourages organizations around the world to feed others who are in need.

Fanny packs hit the fashion scene in the 1980s. Wearing them became a fad all over the world. People wore fanny packs to carry belongings that they otherwise carried in a purse or a pants pocket. Why!? Simply because fanny packs are convenient. It allows women to carry cosmetics, keys, wallets, IDs, and other belongings, freeing them from lugging their purses around everywhere they go. Fanny packs are not seen as feminine. Men find fanny packs useful, too. While they are called fanny packs, more often than not, the pack is worn in the front. Positioned in the front of the body, fanny packs are a far safer way to carry wallets and keys, keeping belongings safe from pickpockets. Like all fads, the fanny pack craze faded. However, some people continue to wear fanny packs to this day, for the convenience and security they provide. 

Extraterrestrial Abductions Day is today, a Mach 20 holiday. On this day, Alien UFOs are everywhere, looking to abduct humans. If you are not careful, perhaps they will find you! Keep one eye on the sky. Make your evasion plan and escape route. If you see a UFO, be ready to duck, dodge, and hide. Of course, there are more than a few people out there, who want to be abducted by aliens. Their goal is to see the universe and travel to an alien planet.

You’d think this special day exists for the pleasure of sci-fi fanatics. It does. But anyone can get into the fun and excitement of this out-of-this-world event. Celebrate today by reading and watching science fiction stories about UFOs and Extraterrestrials. And, make sure to keep out of sight of extraterrestrials.

Most lovable alien: “ET” from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Favorite alien: “My Favorite Martian”

Favorite Movies: War of the Worlds, Independence Day, Alien