Day 1

All Saints Day: Remember departed family members by visiting their grave sites.

Dia de Muertos (Mexico): Commemorate dead loved ones with an offering of marigolds.

National Adoption Day (US): Volunteer through Big Brothers Big Sisters (bbs.org).

First Day of Winter (Ireland): Button up your coat & carry an umbrella.  In Eire, it’s probably raining today.

Day 2

All Souls Day:  Tell your children about their ancestors;  join a genealogical web site (Ancestry.com).

World Vegan Day: Prepare a vegetarian pizza; make this a meatless Monday.

Day 3

Cultural Day (Japan): Write a haiku; check out a book on Japanese art.

Independence Day (Panama, Micronesia):  Baked ham with pineapples and yams make a wonderful feast.

Day 4

Day of Love (Egypt):  Meant not just for romantic lovers–hug friends and family members, letting them know how much they mean to you.

Victory Day (Italy): Italians note the end of World War I.

Day of People’s Unity & Feast of Our Lady of Kazan (Russia): Start reading Leo Tolstoy’s War & Peace or watch a video of Anton Chekov’s ”The Cherry Orchard”.

Day 5

Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night (UK):  Usually celebrated with fireworks and bonfires.  Traditional fare includes bonfire toffee, toffee-apples, baked or “jacket” potatoes, broiled fish, & black peas with vinegar.

Day 6

Death of King Gustavus Adolphus (Sweden): Read up on the father of modern warfare; today, Swedes enjoy a special pastry featuring a chocolate or marzipan medallion of the general.

Day 7

Day of the October Revolution (Russia):  The Soviets overthrew the Russian provisional government today. Are you still plowing through War and Peace?

Day 8

Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and All the Bodiless Powers (Greek Orthodox Church): Greeks include a prayer to their guardian angel in their daily meditations. Since the word angel means “messenger”, share God’s love today.  A synaxis is a bringing together of a congregation in communion.

Day 9

World Freedom Day (20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall):  Read the United States “Declaration of Independence” or selections from Thomas Paine’s Common Sense.

Day 10

Birthday of the US Marine Corps (US):  Play some John Phillip Sousa music, checking out “Stars and Stripes Forever” on You Tube.

Day 11

Veteran’s Day, Armistice Day, Remembrance Day (End of World War I):  Personally thank a Vet who served in the armed forces.  Watch Welsh poet Wilfred Owen’s “Dulce et Decorum Est” video on You Tube.

Day 12

World Usability Day:  Begun in 2005, the day stresses multiple applications of computer programs. Groups may also brain storm about different uses for everyday objects.

Day 13

Friday the 13th: Bone up on superstitions today (Google Friday the 13th); rent the video Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Day 14

Children’s Day (India): Prepare an Indian feast, perhaps chicken tikka or butter chicken.

Day 15

America Recycles Day (US):  Sort through the garbage, separating glass and paper to be recycled; carry a reusable fabric bag when going grocery shopping.

Children’s Day (Japan): Create a Japanese carp-shaped kite.

Day 16

Floor Mat Day (US):  Apparently, today is the day to purchase a new floor mat, or perhaps to clean it, or even to refuse to be one.

Day 17

Struggle for Freedom & Independence Day, International Student’s Day (Czech Republic):  Czechs remember this day with symbols of the Velvet Revolution, candles and flowers, commemorating those who fought for truth, lighting the way to a better future.  They decorate with Czech tricolor ribbons (red, blue, and white), jingling their keys, and making a “V for Victory” sign.

Leonid’s Meteor Shower visible. Organize a pre-dawn meteor-watching party.

Day 18

Vertiere’s Day (Haiti): Play some Haitian hip hop music.

International Men’s Day:  Urges gender balance between men and women; designate funds to go for research for prostate and testicular cancer.

Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address November 18, 1863:  Read this historic document on line.

Day 19

Discovery Day (Puerto Rico): Listen to some Puerto Rican salsa music; appreciate “Wise Latina Women” Sonia Sotomayor and Jennifer Lopez.

Day 20

Independence Day &  Teacher’s Day (Poland):  Prepare some pierogis; listen to music composed by Frederik Chopin or played by Polish-American Benny Goodman.

Day 21

Dia de la Revolucion (Mexico): View the art of Mexican artist Diego Rivera on line; enjoy a Mexican dinner tonight.

Day 22

Feast of St. Cecelia (the patron saint of music): Listen to a recording of Handel’s cantata “Ode to Saint Cecelia’s Day” or attend a live musical concert.

Lebanon Independence Day: Math students can perfect their understanding of the Pythagorean Theorem today.  Greece, of course, also claims Pythagoras.

Day 23

St. George’s Day (Georgia):  Read about the story of St. George and the Dragon.

Japanese Thanksgiving: Prepare a Japanese meal or go out to eat at a Japanese restaurant.

Day 24

Evolution Day (US):  Watch “Inherit the Wind”, a movie about the Scoops Trial; investigate arguments both for and against the competing theories of evolution and creationism.

Teacher’s Day (Turkey):  Don’t be a turkey; respect your teachers!

Day 25

White Ribbon Day (International): Wear a white ribbon protesting violence against women.

Tie One On Day (US):  Arrange with the Salvation Army or a local food kitchen to help serve or deliver meals tomorrow; invite a neighbor or friend who would be alone Thursday to join your family for Thanksgiving Dinner.

Day 26

Thanksgiving (US):  Thank God & count your blessings; enjoy gathering with family.

Day 27

Black Friday (US): Traditionally, the first shopping day of the Christmas season. 

Day 28

Buy Nothing Day (US):  Spend time with the family, planning ways you can celebrate Christmas together–caroling, reading aloud traditional Christmas stories & poems, crafting home-made gifts.  Many Americans also put up Christmas decorations this weekend.

Day 29

First Sunday of Advent (Christianity):  Include an Advent wreath in home decorations.  For Roman Catholics, the first candle lit is usually purple, symbolising penitence, while Protestants ordinarily choose royal blue, anticipating the coming of the Messiah.

Day 30

St. Andrew’s Day (Scotland, Greece, Romania, and Russia):  Scots fly the Saltire today.  Wear plaid (in Scotland known as tartan) or try baking some scones. When watching television or using the phone, remember that Scottish inventors were responsible. Scottish-Americans also invented the electric light bulb and the telegraph.