What to Celebrate September 9 to 15, 2019
Celebration Ideas for September 9 – 15, 2019
Welcome back! Words lots of kids have been hearing lately as schools start another year.
But of course we’re welcoming you back to the end of another week and the chance to make sure next week will continue to be awesome.
Have you settled into your post-summer routine yet? Whether or not you have kids going back to school, things just feel different this time of year, don’t they? It feels like we just need to have more structure to our days and weeks.
But don’t let that stop the fun! If you do it right structure can actually leave you more time for both productivity and fun! So make your work plans, your school plans, your morning routines …
And then jump in to take a peek and plan your week. And as always …
Enjoy!
Celebrate All September Long
For September we work to protect & save animals. Specifically koalas and tigers. And we learn a bit about a couple of cancers many people really don’t know much about at all.
Save the Koala Month: Koalas are not bears, and they’re not necessarily cuddly either. But they are vulnerable to extinction and their numbers are dropping. And they deserve our protection. Learn more about the threats they face and the Australian Koala Foundation’s efforts to save them.
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month: Did you know prostate cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in men? And 1 in 6 men will get it? Learn more about this common cancer and make sure you/the men in your life are getting regular screenings.
Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month: Thyroid cancer isn’t one of those you hear about all the time. But it is one that has been diagnosed more often in recent years than it used to be. And “thyroid cancer” is kind of misleading. It sounds like just one kind of cancer, but there’s actually several different types. Since anyone of any age can get it (although it’s most common in adult women), why not learn more about it and its early symptoms for this month.
Save a Tiger Month: Learn more about the dangers tigers face in the wild and the cruelty many face in captivity. Learn how to recognize irresponsible wildlife parks. And see if you’d like to support Big Cat Rescue. (Please note: We are not endorsing this facility, and you should always do your own research before supporting any charity!).
Weekly Celebrations for September’s 2nd Week
This week we enjoy a simple but succulent meal and do some line dancing to work off the calories!
And on the serious side we appreciate truck drivers and assisted living facilities (and their residents!). And we learn how we can all help prevent suicides.
National Biscuits & Gravy Week (September 9 – 15, 2019): The 2nd week in September is all about the best breakfast ever! Fluffy biscuits covered with savory gravy not only satisfies your taste buds, it keeps you full through lunch. It makes a fantastic dinner, too. So have it every day of the week!
National Assisted Living Week (September 8 – 14, 2019): This week recognizes the important role assisted living facilities can play in helping seniors and people with disabilities get the care they need in a comfortable, home-like setting. It celebrates the caregivers and the residents. If you’re unfamiliar with this kind of living arrangement, learn more about it for this week.
National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (September 8 – 14, 2019): This week honors the people who make sure the stuff you need gets to the places where you can get it. It’s an important job that might seem simple (just drive!). But it’s actually quite demanding. Truckers may drive more than 100,000 miles every year … time spent away from loved ones.
Suicide Prevention Week (September 8 – 14, 2019): We can all do our part to help prevent suicides. And it start with acknowledging the problem and talking about it. World Suicide Prevention Day also happens this week.
Line Dance Week (September 9 – 14, 2019): For this week you must go line dancing! Don’t know how? Take a class. Or just head out to a club & jump right in. You won’t be the only one trying to learn!
Celebration Days coming up for Sept. 9 thru Sept. 15
We begin this week with fun, celebrating weirdos and teddy bears! But loving your teddy does not make you a weirdo … which doesn’t mean weirdos can’t love teddies.
And as usual there’s plenty of deliciousness to savor. From ants on a log & chocolate milkshakes to peanuts & hoagies, your taste buds are sure to tingle.
The week also features an extra dose of seriousness, as we remember the September 11 attacks 18 years ago. Other serious celebrations include suicide prevention, reporting Medicare fraud, and support for living sober.
So here’s to slightly subdued, but still fun-tastic, week.
September 9:
National Teddy Bear Day: Celebrate your teddy bear for this day! If you still have your childhood bear, get it out & give it a hug. No, you’re not “too old” to hug your teddy. Maybe even find it a permanent place of honor somewhere in your bedroom, instead of leaving it stuffed in a closet or storage bin. Don’t have a teddy? Get one! Maybe even head out to Build-A-Bear to create your very own.
National Wiener Schnitzel Day: Head out to your favorite German restaurant to enjoy a Wiener Schnitzel meal. Although this is traditionally breaded veal, you can now find it with pork or even chicken. Those variations are usually just called pork schnitzel or chicken schnitzel rather than Wiener Schnitzel.
Wonderful Weirdos Day: Are you a weirdo? Don’t be embarrassed. Own it! And celebrate this day created just for you (and your fellow weirdos). And if you’re not a weirdo but you know and love a weirdo or 2, tell them how much you love them. This is another Tom & Ruth Roy creation.
September 10:
Swap Ideas Day: We all have ideas! But we don’t always know quite what to do with them. Or how to turn our ideas into something real. But when we discuss them with others they can help us come up with fresh ways to look at those ideas. And we can do the same for them! If you do it right you’ll probably even come up with more new ideas based on your original ideas. So for this day get together with one or more other people & brainstorm all those ideas.
National Ants on a Log Day: This day celebrates that iconic childhood snack of peanut butter in celery & topped with raisins. Otherwise known as ants on a log! So make some for your kids and yourself. It’s healthy and delicious, so you can indulge guilt-free! The day has only been around since 2014, but the snack has been delighting kids at least since the 1950s.
World Suicide Prevention Day: Suicide has made the news disturbingly often the past few years, as lots of celebrities & other public figures ended their own lives. But most suicides never make the news. And the number of these is also disturbingly high: A suicide happens every 40 seconds! But we can all do our part to help stop this.
National TV Dinner Day: The introduction of the TV Dinner in 1953 revolutionized meal time. Now all busy cooks had to do was pop a tray in the oven & dinner was ready in about 1/2 an hour. They haven’t been called TV dinners since 1962, but these pre-packaged, ready to heat & eat meals are still a huge business. So why not have one to celebrate this day? You won’t even need to wait 30 minutes … today’s microwave meals are done much quicker!
September 11:
Libraries Remember Day: See if your local library is having any events to commemorate September 11, 2001.
Patriot Day: Another remembrance of 9/11, often involving moments of silence at the times the planes hit the World Trade Center Towers, the Pentagon, and the ground (in Pennsylvania) as well as when each tower collapsed. Many communities also hold ceremonies to honor all who died. Try to attend one near you.
National Hot Cross Bun Day: You may consider these buns, marked with crosses, as more of a Lenten tradition. But we also celebrate them in September. Why? No clue! But that’s no reason not to make & eat some hot cross buns!
National Make Your Bed Day: No matter how you usually leave your bed in the mornings, on this day you must make that bed! Now, if you always make your bed this day may not seem like anything special. But maybe you could take a little extra care with it. And if you rarely or never make your bed, this is the one day of the year to do it. Or maybe start a new habit of making your bed every day.
September 12:
National Day of Encouragement: On this day we encourage each other. Notice & comment when someone does a good job. Cheer on someone who’s getting close to a goal or who’s struggling to get past an obstacle. A group of young people created this day in 2007, because they felt a lack of encouragement was one of their biggest obstacles.
National Report Medicare Fraud Day: Medicare fraud is a serious problem. Some $65 million of Medicare funds are lost to fraud each year. And we all pay for it! So if you know of someone making fraudulent Medicare claims, report it! At least spread the word about the problem for this day.
National Chocolate Milkshake Day: After all your encouraging words (and maybe even fraud reporting?), you deserve a treat. Wouldn’t a chocolate milkshake hit the spot? Well, you’re in luck … this is the day to have one!
September 13:
International Chocolate Day: Indulge in all your favorite chocolates for this day! Or try a new recipe using your favorite kind of chocolate, whether that’s milk chocolate, dark chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or whatever. And if you didn’t have that chocolate milkshake on the 12th, here’s another chance. Mmmmm …
Blame Someone Else Day: This day is pretty self-explanatory! Whenever something goes wrong, it’s always someone else’s fault. But only for this day. The other 364 days of the year you must take responsibility if it really is your fault.
National Peanut Day: Snack on and cook with peanuts all day. Maybe even coat some with chocolate to celebrate 2 days in one! (Although chocolate covered nuts actually have their own day). And since they’re good for you there’s no guilt involved.
Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day: On this day the kids do all the meal planning, prep, and cooking. As much as they’re able to do safely, anyway. Mom & dad can certainly help with things like chopping and actual cooking if the kids are too young for that yet.
International Programmers Day / Day of the Programmer: On the 256th day of the year we celebrate the programmers. We thank them for writing the code that lets us use our electronic devices for so many things. On other days we may curse them for wonky or irritating programs, but for this day we thank them for all the good they’ve created.
September 14:
National Iguana Awareness Day: If you love iguanas, this day’s for you! These popular pets need special care, and lots of people don’t realize it when they get one. So help spread the word!
Eat a Hoagie Day: Your meal choices are all taken care of for this day. Just eat hoagies (or subs, grinders, whatever you call them). All you need to decide is what you want on them!
National Sober Day: On this day we raise awareness of addiction and celebrate & support those living sober. We let everyone know there’s nothing to be ashamed of, and lots of people understand and want to help. This year is the very first National Sober Day, created by Real Aligned Women.
National Creme Filled Donut Day: Enjoy a creme-filled donut for breakfast or dessert on this day. No other donuts allowed! But you may pick the creme flavor you prefer.
National Live Creative Day: On this day you must create! It doesn’t really matter what. Wherever your creative imagination takes you, be it drawing, writing, or even gardening. You can even try to add some creativity to your every-day tasks to make them more enjoyable. Maybe use this day to start a new, daily habit of creativity?
September 15:
Felt Hat Day: Wear your best felt hat to celebrate this day.
Wife Appreciation Day: Husbands everywhere must appreciate their wives at least one day a year! Now hopefully if you have a wife you appreciate her every day. But for this day put some extra effort into letting her know how much you appreciate her.
National Linguine Day: Enjoy a satisfying dish of linguine to celebrate this day right. You can certainly go out for linguine, but why not try one of these recipes? And if you also happen to be celebrating Wife Appreciation Day for a wife who loves linguine, homemade is definitely the way to go! Unless you really can’t cook …
National Online Learning Day: This day celebrates how online learning has revolutionized education. We can take classes & even earn degrees just by logging on to a website. Online resources help students at all grade levels access up-to-date materials, submit assignments, and more. So on this day give a shout-out to online educators and online students everywhere. That may even include you! And it doesn’t, why not consider signing yourself up for an online class in something you love?
International Dot Day: It’s another day for creativity! The day encourages us all to “…re-discover the power and potential of creativity..” in all we do.
National Creme de Menthe Day: Wind down your weekend & prepare for the week ahead with a Creme de Menthe cocktail. Have your favorite or try one of these.
