There are plenty of holidays other than New Year's happening this month. January brings with it all the promises and hopes of the new year. We've rounded up some special (and some silly!) holidays and events that your family might want to celebrate this week:
JANUARY 1: NEW YEAR'S DAY
Happy New Year! You could celebrate by making resolutions, going on a 1st Day Hike or for those brave enough, take the Polar Plunge with your family! Or, on second thought, why not just get ice cream instead!!
JANUARY 4 : NATIONAL SPAGHETTI DAY
Create a fun and easy dinner with your own SPAGHETTI BUFFET! Prepare traditional spaghetti, then offer various sauces and toppings like marinara and Alfredo sauce, meatballs, sliced Italian sausage, shredded rotisserie chicken, clams, shrimp, cherry tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, sliced olives, and Parmesan cheese. Everyone can create their own dinner masterpiece!
JANUARY 5: INTERNATIONAL FRUGAL FUN DAY
Today (and every day!) is the day to find inexpensive fun! We have you covered with our Macaroni Kid Event Calendar, filled with FREE or low-cost local family-friendly events.
JANUARY 6 : BEAN DAY
Nothing is better to warm you up on a cold January day than chili with beans! Our favorite CHILI RECIPE has just 5 ingredients: 1 pound ground beef, 2 cans diced tomatoes, 1 can chopped green chilis, 1 can kidney beans (rinsed), and 1 packet chili seasoning. Brown the meat on medium-high, then add everything else, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes. Serve hot with toppings like shredded cheddar, sour cream, cilantro, cubed avocado, and hot sauce so your family can finish off their bowl just as each person likes it.
JANUARY 12: HOT TEA DAY
I love most any variety of hot tea, but my kids are not huge fans. However, they love my Mama's Orange Spiced Hot Tea, especially if they are not feeling well.
JANUARY 14: DRESS UP YOUR PET DAY
Dress up your dog, goat, guinea pig, or cat. Pets aren't cooperative? Paint your kids' faces as their favorite animal.
JANUARY 15: MARTIN LUTHER KING JR NATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE
Celebrate the life of the great leader of the Civil Rights movement by doing something to effect positive change in your community today. Click HERE for more information and resources.
JANUARY 17: KID INVENTORS DAY
What do televisions, water skis, and earmuffs have in common? They were all invented by kids! More than 500,000 children and teens invent gadgets and games each year. Held each year on Benjamin Franklin's birthday (he invented the first swim flippers at age 12). Do you have a kid inventor in your family? Click HERE for links to contests and competitions.
JANUARY 19: NATIONAL POPCORN DAY
Watching so many movies during the quarantine has been the perfect opportunity to try new snack recipes and nothing says movie night more than popcorn! There's basic popcorn with butter, of course, but that can be so booorrriing. Click HERE for more yummy seasonings like these:
- Garlic Cheese: Parmesan cheese and garlic powder
- Pizza Pop: garlic powder, salt, oregano, and Parmesan cheese
- Taco Pop: taco seasoning (purchased or your favorite homemade), cumin and cilantro (fresh if you have it)
- Snickerdoodle: cinnamon and sugar
JANUARY 20: NATIONAL CHEESE LOVER'S DAY
And, what better way to enjoy cheese than Macaroni and Cheese! Click HERE for 3 of our favorite recipes... yummm!
Or click HERE to try one (or some!) of these delicious savory or sweet cheeseballs to celebrate!
JANUARY 21: NATIONAL HUGGING DAY
Kevin Zaborney invented this holiday in 1986 to encourage family and friends to hug more often. There are many actual health benefits to hugging, including that it releases oxytocin, a hormone associated with feelings of happiness and it improves immune function, sleep patterns, blood pressure, and self-esteem. Click HERE for more information.
JANUARY 23: NATIONAL HANDWRITING DAY
Two for one! Kids can practice their handwriting skills by writing thank you notes for their Christmas presents! Click HERE for some kid-friendly tips to encourage them to develop this important life long habit.
JANUARY 24: BELLY LAUGH DAY
Yes, this is really a "holiday." Celebrate by telling your kids jokes until they howl with laughter. Click HERE for 200 jokes guaranteed to make kids laugh.
- What did one math book say to the other?
I’ve got so many problems. - Why can’t you ever tell a joke around glass?
It could crack up. - Why do we never tell jokes about pizza?
They’re too cheesy. - Why is it so windy inside a stadium?
There are hundreds of fans. - What did one plate say to the other plate?
Dinner is on me! - What do you call a boomerang that won’t come back?
A stick.
JANUARY 27: INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY
On this annual day of commemoration, the United Nations urges all to honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazism. Even though it's a difficult subject, it's important to teach our children what happened, so it never happens again. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum offers excellent resources on learning more.
JANUARY 28: NATIONAL KAZOO DAY
Celebrating 168 years of kazoo playing in America, kazoo lovers across America continue the campaign to make the kazoo America's official musical instrument. Kazoos were invented In America, but played all over the world. Anyone can play a kazoo and it's so much fun!!
Kazoobie Kazoos, America's Largest Manufacturer, sells nearly 1 million kazoos each year. Click HERE for more information and instructions to make your own kazoo!
JANUARY 29: NATIONAL PUZZLE DAY
Gather the family 'round and work on a puzzle on National Puzzle Day. Doing puzzles together makes for great family time! Two local shops that sell lots of terrific puzzles are Johns Creek Books & Gifts on Medlock Bridge Rd and Hello Rainbow in downtown Duluth.
January 31: National Backward Day
National Backward Day provides an opportunity to reverse our ways, our direction or simply our shirt.
There are many ways to celebrate, but here are a few fun ideas to get you started:
- Go out the back door.
- Have dinner for breakfast and breakfast for dinner.
- Say, "Goodbye," instead of "Hello," when answering the phone.
- Twiddle your pinkies, not your thumbs.
- Wear your sweatshirt backward.
- Write your name backward.
- Write an entire sentence backward.
- Run the bases in baseball backward.
- Read a book starting with the last page.
FUN FACT: Leonardo da Vinci wrote backward. Not only did the artist and inventor write from right to left, but he also wrote his letters backward.
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