Each month, and nearly every day, of the calendar has particular cultural meanings and associations. Most of us associate June with weddings, ending of the school year, beginning of summer, honoring our fathers, honoring our flag, planning vacation time and, in the U.S., more sunshine, heat, and anticipated beach time. But for us info-maniacs, finding out all the other celebrations is just fun!
Wikipedia explains some of the U.S. associations with June; for example, June is named after Juno (Hera), the goddess of marriage. June’s birth flower is the rose; you know, red roses indicate love, yellow indicates friendship? But the other flower for June is the Honeysuckle. I remember the honeysuckle bush of my childhood home, picking the flowers, pulling the inside stamen and tasting the sweetness – in June.
June in the Northern Hemisphere is equivalent to December in the Southern Hemisphere. June 25th is known as LEON Day [Noel spelled backwards], but that still does not explain the shopping networks Christmas in July shows.
Food-wise, June is also known as Dairy Month, National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month, National Iced Tea Month, and Turkey Lovers Month. On the first, heat up the fryer for Donut Day or make a garbage can cake to celebrate Oscar the Grouch’s birthday. Don’t forget Donald’s (the Duck, that is) birthday, June 9, 1934, or Superman’s birthday on June 30th, or more generally celebrate the song “Happy Birthday” written June 27, 1859 [not to mention daily singing while you wash your hands insures cleanliness). Bring out the candy thermometer for National Fudge Day on the 16th, or head for the nearest body of water with a basket full of goodies for International Picnic Day on the 18th.
Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery as announced by the Union soldiers in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865. However, the day did not become a recognized Texas holiday for 115 years. Now, many ethnicities and communities find ways to celebrate this day of freedom. While my daughter in Azerbaijan chose to make jambalaya, others celebrate with Red Velvet cake and Strawberry Lemonade.
Did you know the radio was patented in June 2nd, 1896? Or that the first drive-in movie in New Jersey arrived on June 6, 1933? National Yo-Yo day is the 10th, just two days before the anniversary of the creation of the baseball in 1839. Where would we be without sandpaper, invented June 14th, 1834, or the typewriter, patented on June 23, 1868, or even more importantly, June 26th, 1498 when the toothbrush was invented?
What else can you celebrate in June? National Adopt-A-Cat; National Drive Safe with National Safety Month (might be time to consider taking Oprah’s pledge to NOT text or use your cell phone while driving), National Tennis Month (what a great way to maintain your January exercise resolutions), Great Outdoors Month (let’s clean up the camping gear) that connects with National Fishing Week and National Camping Week.
For those more interested in personal development, enjoy Power of a Smile Day on June 15th, National Forgiveness Day on the 24th, and Let It Go Day – whatever has been bothering your psyche – on the 28th.
So, my last question is how do you plan to celebrate Potty Training Awareness Month next year?
References:
No comments:
Post a Comment