From Elephants to Burgers: Unconventional Days of the Year to Celebrate in August
I am always on the lookout for something to celebrate. However, at some point, you can only get so many commonly known special days (birthdays, national holidays, anniversaries, etc.) so at the beginning of every month, I consult one of my favorite websites, DaysoftheYear.com, to mark some unique days on my calendar. Here are some I picked for you for August so that you never run out of things to celebrate this month!
August 1: World Wide Web Day
On our smartphones, tablets, laptops, and even calculators… It would be wrong to not celebrate the birthday of our dear friend WWW who appears everywhere these days. Originated at the famous CERN centre in 1989, the Internet is turning 26 today!
August 2: Friendship Day, Ice Cream Sandwich Day
Did you know that not having good friends is as bad for your health as smoking or being overweight? (Unbelievable-facts.com) Originally founded by Hallmark (a greeting card company, one wonders why…) in 1919, Friendship Day is one to celebrate the sisters and brothers we chose for ourselves. Today is also Ice Cream Sandwich Day, so grab your best friends and enjoy some ice cream sandwiches out in the sun!
Fun Fact: The United Nations named Winnie the Pooh the world’s Ambassador of Friendship in 1998. Sounds like it was their busiest time ever.
August 9: Book Lovers Day
For those of you who have already spent their summer devouring books like me - go on. For those who haven’t - a great chance to pick up a book and start reading! Here is a HuffPost list of books from 2015 that you should read:
August 10: S’mores Day, Skyscraper Appreciation Day, Lazy Day
While the origins of the S’mores Day and Lazy Day are not clear, Skyscraper Day celebrates the birthday of William Can Alen, the architect behind the famous Chrysler Building in New York City. If you cannot choose which one to celebrate, simply spend a lazy day at the top of a skyscraper eating a vast amount of s’mores. Could it get any better?
August 12: World Elephant Day
One of the many interesting things I noticed when I came to Tufts was that there are elephants everywhere, from the various Jumbo statues around campus to the smallest pencils you find lying around. I also don’t know anyone who hasn’t acquired an elephant-themed item before they’ve even arrived at Tufts. We definitely do love our mascot - and this is his day! SO. MUCH. JUMBO. LOVE.
Jumbo Fact: Elephants are social animals and they greet each other or show affection by "hugging" with their trunks. Aww. (Happyelephantcontest.com)
August 19: Photography Day
Eudora Welty said, "A good snapshot keeps a moment from running away." Whether you’re a professional photographer or an avid Instagrammer, keep those moments from running away and celebrate today by taking lots of pictures!
Note: Istanbul, my hometown below.
August 20: Chocolate Pecan Pie Day and Lemonade Day
"We must have a pie. Stress cannot exist in the presence of pie." (David Mamet)
Though I personally have never tried these two together, as two yummy treats on their own, I don’t see a reason why their combination would not be even more delicious. If you want to take it a step further, you can even celebrate this day by making your own chocolate pecan pie with this recipe: http://www.marthastewart.com/341293/chocolate-pecan-pie
Fun Fact: Research shows that 1 in every 5 Americans has eaten an entire pie by themselves. Challenge accepted, anyone?
Additional Fun Fact: The fact above was given by Piecouncil.com. THERE IS A PIE COUNCIL.
August 24: Pluto Demoted Day
This sad day marks the 9th anniversary of our poor Pluto’s removal from the planet status (wow - time really does fly!) However, very recently, we received some high quality images of him from NASA’s New Horizons mission - there are still people who love you, Pluto!
August 27: Burger Day
Does anyone need instructions on how to celebrate today? Just. Start. Eating. You may want to check out this list of 33 best burgers in America: www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/the-33-best-burgers-in-america-2015
Note: This is the "Levitating Hamburger" from the "Modernist Cuisine" exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. I prefer to have my burgers served sitting still on the plate, but it looks yummy nonetheless.
August 28: Race Your Mouse Around the Icons Day
Today is also Bowtie Day, but I found that much less remarkable than the former. I have no idea who came up with this, but I highly appreciate it as it makes me feel I’m not alone. Who hasn’t played with the cursor while waiting for something to load, or worse, when the computer is frozen? I personally do it all the time, whether I’m waiting for anything to load or not. And I feel no shame.
Not enough festivities for you? Or wondering what interesting special days your birthday coincides with? Head over to the Days of the Year Website to find more reasons to celebrate!
Sources:
- https://www.daysoftheyear.com
- All quotes taken from Goodreads.com