Winter Olympic Games

Opening Day Ceremony: February 7, 2014

Closing Day Ceremony: February 23, 2014

Location: Sochi, Russia

Once every four years, the world’s top athletes meet, to compete in the Winter Olympics. The Olympic games in Sochi, Russia, will be the XXII Winter Olympics.

Opening Day ceremonies for the Winter Olympics is a huge, and very special event. The Olympic competitions are held over a two week period. It concludes with a closing ceremony.

The Next Winter Olympics Location: The XXIII Winter Olympics games will be held in 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Let’s go Canada!

School Day of Non-violence and Peace

The School Day of Non-violence and Peace (or DENIP), is an observance founded by the Spanish poet Llorenç Vidal Vidal in Majorca in 1964 as a starting point and support for a pacifying and non-violent education of a permanent character. Different as the first proposed by the UNESCO “Armistice Day” in 1948, the “School Day of Non-violence and Peace” (DENIP) is observed on January 30 or thereabouts every year, on the anniversary of the death of Mahatma Gandhi, in schools all over the world. In countries with a Southern Hemisphere school calendar, it can be observed on 30 March. Its basic and permanent message is: “Universal love, non-violence and peace. Universal love is better than egoism, non-violence is better than violence, and peace is better than war”. In Navarra the slogan for the 2009 was “above all, we are friends” (Spanish:”Por encima de todo, somos amigos“). DENIP and World Association of Early Childhood Educators (AMEI-WAECE) collaborate to celebrate this event in the schools of the latter worldwide.

National Hug Day

Yay! It’s National Hug Day! What a great day! This is an opportunity to give and to receive. Give a hug, and you automatically receive one in return. Sure, someone might not hug back. But, how often does that happen!?!

Hugs are loving. Hugs are therapeutic. Hugs are caring. Hugs are celebratory.  Hugs make you feel good inside. Have you ever received a hug from someone who didn’t care? I didn’t think so. That’s proof positive that you’re loved and cared about.

Celebrate today by giving hugs to family, friends and loved ones. You’ll love the warm feeling you get.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is an American federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around the time of King’s birthday, January 15. The floating holiday is similar to holidays set under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.

King was the chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the civil rights movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. King was the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 35. The campaign for a federal holiday in King’s honor began soon after his assassination in 1968. President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed three years later. At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.

King was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

Black Friday

Black Friday, or Retail Black Friday is the day after American Thanksgiving. It is one of the two busiest shopping days of the year. In case you didn’t know, the other busiest shopping day is the day after Christmas, when throngs of shoppers, on holiday vacation, mob the stores to use gift certificates they received, and to exchange merchandise.

Why Black??

In the world of accountants, red signifies a loss, and black signifies a profit. For many retailers, the Christmas holiday sales season  represents one half to three quarters of their annual sales. Often, retailers are losing money , until holiday sales begin. Holiday sales formally begin on the day after Thanksgiving. So, Black Friday represents that turning point,. from a loss towards big profits!

We hope you enjoy Black Friday almost as much as the retailers do!

Wild as it may seem, there is another interesting special day, celebrated on the day after Thanksgivng. It is called Buy Nothing Day.

Frankenstein Friday

Frankenstein Friday

When: last Friday in October

Frankenstein Friday celebrates the birth of Frankenstein’s monster and its creator.  Frankenstein’s monster is one of the best known horror characters, dating back to the  1800’s. We can’t imagine the Halloween season without the presence of  Frankenstein lurking somewhere in the darkness.

Frankenstein was born when Mary Wollenstonecraft Shelley, at the wrote the story “Frankenstein”. The first edition was published anonymously in London in 1818. Shelley’s name appears on the second edition, published in France in 1823.

To celebrate this day, we suggest you read the novel, or see a Frankenstein movie (1940’s classics from Universal featuring Boris Karloff as the monster are the best!)

Ron MacCloskey, the creator of this special day, by awarding “The Franky”  to someone who has made a significant contribution to the promotion of  Frankenstein. Maybe next year, you will receive the coveted “Franky” award.

Swap Ideas Day

Swap Ideas Day encourages us to share and trade ideas and concepts. As you fully participate in this day, we think you will get plenty of good ideas to put to use in your everyday life. Some will be so good, that you will want to pass them along, (or swap them) to others.

Sharing is good. Ideas are a good thing, too. Putting the two together should produce a real winner of a day, eh!?

Hey, here’s an idea on how to celebrate this special day! Let’s swap a few ideas between each other!!

Have a happy Swap Ideas Day!

Teddy Bear Day

Today is Teddy Bear Day. A Teddy Bear is a special friend to children all over the world. He’s cuddly. He makes you feel secure in an otherwise insecure world. He’s lovable. Your Teddy Bear is both a companion and a comforter. And, he’s not afraid of the dark. He’ll keep you safe.

Spend the day and night with your teddy bear . Cuddle up to him. Talk to him. And, do all of your favourite things together.

Parents and adults: No child should grow up without a teddy bear. If you know of any kid without one, use this day to buy a teddy bear for them.

As we become adults, some find it difficult to give up our teddy bears. We feel there is no reason to give him up. Some adults have their teddy bears around all their lives. Its perfectly normal….and okay.

Have a happy Teddy Bear Day!

National Grandparent’s Day

It is only right and fitting that one day of the year is set aside to honor our grandparents. It is time to celebrate those special people who are always there with a hug, a kiss, a cookie, something special, or take us somewhere.

National Grandparent’s Day originated in 1978. Then President Jimmy Carter declared it to be the first Sunday after Labour Day.

If you can, enjoy the day with them. That is the greatest gift they can receive from you. If you can’t see them, call them. When you call, make sure you have the time for a long conversation. Remember, grandparents will always ask about you first and listen intently to everything you have to say. They are never rushed or in a hurry. They are there just for you. Cherish them while they are still here!

Neither Rain Nor Snow Day

Today is Neither Rain Nor Snow Day. Right now, we bet you’re thinking “this special day is about a tranquil weather day with neither rain nor snow”  ….wrong.

Here’s the real scoop on this special day:

Neither Rain Nor Snow Day celebrates the opening of the New York Post Office building on this day in 1914.

This following inscription was inscribed on the building:

“Neither snow nor rain not heat nor gloom of night, stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

 Here is the second misconception: A lot of people assume the inscription represents the Post Office motto. This assumption is incorrect. But, this inscription is very close to the old Pony Express rider’s motto. Which leads to a third misconception.. ……The Pony Express was not a government funded predecessor to today’s Post Office. The Pony Express was a courier and message delivery service. However, it was privately owned and funded.

Now that we have the history and trivia out of the way, let’s go and enjoy the day. We hope you use Neither Rain Nor Snow Day to show your appreciation to your postal delivery people, especially those who walk their routes.