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National Religious Freedom Day- January 16

Religions and religious organizations are responsible for a great many good things done in the world, from founding charities all over the world that care about simple people and inspiring them to be better and better on a daily basis, to caring for people in the community who are in distress. Unfortunately, religious organizations often show loyalty only to their members and try to get others to convert or strengthen their faith and change their secular lifestyle.

The consequences can be severe. In ancient times there were persecutions of the Christians by the Romans, in Spain there was the infamous Inquisition, and in Puritan America the witch hunt took place. Today there is the Islamic Jihad that is responsible for terrorist attacks around the world and in Israel there are endless disputes between religious and secular, between Jews and Muslims and more.

Freedom of religion is the right of everyone to live according to his religion and to have equal protection and rights. Freedom of religion is among the universal human rights recognized in liberal and humanist thought and in the hands of the United Nations.

The history of Freedom of Religious Day

On January 16, 1786, shortly after the founding of the United States of America, the General Assembly of Virginia adopted the Virginia Constitution of the Thomas Jefferson Religious Constitution. This law became the basis for what we know today as the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of religion to all persons residing in the United States. On that day, the President of the United States issued an official declaration that this day is now freedom of religion.

How to celebrate Religious Freedom Day?

A good way to celebrate Freedom Day is to do some research on what life was like before freedom of religion was enshrined in law. This can be done by reading books or watching movies. "Name Downloaded", the book and film is a great example of describing life during the Inquisition, and about how much the Inquisitors were willing to go looking for and punish people suspected of witchcraft.

Movies and books on the subject of the Holocaust, such as "The Diary of Anne Frank," also point to the Nazi persecution of Jews in Europe.

Salman Rushdie's works are very interesting insights, as the author has received death threats for years, following the publication of his famous book "Satan's Verses", in which he wrote a critique of Islam.

Another idea to celebrate Freedom Day is to meet with friends from other religions and talk about the topic and discuss how freedom of religion allows you to live together in peace without persecuting each other.

Freedom of religion is a wonderful and not a matter of course. For many years it did not exist and should be maintained even today. He deserves a day of appreciation and appreciation.

January 16 is also Nothing Day and Appreciate A Dragon Day

Appreciate A Dragon Day- January 16

Appreciate A Dragon Day is a day in honor of the fire-spitting animals, the dragons.

Dragons are legendary creatures that appear in adventure stories, movies, plays and folk tales.

The image of dragons is similar to giant reptiles that can also fly. They are reminiscent of dinosaurs, snakes (especially spitting cobras), crocodiles, bats and giant lizards.

The creator of this special day is Donita K. Paul, a fantasy writer whose books star dragons. She created this day with the goal of encouraging people to learn about dragons.

There are peoples in whose tradition the dragons can be found. In China, for example, the dragon is a symbol of good news. It heralds the coming of the rain and symbolizes the yang.

In Jewish culture the dragon is associated with idols and therefore his mention in his stories or creation is considered foreign work.

In India the dragon is convoluted and has a cobra head, sometimes several heads.

In Wales in Great Britain there is a mythological story according to which in a long battle in which the Welsh king Vertigran was present, a red dragon defeated a white dragon. The red dragon symbolizes the Welsh (hence the national flag of Wales has a red dragon) and the white dragon the Anglo-Saxons. In this battle the victory of the Red Dragon foretold the defeat of the English in the battle against the Welsh.

Wales flag

How to celebrate Dragon Day?

Draw a dragon.

Color dragons coloring book.

Take a picture with a doll or a statue of a dragon.

See a movie starring dragons.

Watch a TV series with dragons (like Game of Thrones for example).

Make a dragon doll.

Make something in the shape of a dragon and take a picture with it.

January 16 is also Nothing day and Freedom of Religious Day

Hat Day – January 15

Does the winter frost threaten to freeze your scalp? Does the summer sun threaten to fry it? Freeze or fry or any phase in-between, nothing beats a proper hat to tackle whatever discomfort you feel at any season of the year. You may choose your headgear from a vast variety ranging alphabetically from baseball cap to zucchetto (if you happen to be a Roman Catholic cleric). A woolen knit-cap with or without a pom-pom would probably defend your head when weather is chilly, and a visor-hat should help prevent the sun from scalding your nose (unless you are in the habit of wearing your hat with the visor behind). The need to cover one's head has been understood by humans ever since the hat was invented sometime at the dawn of history. Along the millennia, hats have metamorphosed into abundant styles dictated by needs and fashions.

Why was January 15 chosen as this special day?

As the story goes, on January 15 1797, an English haberdasher whose name was John Hetherington was fined by court to the amount of £500 on the charge of breach of the peace and inciting a riot, having frightened women, children and even dogs by appearing in public wearing a silk top-hat which he had invented and never seen before. Although this tale is most probably nothing more than a fable, the date January 15 was proclaimed to commemorate it.

Here are a few interesting anecdotes about hats

The earliest known evidence that humans wore hats appears in drawings on engraved stones dating back to about 15,000 BC. The stones were discovered in 1937 by Leon Pericard and Stephane Lewoff in a cave near Lussac-les-Chateaux in western France.
The first performer to pull a rabbit out of a hat was the French magician Louis Comte who performed the act in London in 1814.

London black taxi cabs have tall ceilings in order to accommodate gentlemen who wish to keep their tall hats on their heads during the ride.

In the middle of the nineteenth century, baseball umpires used to wear brimmed hats.

The traditional tall white toques that chefs wear on their heads have 100 pleats that represent the 100 ways to cook eggs. The toques were originally designed by the French chefs Marie Antoine Carême and Auguste Escoffier.

The term "Mad as a hatter" originated in the Victorian era, when some workers in the hat industry were inflicted by mercury poisoning in the course of producing felt hats. In some cases the contamination caused brain damage that brought about madness and occasionally even death of the victims. The mad hatter character in Louis Carrol's Alice in Wonderland book was inspired by this term.

The Fedora hat was called after Princess Fedora Romanoff, heroine of the play Fedora by nineteenth century French dramatist Victorien Sardou. Originally designed for ladies, it is worn nowadays by both sexes and popular among gangsters, detectives and celebrities.

A strange practice customary in America in 1920 was to beat up people who wore straw hats after September 15.
Now guess where Panama hats originated! Panama, you say? Nope, you guessed wrong! The answer is Ecuador, where in the mid 1600's hat weaving evolved as a cottage industry in villages and small towns mainly along the coast. Nowadays Ecuador is the main producer of Panama hats.

The pointed conical paper hat, known as the dunce cap, was used in the past by teachers to discipline pupils who misbehaved in class, labeling them as dunces. The word "dunce"' which is synonymous to "fool", is believed to have evolved as a misspelling of the first name of Duns Scotus (1266-1308), a renowned philosopher and theologian. According to legend, Duns Scotus recommended that conical hats should be worn to stimulate the brain. Thus, the name of an outstanding thinker who more than 700 years ago bore a significant mark on modern philosophy has been coupled with a very derogative term. Sic transit gloria mundi!

Contrary to popular belief, there is absolutely no evidence that the Vikings wore horned helmets.

12^th century picture of Sea-faring Vikings (source: Wikipedia)

Some weird laws regarding the use of hats

Queen Elizabeth the First proclaimed a law obliging every person from the age of seven up to wear a hat on Sundays and holidays.

In Wyoming, USA, the law forbids wearing a hat that obstructs the view in the theater or any other place of entertainment.

If you wear a hat while dancing in North Dakota, you are breaking the law and might be sent to jail.

In Kentucky, USA, men are forbidden by law to purchase 10-gallon hats unless their wives help them to choose the style.

How to observe Hat Day

Wear a hat! If that is what you usually do on other days, wear a different hat, preferably one that you would never wear on other days.

January 15 is also Strawberry Ice Cream day

Strawberry Ice Cream Day- January 15

Every year on January 15, one of the most beloved flavors of ice cream is celebrated - the strawberry. Strawberry is ranked third after vanilla and chocolate which is not surprising, given the fact that strawberry is such a refreshing and sweet taste. Ice Cream Day of All Flavors is celebrated on the third Sunday in July.

Strawberry ice cream is made by blending strawberries or strawberry, cream, vanilla and sugar flavored foods. The color pink or light red is achieved through the use of food coloring.

Strawberry ice cream was served in 1813 in celebration of the second term of James Madison, the fourth President of the United States.

The strawberry flavor is one of the three flavors of Neapolitan ice cream that also includes the vanilla and chocolate flavors.

How to celebrate Strawberry Ice Cream Day?

Winter is the strawberry season, so it's time to make ice cream with real strawberries. The holidays are celebrated in the best way, so it's best to invite friends over for dinner with you. If you do not have time and you can not make strawberry ice cream at home, it is time to visit an ice cream parlor and buy strawberry flavored ice cream. They will surely be happy to serve you in these cold days that they do not have many customers.

January 15 is also Hat Day

Organize Your Home Day- January 14

It may not sound like much fun, but January 14th is a day of arranging and organizing the house. You may have a lot of work to do, but in the end you will be happy and say thank to yourself for that. Your home will be neat and organized, it will be fun to sit in and you will also be able to host people at a moment's notice. If you can keep the house in this condition until next year - it will be wonderful.

A tidy home contributes to balance in life. It reduces stress and contributes to your efficiency. It can save you time of searching, money on buying things you think you need and forgot you have, and in general it is much more pleasant.

A tidy house has many benefits, and if the house you live in is messy, it is today to tidy up and organize it and enjoy the benefits.

Another advantage of the house arrangement is that you burn calories. In light cleaning jobs like dusting and arranging cabinets, burn 170 calories an hour. If you carry heavy things along the way, the number of calories you burn will increase. An hour of sweeping the floor will burn you 270 calories and an hour of washing dishes will waste 200 calories.

How to celebrate Organize Your Home Day?

The first step is to plan the process and decide on the order of the tasks.

The second step is to collect the detergents you will use and concentrate them in one accessible place.

The next step is to start working: collect all the objects that are not in place and put them back in place.

Once you have arranged, it is time to start cleaning: Dust is removed from the shelves and objects. Start from the top and move down.

Sweep the house, vacuum, rinse it and take the garbage out to the trash outside.

After you finish, sit on the couch with your legs up and rest ...

January 14th is also International Kite Day and Dress Up Your Pet Day

International Kite Day- January 14

They are beautiful, colorful, fluttering in the air, flying and filling the sky with joy ... The kites are a kind of light aircraft that fly in the air without a pilot, with the person flying them being the one standing on the ground and holding the string.

The kite was invented in China, in the 5th century BC, by the philosophers Mosi and Lu Ban. By 549 AD the kites were made of paper. They were used primarily for military purposes: distance measurement, wind testing, signaling and communications. Legend has it that kites were used to fly children for espionage.

China had the ideal materials for building kites: silk fabric for sailing, and flexible bamboo for frame.

The earliest Chinese kites were flat and often rectangular. They were adorned with mythological motifs and figures from the legends.

The kites were brought from China to Cambodia, Thailand, India, Japan, Korea and the Western world.

In the photo: a giant kite in the shape of a Macau parrot (source)

The history of International Kite Day

The International Kite Day originates in India, in the state of Gujarat, which is famous for the number of kite festivals held there every year. Gujarat residents start producing the kites several months in advance so they can be sure that there are enough kites for the millions of people who visit it during the festival The kite festival, called Otarian in Hindi, celebrates the day when winter ends and summer begins according to the Indian calendar as well as The coming harvest season, and the kites symbolize the spirits of the gods awakening from their deep winter sleep. Originally, kite flying was a sport run by the royal family and the very rich people, but in recent years it has become a festival for all people coming from all over the country and the world to take part, especially people from Japan, Italy, UK, Canada, Brazil, Indonesia, Australia, USA, Malaysia, Singapore, France and China.

How to celebrate Kite Day?

If you are traveling in India, you should come to Gujarat for the Kite Festival - Uttarayan on January 14th and participate in the International Kite Day celebration. Enjoy the amazing sight of millions of kites flying in the region’s skies, huge amounts of delicious traditional Indian food at all hours of the day and night, and lots of people from all over the world.

The celebration begins at 5 a.m. and lasts all day until late at night, with the kites lit by lights and andles creating a memorable spectacle in the dark sky.

Gujarat Kite Festival - The sky looks like an ocean full of fish

Gujarat Kite Festival at night

If you can not be in Gujarat to celebrate International Kite Day, you can celebrate near home. Make a kite or buy one, and go out with it to the nearby park to fly it in the sky.

January 14th is also Dress up your pet day and a day to tidy up the house

Dress up your pet day- January 14

14 January is Dress up your pet day. The temperatures outside are dropping and it's time to dress your dog in a sweater, coat or dress.

Dress up your pet day was founded in 2009 by celebrity pet lifestyle expert Colleen Paige.

The purpose of this day is to promote awareness of the need for pet adoption, to celebrate and pamper with pets and also to support retail businesses of pet supplies.

This is a day to showcase the clothes you bought for your pet, buy them new clothes and look at animal fashion shows.

"The important thing to remember is not to make pets feel uncomfortable with their clothes," Paige says, "not to laugh at them and embarrass them. To dress them in cute clothes and have fun with them while maintaining their comfort level."

It is important that you dress your dog in a warm but not too much clothing, pleasant to the touch, not stressful or restrictive. It is very important not to dress them in real fur.

You can also treat them to toys and snacks.

Another fact that is important to note- Dress up your pet day does not support or promote businesses that sell products that include leathers, fur or parts from any type of real animal.

January 14 is also International Kite Day and Organize Your Home Day

Skeptics Day- January 13

Skeptics' Day is dedicated to people who doubt practically anything that is accepted as a self-evident fact by most people. The earth, is it really round? How can we be sure that the sun will rise tomorrow? Is the sky really blue? If you are one of those people who mistrust whatever others tell you, always demand sound evidence and suspect that your leg is being pulled even if proof is presented, Skeptics' Day is your day.

Skeptics' Day is observed annually on three dates: on January 13, on October 13 and on the first Friday that falls on the 13^th day of the month. There is a prevalent superstition that Friday the 13^th is a day of bad luck, but skeptics naturally regard such a belief as dubious. That's why this day is their day.

Skeptics have full right to a special day in their honor, for after all how could human knowledge and spiritual values have developed without critical thinking and judgment, based on skepticism?

If you are a skeptic, you probably won't believe that there is a plethora of organizations dedicated to people like you. Well, there are, international, national, local, just name it. But don't take our word for it, maybe the following link will convince you: skeptic

January 13 is also Sticker Day and Rubber Duckie Day