Author: Lisa Mungovan

On January 7th 19 27, Abe Saperstein gathered a group of fantastic basketball players known as the Savoy Big Five, and formed the Harlem Globetrotters. Nearly 100 years later, people still enjoy watching the team’s skills, antics, and trick shots. Celebrate Harlem Globetrotters Day, by watching them and learning a few tricks of your own.

Today is Old Rock Day. Spend some time with your favorite rock, whether it’s an awesome fossil, a soothingly smooth stone, a colorful conglomerate, or just a hefty hunk of gravel! Get a pet rock, or decorate one and leave it for someone to find, or go climb a rock! Old Rock Day rocks!

Today is Tempura Day. Tempura is a Japanese dish of vegetables or seafood, that are dipped in batter and deep-fried. Tempura sounds tempting! It’s also Bobblehead Day. The toys with big heads bobbing on springs, have been around more than 100 years! Just be sure you don’t deep-fry your bobbleheads today!

It’s a new year, with the same old viruses. Do you remember how to stay safe from COVID, the flu, and colds? Wash your hands often with soap, and use hand sanitizer. Wear a mask if you’re sick to protect others, and get vaccinated for the best protection. Get enough sleep, and stay healthy!

Researchers in Australia, figured out a way to make concrete, even stronger. Just add coffee! After coffee grounds are heated to 660° Fahrenheit, they become biochar, and can be safely mixed into concrete, instead of adding sand. It could help recycle the 10,000,000,000 kilograms of global coffee waste each year.

Today is Bean Day, and also Technology Day. To celebrate, use dried beans to make a mosaic, then prepare a big bowl of 15-bean soup. Afterwards, use computer technology to find “Vegetable Soup”, a great kids’ television show from 50 years ago, on YouTube. You can enjoy it with your bean soup lunch!

Today is Apple Tree Day, which started as a celebration of a nearly 200 year-old tree. When you think about it, it’s pretty amazing that food just grows on trees. It’s also Shortbread Day, so start baking! You only need flour, sugar, and butter, to bake this delicious Scottish dessert.

The 12 days of Christmas have ended, and today is the Epiphany, or Three Kings Day. You could celebrate with king’s cake, a crown-shaped cake with candied fruit for jewels, and a baby Jesus doll inside. It’s also the day many people remove holiday decorations, known as Take The Christmas Tree Down Day.

Today is Bird Day. There are around 18,000 different bird species! The largest non-flying bird is the ostrich, the kori bustard is the heaviest bird that can fly, and the wandering albatross has the largest wingspan, at up to 11 feet! The bee hummingbird is smallest at 2 1/4 inches long. The Australian lyrebird sounds like R2-D2!

Pie and hot chocolate are even better, with a tower of whipped cream sprayed on top! For Whipped Cream Day, try making your own. Simply put some heavy whipping cream in a jar, and shake it for a few minutes! Just don’t shake it too long, or it will turn into butter.