04-24

NATIONAL BUCKET LIST DAY  

  

April 24 celebrates National Bucket List Day to remind us it's never too late to set new goals, go on a dream vacation, and inspire people around you to enjoy life to the fullest.

National Bucket List Day

By definition, a bucket list is a list of things a person would like to do, but has never experienced before. Some people refer to them as milestones, while other people refer to them as goals. Whatever you call them, a bucket list is a list of things a person would like to accomplish before they die. 

What Is A Bucket List?

A bucket list is the list you create to make the most out of life. It is a list of goals, dreams, and aspirations you would like to accomplish before you pass away. The basic meaning of a bucket list is to keep track of your goals by making yourself accountable to achieve all you want in life. The purpose of a bucket list is to encourage ourselves to accomplish goals within in a specific time frame. 

Our time on earth is short. Very few of us pause to think about how we spend what time we have. Creating a bucket list can help you live your life to the fullest. It also gives you the opportunity to appreciate the life you have and reflect on the good things to come.

Bucket List Ideas

A bucket list can be anything you want it to be. Your bucket list should reflect your interests. In fact, we're guessing there are no two lists alike. If you are a simple person, create a bucket list that reflects the simple pleasures in life. If you gravitate towards extravagant things or love to travel, your list will more than likely consist of ideas that require more of a financial investment.

Simple Bucket List Ideas

• Graduating from high school or college.
• Having children.
• Buying a home.
• Becoming a freelance photographer.
• Participating in a painting club.

Extravagant Bucket List Ideas

• Go on a cruise.
• Visit the Rainforest.
• Visit all the continents in the world.
• Visit historical landmarks across the country.
• Ride a hot air balloon.

Travel Bucket List

• Travel to Europe.
• See the ancient Mayan ruins.
• Visit Egyptian tombs.
• Travel Route 66.
• Visit all the state parks in North America.

Finding Gratitude

Living a life of gratitude is key to living a well-rounded life, full of happiness and satisfaction. Gratitude allows you to find every day moments and turn them into long-term fulfillment. Completing items on your bucket list will help you realize the opportunity you have been given as you experience life-changing moments you thought might never happen. Enjoy the ride and show gratitude for the adventure you have in this life. 

ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES

• Be brave and have some fun by learning to paint, drive a race car, skydive, surf, or jump off a cliff.
• Sample local food and drink during your travels.
• Create a bucket list with a friend that you both can enjoy.
• Watch the movie Bucket List, staring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.
• Pay it forward with a bucket list that allows you to donate time to an orphanage, local soup kitchen, or food pantry.

Creating National Bucket List Day

National Day Calendar and Cindy Rhodes of Bucket List Coach Travel & Tours and the Bucket List Coach Web Show formed a collaboration to create National Bucket List Day to be celebrated each year on April 24. Using her own personal bucket list, Cindy thought the ultimate bucket list item for 2023 would be to have her own National Day.

National Bucket List Day is a day focusing around gratitude for your own life and experiences. Cindy believes everyone should get out and experience life to the fullest. Share your gratitude for the things you have and create experiences not things with friends, colleagues and family! 

About the Founder

Cindy Rhodes is a travel blogger and agent by day and a National Day Calendar Celebration Ambassador by night. In her mid-forties, she realized life was passing her by and was merely existing. She knew that had to change. She began creating bucket lists of things she wanted to do and experience, making the most of the dash. Along the way, she remembers to show gratitude for every experience she has.

Do not wait till you retire to experience the world! Tomorrow is not promised. CELEBRATE EVERY DAY!

Cindy Lee

 Also

Pigs in a Blanket Day

Take Your Sons & Daughters to Work Day 

Today's Thought

Who is the type of person I want to become?

 

 

 

 32 days until Memorial Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

04-23

NATIONAL PICNIC DAY 

On April 23rd, National Picnic Day encourages everyone to pack up their lunch and take it outdoors. Picnics are a terrific way to enjoy a meal outdoors in the company of friends and family. 

National Picnic Day

There are a variety of ways to take part in a picnic. This meal hearkens back to mid-18th-century al fresco French dining when all you needed was a bottle of wine, a loaf of bread, some cheese, and fruit and you could have a party under the sky.

From the French for piquenique, picnic means a meal eaten outdoors.

From barbecues to simple cold plates, picnics are light informal affairs intended to be relaxing and fun for everyone to enjoy the day. Some favorite picnic foods include sandwiches, chips, fresh fruit and vegetables, light salads, and homemade bars. However, picnics can be expanded to include grilled items, too. Burgers and corn on the cob cook up nicely on a portable grill. During large picnics, guests often bring a dish to share creating a potluck atmosphere. 

The fresh air tends to rev up our appetite, so getting in some physical activity while enjoying a picnic is nice, too. Games of horseshoe, Frisbee, catch, or flying a kite add to the fun of the day. 

How to Observe National Picnic Day

• Celebrate this day by having a picnic of your own.
• Pack up a cooler or basket with a few of your favorite items.
• Make sure to include a beverage or two.
• Be sure to keep perishable items on ice so no one gets sick.
• Visit a favorite park or recreation area.
• Lay the blanket out in the sun or shade (whichever you prefer) and enjoy the day with a meal under the sky.
• Bring a Frisbee or a ball to toss around, too.
• You can also explore these 7 Best Picnic Foods to help plan your next picnic.
• If the weather does not cooperate, have a picnic on the living room floor in your home!

National Picnic Day History

National Day Calendar continues to research the origins of this outdoor holiday.

Picnic FAQ

Q. Does a picnic require a crowd?
A. No. In fact, one person can enjoy a picnic. It's a great way to get away and enjoy some quiet time. However, if you're hankering for some company, definitely invite someone to join you.

Q. Does a picnic have to be on the ground?
A. No. Spread your spread on a picnic table. You can also munch your lunch from a tailgate. Dine on the back nine from the golf cart. Eat your treat while making a retreat from a rainstorm. Feast on your roast beast while dancing in the east.

Also

Cherry Cheesecake Day

Lost Dogs Awareness Day

Take a Chance Day

Talk Like Shakespeare Day

Administrative Professionals' Day

 

Today's Thought

Someday you're going to look back on all the progress you've made and be glad you didn't quit.

 

 

 

 33 days until Memorial Day

 

 

 

 

22 April

 NATIONAL EARTH DAY  

Each year on April 22nd, National Earth Day campaigns around the globe promote ways to keep the Earth healthy and our planet livable. 

National Earth Day

Since its inception, the organizers promote events educating the public about a variety of subjects including:

• climate change
• air pollution
• water pollution
• erosion
• recycling
• composting
• renewable fuels and power
• carbon footprints
• efficient cars
• rain forests
• ecosystems

As citizens of the world, we can take action to protect the Earth, its creatures, and its habitats. Greener living can include more fuel-efficient vehicles or windows. It can also include landscaping for your climate reducing the amount of water required. 

Numerous green campaigns launch events around the globe each year. Join one near you or organize one that fits your community's needs.

How to Observe National Earth Day

• Support and use recycling programs in your community. 
• Volunteer to clean up local parks and streets on clean-up days. 
• Support and frequent green businesses.
• Use re-usable products versus disposable.
• Repurpose items that have outworn their use.
• Shop secondhand and thrift stores for gently used items.
• Use energy-efficient appliances or line dry your clothes. 
• Walk or ride your bike to work if possible.
• Carpool or make one trip instead of multiple trips for shopping.
• Encourage your favorite products to reduce packaging.
• Check outOne Square Inch of Silence. Founded on Earth Day in 2005, it encourages you to participate in expanding naturally silent spaces around the globe.

National Earth Day History

In 1969, the concept of Earth Day was established at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. On March 21, 1970, a sanctioned Proclamation was signed by Secretary-General U Thant at the United Nations. A month later, on April 22, 1970, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day. While National Earth Day is not considered a national holiday we encourage you to learn more.

Environmentalists held rallies in large cities around the country. The observance became a global event in 1990 and hasn't stopped since.

Earth Day FAQ

Q. Is Earth Day an international movement?
A. Yes. Though it began in the United States, it became an international movement in 1990.

Q. How many people participate in Earth Day each year?
A. According to earthday.org 1 billion people participate annually.

Q. When was Earth Day's anniversary?
A. In 2020, the world celebrated Earth Day's 50th anniversary.

Also

Girl Scout Leader's Day

Jelly Bean Day

 

Today's Thought

It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.  ~  Jackie Joyner Kersee 

 

 

 

 34 days until Memorial Day

 

 

 

21April

NATIONAL KINDERGARTEN DAY  

Each year on April 21st, National Kindergarten Day honors the birthday of the man who started the first Kindergarten. Friedrich Wilhelm August Fröbel (April 21, 1782  - June 21, 1852) is credited with starting the very first Kindergarten in Germany in 1837. Frobel was a German teacher and a student of Johann Pestalozzi. Frobel laid a foundation for modern education, recognizing that children learn through play and experience.

National Kindergarten Day

The first kindergarten (which means garden for the children) was developed in Blankenburg, Germany, in 1837. The kindergarten fostered Frobel's social experience for children. It also allowed them to smoothly transition from home to school.

Eventually, the Prussian government banned Frobel's unorthodox methods. However, the rest of the world was eager to accept Frobel's idea of kindergarten, including the United States.

In 1856, Watertown, Wisconsin, opened the first kindergarten in the United States. Founded by Margarethe Schurz, this kindergarten was a German-language class, as were many in this region. Kindergarten found its way into private English-speaking institutions across the country. However, it wasn't until 1873 that it became part of any public school system.

National Kindergarten Day offers an opportunity to thank a kindergarten teacher you know. There are several ways to celebrate the day, too!

How to Observe National Kindergarten Day

• Recognize an outstanding kindergarten teacher.  
• Explore a career in elementary education, specifically as a kindergarten teacher.
• Learn more about elementary education.
• Donate to a teacher's supply fund.
• Share your experiences as a kindergarten teacher.
• Invite families to see how today's students learn.
• Spend a day in a classroom.
• You can also visit the National Day Calendar Classroom for projects and ideas to help you Celebrate Every Day.

National Kindergarten Day History

National Kindergarten Day honors the day Friedrich Wilhelm August Fröbel was born on April 21, 1782. However, we were unable to identify the founder of National Kindergarten Day.  

Kindergarten FAQ

Q. Do kindergarten classes run half days or full days?
A. Most kindergarten classes today operate full days five days per week. However, in the past, the programs ran half days.

Q. How old are children when they begin kindergarten?
A. Most children begin kindergarten the year they turn five. However, children who are born later in the year often wait until the following year to begin. Schools provide parents with age guidelines.

Also

Chocolate Covered Cashews Day

Rendering Day

Yellow Bat Day

 

Today's Thought

The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place, but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.  ~ Lady Dorothy Nevill

 

 

 

 35 days until Memorial Day

 

 

04-20

EASTER  

Easter is observed on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox. Considered Christianity's most important holy day, it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Depending on which calendar a church follows, some will celebrate the holiday earlier than others.

Easter

Leading up to Easter Sunday is an entire season of observances beginning with Ash Wednesday, Lent's official beginning. Lent is a time of fasting and reflection, which represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness for 40 days. Many know this as a time when Christians give something up for Lent.

Then during Holy Week, the Sunday before Easter is known as Palm Sunday. It commemorates Jesus's entry into Jerusalem on a donkey just five days before the Romans crucified Him. Maundy Thursday remembers Jesus's last supper; Good Friday is the day of the crucifixion; Holy Saturday is the period between the crucifixion and the resurrection; and Easter Sunday.

How to Observe Easter

• Participate in any number of church services.
  
• Some churches conduct sunrise services.
  
• Dye eggs with children and have an Easter egg hunt.
  
• Local communities also hold annual egg hunts, so check your local social media, newspapers, and community listings for dates and times.

Easter History

Before Easter (Pascha), Passover was the primary holy day celebrated; however, Christianity closely links the two holidays. Jesus's last supper was a Passover meal. By the 2nd century, Orthodox Christians also celebrated Pascha alongside Passover as well as pagan spring festivals.

The Easter Bunny tradition comes from medieval Germany, where the Osterhase or Easter Hare would lay its colorful eggs in nests prepared by children. In the 18th-century, settling in the Dutch Pennsylvania countryside, immigrants brought this fable and tradition to the United States.

Dying eggs is a tradition that dates back thousands of years across many cultures. Eggs symbolize rebirth, fertility, and life springing forth. Today Easter egg hunts take place across the country. It is not unusual to see children in their Sunday best surrounding a giant Bunny. Many will also get their picture taken too!

Easter FAQ

Q. What happens to the palm leaves used during Palm Sunday services the week before Easter?
A. The palm leaves are usually burned to create ash for the following year's Ash Wednesday traditions.

Q. What are some traditional Easter symbols?
A. Easter comes with many symbols. Some of them include:

• Eggs - Symbolizes new life and rebirth
• Lambs - Represents Jesus
• Easter Lilies - Symbolizes innocence, purity, and peace
• Hot Cross Buns and Easter Breads - Represents Jesus, the bread of life

 

Also

Volunteer Recognition Day

420 Day

Cheddar Fries Day

Lima Bean Respect Day

Look Alike Day

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Day

 

Today's Thought

 

 

19 April

NATIONAL HANGING OUT DAY  

Each year on April 19th, Project Laundry List works with hundreds of other organizations to sponsor National Hanging Out Day. This day encourages communities to learn about the benefits, both financially and environmentally, of using a clothesline for drying laundry. According to Project Laundry Lists' website, clothes dryers account for an astonishing six to ten percent of residential energy consumption. Hanging your clothes out to dry also includes all these other benefits:

• You will reduce your carbon footprint. 
• You will save money. 
• The fresh air and sunshine recharge our bodies in therapeutic ways.
• Clothes dried on a clothesline have a natural freshness.
• It encourages us to slow down. 

How to Observe National Hanging Out Day

• Hang your freshly washed clothes out to dry.
• Install a clothesline.
• Try sleeping in sun and air-dried sheets—it's amazingly refreshing!
• Share pictures of your clothes drying on the line.
• Post tips, tools, and tricks to hanging clothes.
• While you're waiting for the clothes to dry, download and print the Hanging Out Day color page.
  

 National Hanging Out Day History

Since 1995, Project Laundry List and several other organizations have sponsored National Hanging Out Day. Project Laundry List is a New Hampshire-based group encouraging outdoor drying of clothes, "making air-drying laundry and cold-water washing acceptable and desirable as simple and effective ways to save energy," as quoted from their mission statement. 

Hanging Out FAQ

Q. Did you hear that Velveeta created a hangout called the Clothesline?
A. Yes. It's made from string cheese.

Q. Did you hear about the dish soap made for washing clothes?
A. Yes. The partnership just dawned on them.

Q. Did you know that in Ireland, they hang their clotheslines across streams?
A. Yes. They call it "Irish String."

 

Also

Amaretto Day

Record Store Day

Garlic Day

Auctioneers Day

North Dakota Day

Oklahoma City Bombing Commemoration Day

 

Today's Thought

The most effective form of learning is practice.

 

 01 Days until Easter

 

18 April

NATIONAL EXERCISE DAY 

National Exercise Day on April 18 offers inspiration to try new ways of becoming fit and healthy. These days there is no reason not to do something for your health. Including healthier eating habits too.

National Exercise Day

Not just for health enthusiasts, this is a day for everyone. Sure, you're busy you say, we all are but each of us can find a little time each day just for a short walk or calisthenics right after waking up.

Today is also a great day to start a simple exercise routine and invite a friend for motivation. Perhaps a flower or vegetable garden is the inspiration you need to get out and exercise. Give it a try!

How to Observe National Exercise Day

• Walk or jog a different route, for a different challenge, than you usually do.
• Take stairs at every opportunity rather than elevators..
• Take your dog for a walk.
• Go to the park and run.
• Set the alarm for 30 minutes earlier and do some yoga, stretch, or get that walk in first thing.

National Exercise Day History

Research has revealed National Exercise Day began in 2020. This celebration was founded by created by Jeuse Saint-Fleur.

 

Also

Animal Crackers Day

Columnists' Day

Clean Your Medicine Cabinet Day

Lineman Appreciation Day 

Good Friday

 

Today's Thought

I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit.  Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'  ~ Muhammad Ali

 

 02 Days until Easter