Author: Lisa Mungovan

Today is Sacagawea Day. She was the daughter of a Native American Shoshone chief, who joined Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery Expedition in 18-oh-5, to map a passage across the United States. 16-year-old Sacagawea taught them which plants were edible or medicinal, acted as a translator, and helped them cross the Rocky Mountains.

Warm up your vocal cords, because today is Go Caroling Day! Gather your friends and family on Zoom, and sing all your holiday favorites, or sing to your neighbors from the sidewalk. It’s also Games Day. Instead of playing video games, ask your parents what their favorite game is, and play it with them!

Quick, find your most hideous Christmas sweater. It’s Ugly Christmas Sweater Day! You can buy sweaters with a dinosaur under a disco ball, a UFO with flashing lights, dancing cats, or even Darth Vader in a Santa hat! Or decorate your own sweater by adding ornaments or cotton for snow. Or a mirror, ha-ha.

You know what’s great, when you’re running late? Oatmeal muffins! It’s Oatmeal Muffin Day, so bake your breakfast into a tasty and convenient package. Add fruit, like bananas, raisins, or blueberries, if you want to make it even tastier. You could also add cinnamon, nuts, chocolate chips, or maybe even salsa!

Today is Hard Candy Day! Most hard candy is made by boiling sugar syrup, adding flavorings, then pouring it into molds to cool and harden. The first lemon and peppermint candies were prescribed for stomach ailments. It’s also Look For An Evergreen Day. Evergreen plants like pine trees, holly, and bamboo, stay green all year!

In honor of National Syrup Day, Denny’s restaurants released limited-edition shoes, called Sticky Kicks. The yellow and red high-top sneakers have a Denny’s logo on the heel, and see-thru panels filled with syrup. The sneakers, available for $195 in their DinerDrip.com merchandise shop, sold out in one minute.

Australia’s Taronga Zoo, has been credited with saving multiple animal species from extinction. They plan to rewild 3,050 acres of farmland, with a box-gum tree forest, to connect existing wildlife habitats. The zoo will then release endangered platypuses, koalas, spotted quolls, and regent honeyeater birds, to help their populations grow again.

Snowflakes form in the clouds, when water vapor condenses into ice crystals, around a particle of dust. No 2 snowflakes are alike! Today is Flake Appreciation Day, so take a close look at some flakes if you’re lucky enough to have snow. If not, you can make your own out of paper.

Today is Bake Cookies Day! I’ll tell you my favorite recipe, for peanut butter cookies. Mix one cup of sugar, and one cup of peanut butter, with one egg. Press balls of dough with a fork, to make a criss-cross pattern. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, for 10 minutes! Don’t forget to save some for me!

Today is Wear A Plunger On Your Head Day, first celebrated by Vern Halsey, and his pet Komodo dragon, Felix. A plunger with a big rubber suction cup works best, especially if you’re bald! I suggest you buy a new one, since they’re cheap at Dollar Tree. Used ones would be gross.