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

 

 

 

17 April

NATIONAL HIGH FIVE DAY  

Each year on the third Thursday in April, we observe National High Five Day. This is a fun day where you can “High Five” everyone that you see.

National High Five Day

Folklore fills the hallowed halls of sports stadiums concerning the origins of the high five. From the basketball to the volleyball court and baseball stadium, the sports metaphor has been well worn on this topic.

The two most well-known claims take place in less than a two-year time span.

During the last 1977 regular season Dodgers' game, Dusty Baker hit the home run that made the team the first in history to have four players with at least 30 regular-season home runs each.  As Baker rounded third and headed home, Glenn Burke waited at home plate to congratulate him. In a moment that is Dodgers history but was never televised, Burke greeted his teammate by raising his hand, and they slapped hands in a victorious high five.

During basketball's 1978-79 season, the University of Louisville basketball team switched up their regular low-fives on the home court thanks to Wiley Brown and Derek Smith.

Out of all the triumphant sports gestures, such as the fist bump, fanny slap, fist pump, end zone dance, and chest bump, the high five stands in a class all its own.

How to Observe National High Five Day

• Celebrate with a high five!
• See if you can find all the fives in the High Five hidden picture.
• Once you've tried, check out the key.
• If you're looking for ways to get children involved in sports, check out local organizations for a list of sports activities in your town. That's a High Five in our books!

National High Five Day History

In 2002, college students at the University of Virginia, Conor Lastowka (San Diego, CA), Sam Miotke (Corvallis, OR), and Wynn Walent (New York, NY) together created National High Five Day.

High Five FAQ

Q. Who holds the record for the most high fives?
A. In 2016, Kaiser Permanente of San Diego achieved 290 high fives in one minute. The record for the most high fives in 24 hours goes to Pete Timbs in Brisbane, Australia. He achieved 14,607 high fives in 2012.

 

Also

International Bat Appreciation Day

Cheeseball Day

Crawfish Day

Ellis Island Family History Day

Get to Know Your Customers Day  

Haiku Poetry Day

 

Today's Thought

Do not confuse motion and progress.  A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress. ~ Alfred A. Montapert

 

 

 03 Days until Easter

 

 

16 April

NATIONAL BANANA DAY  

On the third Wednesday in April, take a bite of the fruit that also makes an excellent prop for jokes on National Banana Day!

National Banana Day

The day focuses on the nutrition of the fruit as well as the way comedy has used the banana in its acts. This low-fat, low-calorie snack offers a boost of fiber, potassium, and vitamins, with B6 and C leading the way. It also provides a healthy gram of protein, too. Add a banana to your morning cereal or grab one to go with your granola. They also add so much delicious flavor to baked goods. Many bakers know that when those bananas turn brown to toss them in the freezer for baking muffins and breads later.

As far as the humor goes, anyone goes a little bananas when they slip on a peel. Or is it the peel of laughter that makes them go bananas? Hold up the banana like a phone and get your comedy routine going.

How to Observe National Banana Day

• Write a little message on a banana and tuck it into your loved one's lunch.
• Add bananas to your lunch routine. They're inexpensive and delicious. Children and adults love them, so you just can't go wrong. 
  

National Banana Day History

The word is still out about who created this national holiday. However, we've sent out several bananas to track them down.

Banana FAQ

Q. What is a group of bananas called?
A. The cluster of bananas that grow on the banana plant is called hands (together they look like fingers on a hand).

Q. Are banana plants sterile?
A. The fruit of the banana plant is sterile. However, the banana plant is able to reproduce from rhizomes beneath the soil. The parent plant dies after it produces fruit, but the rhizomes will send out corms for new plants.

Q. How many calories are in a banana?
A. A medium banana contains about 105 calories.

 

Also

Bean Counter Day

Eggs Benedict Day

Healthcare Decisions Day

Orchid Day

Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day

 

Today's Thought

Live as if you were to die tomorrow.  Learn as if you were to live forever.  ~ Mahatma Gandhi

 

 04 Days until Easter

 

 

15 April

NATIONAL TAX DAY 

April 15th of each year is National Tax Day. In the United States, the term "tax day" refers to the day on which individual income tax returns are due to the federal government. The day may also refer to April 15th for state tax returns.

National Tax Day

The Federal income tax filing deadline is midnight on April 15th of every year, with extensions occurring when the 15th lands on a Saturday, Sunday, or a holiday. In those circumstances, the returns are due the first succeeding day which is not a Saturday, Sunday, or a holiday. 

These dates can differ depending on the residence as well.  Some years, due to extenuating circumstances such as natural disasters, more significant extensions have been granted by the Federal Government.

How to Observe National Tax Day

• Complete and file your taxes. 
• Quote Benjamin Franklin: Nothing is certain but death, and taxes.
• Save a copy of your tax return in a safe place.
• Give a shout-out to your tax preparer.

National Tax Day History

Income tax was first collected in The United States in 1862 to fund the Civil War.  It was deemed unconstitutional due to not being apportioned with conformity across the states. Once again, the United States enacted income tax with the 16th Amendment in 1913. At that time, the filing deadline was March 1. In 1918 the deadline was changed to March 15, and then in 1955, for the most recent change, the filing deadline was moved to April 15th.  The day has come to be known as Tax Day.

Tax FAQ

Q. What is the full quote by Benjamin Franklin?
A. A. Following the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, Benjamin Franklin wrote in a letter to French scientist Jean-Baptiste Le Roy: "Our new Constitution is now established, everything seems to promise it will be durable; but, in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes."

Q. I need an extension to file my taxes. What form to I use?
A. Visit irs.gov for a complete list of forms to request an extension. (not sure the irs link is still valid)

 

Also

Glazed Spiral Ham Day

Laundry Day

Purple Up! Day

Rubber Eraser Day

Take a Wild Guess Day

Titanic Remembrance Day

 

Today's Thought

Forget your mistakes and remember the lesson you learned.

 

 05 Days until Easter

 

 

 

 

04-14

NATIONAL EX-SPOUSE DAY  

Very few marriages end amicably. Each year on April 14th, National Ex-Spouse Day encourages those who have dissolved their marriage to forgive their former spouse and move beyond any anger or bitterness that may remain. And even those that do aren't free from angst or regrets.

National Ex-Spouse Day

For a wide variety of reasons, sometimes marriages just do not work out. Recent statistics show that the divorce rate for first marriages is at 50 percent.  Some people find that they get along better after a divorce than they did during the marriage. Unfortunately, all divorces do not turn out that friendly and the experience can be painful and traumatic. Regardless of whether it is a friendly separation, there needs to be a way to manage the situation when children are involved.

How to Observe National Ex-Spouse Day

• Come to terms with your divorce.
• Forgive your ex so you can move on. It's as much for them as it is for you.
• Find something positive about your ex-spouse that will help ease any lasting bitterness.
• Visit with other divorcees to discuss how they coped with their divorces.

National Ex-Spouse Day History

Reverend Ronald Coleman of Kansas City, Missouri created National Ex-Spouse Day in 1987 as a way to dissolve the bitterness that is often associated with divorce. In its inaugural year, Rev. Coleman offered buttons that read, "I'm OK - You're History," to help lighten the day. He hoped more people would forgive their spouses and focus on the positive aspects of their own lives. 

Ex-Spouse FAQ

Q. Is divorce on the rise?
A. Overall, divorce rates are on the decline. However, one segment of the population is seeing increased divorce rates - Baby Boomers. Called gray divorce, the divorce rate of those 50 and older more than doubled since 2015 according to Pew Research.

Q. Is there a better word than "ex" to describe an ex-spouse?
A. There are multiple ways to describe an ex-spouse. A few that illustrate the dissolved relation in a more positive light are:

• Former spouse
• Once-upon-a-time spouse
• Spouse 1.0 (2.0, 3.0 for those who need these options)
• Was-spouse
• wasbund, waswife
• Practice spouse
  

 

 Also 

Dolphin Day

Gardening Day

Look Up at the Sky Day

Pan American Day

International Laverbread Day

Pecan Day

Reach as High as You Can Day

 

Today's Thought

Practice what you know, and it will help to make clear what now you do not know. ~ Rembrandt

 

 06 Days until Easter