Author: Lisa Mungovan

What do you do when it’s Visit The Zoo Day, but it’s the middle of a snowstorm? You visit the zoo virtually! Many zoos have livecams, to watch animals from home. See the elephants, on the National Zoo’s Elephant-Cam, view Vancouver Aquarium’s hypnotic Jellyfish-Cam, or watch insects at work, on Houston Zoo’s Leafcutter Ant-Cam.

Today is Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day. Fold a square of paper in half, then in half again. Cut the corners off your folded square, then unfold it. See? The more cuts and folds you make, the fancier it will be! Look up a pattern online, to make a Mandalorian and Baby Yoda snowflake!

Today is Fruitcake Day! Fruitcake has a bad reputation, but it’s really a delicious cake made with candied fruit and nuts. Ancient Romans used pomegranate seeds and pine nuts. Honey and spices were added in the Middle Ages. One family, keeps a fruitcake as a family heirloom. Their great-great-grandmother, Fidelia Ford, baked it in 1878!

Did you receive any presents over the holidays? Today is Thank You Note Day, so write an old-fashioned letter to say thanks! It’s also Whiners Day. You’re allowed to complain about anything, except for what you didn’t get for Christmas! The day was created to encourage people to be thankful for what you have!

Today is Candy Cane Day. For centuries, candy canes were peppermint-flavored, red-and-white-striped, sticks of candy. In recent years, the flavors have expanded to include fruit punch, cinnamon, and watermelon, with bright colors to match. Those seem fine, but you can also get mac-and-cheese, ham, pickle, rotisserie chicken, pizza, or clam candy canes! Yuck!

December 26th, St Stephen’s Day, is known as Boxing Day in many countries. It’s named for the Christmas box some employers give to their employees, or the donation box outside churches. In Ireland, it’s also the Day of the Wren. Straw-costumed Wrenboys parade through town, singing and dancing, and collecting money for charity.

Do you celebrate Kwanzaa? The week-long celebration of African-American culture, runs from December 26th to January 1st, with a feast on the 6th day. Red, black, or green candles are lit each night, to observe the 7 principles of Kwanzaa, which include unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.

Christmas tradition says a star overhead marked the location where Jesus was born. The Bible describes how wise men followed a star to Bethlehem. Some people think the star was really a UFO! They also think Jesus was an alien who could shift shapes. Whatever you believe, have a wonderful holiday!

Today is Pumpkin Pie Day. Try making one from your leftover Halloween pumpkin! Just kidding, those are all rotten! It’s easiest to use pumpkin in a can, to make a fresh-baked pie. It’s also A’phabet, or No “L” Day. The ABC’s, minus the L, is Noel, another name for Christmas!

Today is Christmas, a festival celebrated by billions of people to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. We don’t know the date Jesus was actually born, but Christmas has been December 25th since the year 336. It is marked with gift giving and Santa Claus, Christmas trees and lights, church services, songs and gatherings.