By Haddon Libby
We are a Nation of celebrations. The Fourth of July typically marks the beginning of summer vacations and a time when we try to take a few weeks to recharge our batteries and get away from the daily grind. In the Coachella Valley, tourism ebbs and the community shrinks to locals and people who understand the beauty of a desert evening in the summer. Having just celebrated the traditional start of summer holiday season with the Fourth of July, what can we look forward to?
Well, July is packed with things to celebrate. It is the ‘National Month’ for blueberries, hot dogs and ice cream. Saturday July 6th, is National Fried Chicken Day while Sunday is National Chocolate Day.
If food celebrations aren’t your thing, Friday July 5th is Bikini Day in celebration of the swim suit that was created 67 years ago. For those who do not celebrate that Parisian creation, the following week is Nude Recreation Week. If the weather out here is anything like last week, the third week of July for nudists will be Third Degree Sunburn Week – otherwise, it is Massage Week.
Beginning on Monday, July 8th are the 30 days of Ramadan, a time of spiritual reflection and increased worship for Muslims around the world. During this period, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset and are to abstain from sinful behavior. Let’s see if Bashar al-Assad of Syria can refrain from using chemical weapons against his countrymen during this time.
July 10th’s ‘Don’t Step on a Bee Day’ takes on more urgency given Monsanto’s assault on worldwide bee populations with their Agent Orange Corn and insect and bird-killing seeds.
If you are in Utah on July 24th, celebrate Pioneer’s Day in recognition of their forefathers who settled the region. It is also National Tequila Day. I don’t know if you knew this but the frozen Margarita was invented in Dallas by Mariano Martinez in 1971 and is now the most popular mixed drink in the United States. Lastly, the 24th is Cousins Day, a celebration that I have never seen a Hallmark card about. For some people, Cousins Day takes on a special and personal meaning. Did you know that Charles Darwin, Edgar Allan Poe, Jesse James and Jerry Lee Lewis married their first cousins; J.S. Bach and Albert Einstein married their second cousins; Rudy Giuliani and Thomas Jefferson married their third cousins, and FDR married his fifth cousin? Talk about keeping it in the family.
To help you get a jump in planning your August celebrations, August is Romance Awareness Month. According to a Zoosk.com poll, Americans believe that August is more romantic than Valentine’s Day. They advise that you try a new activity with your partner during the month as this creates stronger bonds.
A little known twice a year celebration is National Tooth Fairy Day on the 22nd of August (and February 28). I assume it is marketed by the American Dental Association in conjunction with sweet makers.
For those of us who have children who say that they are bored this summer, any day can be a celebration. Simply go to www.holidayinsights.com and find one of the sillier holidays and make a special day of it. In truth, you don’t need a child to have a silly holiday celebration. Just get out and about and have some fun. Before you know it, the daily grind will be back upon us and we will not have the same amount of time for friends and family. Take a break and enjoy yourself and those around you. You will be glad that you did.
