Holidays and Celebrations in the United States: January

After I published 110 Ways to Say "Merry Christmas" and Saying "Happy New Year" in 165+ Languages, I began thinking about the many holidays and celebrations in the United States. There are many “days” commemorated each month — days that have been proclaimed as the official day on which to celebrate a particular concept, event, or object.

This Hub is the first in a series of monthly articles intended to enlighten my readers on many of such days.

(Please note that federal holidays are listed in all UPPERCASE letters.)

• January 1 — NEW YEAR’S DAY
  The first day of the New Year. Schools, government buildings, and many offices are closed. There isn’t any mail delivery. Many transportation services run on a reduced schedule, if at all.
• January 1 — First Foot Day
  This holiday is concerned with bringing luck into a household. It is considered to be good luck if the first person to enter a residence on New Year’s Day is a man. It is bad luck if the first person to enter the residence on January 1 is a woman.
• January 1 — National "Z" Day
  There are some circumstances in which people must line up in alphabetical order, beginning with “A.” On this day, let the people whose surname begins with “Z” line up first.

• January 2 — Run it Up the Flagpole and See if Anyone Salutes Day
  The catchphrase “run it up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes” became popular in the late 1950s / early 1960s. It means to tentatively suggest an idea and see whether anyone thinks your idea a good idea. Make suggestions today and see what people think of them.
• January 3 — Festival of Sleep Day
  Stay in bed longer in the morning. Take a nap at your desk at work. Go out to your car at lunch-time and take a nap.
• January 3 — Fruitcake Toss Day
  Giving a fruitcake as a Christmas gift has been a tradition for ages. Many people don’t like fruitcake, however, so they just let the cake sit out on their kitchen counter and harden. Today is the day to officially “toss” your unwanted fruitcake.
• January 3 — Humiliation Day
  Recognize and value everyone today. Don’t humiliate anyone.

• January 4 — Trivia Day
  Share your obscure knowledge with your family, friends, and acquaintance
• January 5 — National Bird Day
  Today is the day to appreciate the wild birds flying free and to raise public awareness of the threats to wild birds and the plight of captive birds.
• January 6 — Bean Day
  This holiday is so obscure, it’s not known how, or why, it originated. Eat beans, talk about beans, plant beans today
• January 6 — Cuddle Up Day
  Wrap your arms around your sweetheart, hold them tight, and cuddle.

• January 7 — Old Rock Day
  Appreciate old rocks and fossils today. Explore the outdoors. Hunt for fossils
• January 8 — Bubble Bath Day
  Take a bubble bath today. Soak in your bathtub and relax.
• January 8 — Male Watcher’s Day
  Ladies: Watch guys at a sports bar or singles bar. Go to a construction site and watch the guys. Go to the weight room at a gym.
• January 9 — Play God Day
  This is another holiday for which nothing is known about the origin of the celebration or who created the holiday. Try to help someone today; solve their problems; make their day brighter.
• January 10 — Houseplant Appreciation Day
  Buy a houseplant today. Take care of the houseplants you already own. Talk to your plants.
• January 10 — Peculiar People Day
  Celebrate weird, nerdy, or geeky people today. Take a strange, different, abnormal, or odd person to lunch.

• January 11 — Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day
  This is another holiday about which very little is known. The idea is to have thoughts of your childhood and have fun.
• January 12 — Feast of Fabulous Wild Men Day
  Ladies: Ogle, flirt with, and whistle at men today. Be a little bit naughty, but don’t go overboard.
• January 12 — National Marzipan Day
  Marzipan is a pliable mixture of almond paste and sugar. It is usually molded into the shapes of fruits and flowers and is decorated with food coloring. Today is a day to eat miniature treats made of marzipan.
• January 12 — National Pharmacist Day
  This day honors pharmacists and their important role in health care.

• January 13 — Blame Someone Else Day
  This day of unknown origin occurs on the first Friday, the Thirteenth of a given year. In 2012, that day is in January. Today, if something goes wrong in your life, you’re supposed to place the blame upon another person.
• January 13 — Friday, the Thirteenth
  This day occurs in any month when the thirteenth falls on a Friday. Superstitious people believe that it is a day of bad luck. I have an acquaintance who says that the day is a lucky day because it is the only day on which she received an “A” in an Algebra test.
• January 13 — International Skeptics Day
  A skeptic is a person who doubts or questions facts or theories. If you doubt that something is true, or that an event really occurred, voice your opinion today.
• January 13 — Make Your Dream Come True Day
  Do something today to realize your goals and dreams.

• January 14 — Dress Up Your Pet Day
  This is the day to dress up your pet in its finest ensemble. Show everyone what a fashionable pet you have.

• January 15 — National Hat Day
  This is another day of unknown origin. Celebrate by wearing your most elegant, funny, or outrageous hat.

• January 16 — National Nothing Day
  This “day,” first observed in 1973, was created by a newspaperman named Harold Pullman Coffin. This non-event is not to be promoted, celebrated, or observed. Why did Mr. Coffin create the day? My guess is that he was making fun of some of the more unusual, bizarre, and meaningless “days” that have been created throughout the year.

• January 16 — MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. BIRTHDAY
  This federal holiday is observed on the third Monday in January. It celebrates the life and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an influential clergyman, activist, and leader in the Civil Rights movement.

• January 17 — Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day
  Today is the official day on which to give up on the resolutions you made for the New Year. Reflect upon the resolutions you made and why you have decided that you’re no longer going to try to keep the resolutions.

• January 18 — Winnie the Pooh Day
  A.A. Milne, children’s story book writer and creator of Winnie the Pooh, was born on January 18, 1882. Celebrate the author’s birthday by reading stories featuring Winnie the Pooh and his friends Christopher Robin, Eeyore, Piglet, Roo, and Tigger.
• January 19 — National Popcorn Day
  This is another holiday of unknown origin. Today is the day to commemorate this healthy snack. (Time for a break in writing this article to make some microwave popcorn.)
• January 20 — National Buttercrunch Day
  Buttercrunch is a toffee confection made with butter, sugar, water, and corn syrup. Enjoy anything and everything buttercrunch today — candy, popcorn, ice cream...
• January 20 — National Cheese Lover’s Day
  How many of the 900 types of cheese in the world will you sample today? Have a cheese omelet for breakfast, a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch, and macaroni and cheese for dinner.
• January 20 — Penguin Awareness Day
  Celebrate this flightless bird from Antarctica by wearing black and white, watching the movie Happy Feet, and learning about penguins by doing research on the Internet.

• January 21 — National Granola Bar Day
  Traditionally-speaking, granola bars, invented by Stanley Mason, are a cookie-type bar made with rolled oats, honey or brown sugar, nuts, and dried fruit. Fill your backpack, briefcase, or purse with granola bars today, and give them to everyone you encounter.
• January 21 — National Hugging Day
  Give both loving and therapeutic hugs today. Go to a Senior center or nursing home and give a lonely person a hug.
• January 21 — Squirrel Appreciation Day
  This day originated in 2001 as a way of honoring these nut-eating tree-climbing wild creatures. Read books about squirrels, watch movies in which squirrels appear, enjoy the outdoors.
• January 22 — National Blonde Brownie Day
  Blonde brownies are brownies in which light brown sugar is substituted for dark chocolate. Celebrate by baking blonde brownies today.

• January 23 — National Handwriting Day
  January 23 was chosen as National Handwriting Day because it’s the birthday of the first person to sign the US Declaration of Independence, Jon Hancock. When writing today, use a pen and a sheet of paper. Write a letter and send it via the US Postal Service rather than by e-mail.
• January 23 — National Pie Day
  This is one day for which the origin is known. The American Pie Council created the day to...celebrate pies! Bake pies today, lots of pies, and give them to your family, friends, work associates, and neighbors, Enter a pie baking contest. Enter a pie eating contest.
• January 23 — Measure Your Feet Day
  Measure the length and width of your feet today. Please don’t ask me why.

• January 23 — National Handwriting Day
  January 23 was chosen as National Handwriting Day because it’s the birthday of the first person to sign the US Declaration of Independence, Jon Hancock. When writing today, use a pen and a sheet of paper. Write a letter and send it via the US Postal Service rather than by e-mail.
• January 23 — National Pie Day
  This is one day for which the origin is known. The American Pie Council created the day to...celebrate pies! Bake pies today, lots of pies, and give them to your family, friends, work associates, and neighbors, Enter a pie baking contest. Enter a pie eating contest.
• January 23 — Measure Your Feet Day
  Measure the length and width of your feet today. Please don’t ask me why.
• January 24 — Beer Can Appreciation Day
  This day commemorates the first day on which beer was sold in cans — January 24, 1935. Beer can collecting is a popular hobby. When adding a beer can to your collection, remember to open the can from the bottom, remove the beer from the can, and wash and dry the can.
• January 24 — Compliment Day
  Find something nice to say to everyone with whom you come in contact today.
• January 25 — Opposite Day
  If you celebrate this day, you’re bound to drive people crazy. “Up” means “down.” “Right” means “left.” If you tell someone to walk uptown, you intend for them to walk downtown. If you give someone directions and you want them to turn left, you tell them to turn right.
• January 26 — Spouse’s Day
  You don’t need to buy candy or flowers today in order to appreciate your spouse. Say “thank you.” Pay a compliment. Do a household chore that your spouse usually does.
• January 27 — Chocolate Cake Day
  Bake a chocolate cake today. Decorate a chocolate cake today. Eat a chocolate cake today. Give someone your favorite chocolate cake recipe.
• January 27 — Punch the Clock Day
  This is another obscure holiday about which very little is known. When your alarm clock goes off in the morning...

• January 28 — Fun at Work Day
  Think of ways to enjoy your job today, if you normally grumble about work. Pull a prank, if it isn’t potentially harmful to anyone or it would get you into trouble.
• January 28 — National Kazoo Day
  The Kazoo was conceived by Alabama Vest of Macon, Georgia in the 1840s and created by Thaddeus Von Clegg. It wasn’t until 1912 that Emil Sorg and Michael McIntyre began manufacturing Kazoos in New York State. To play this little musical instrument, all that you have to do is hold the Kazoo up to your mouth and hum a tune into it. To celebrate National Kazoo Day, play a Kazoo.

• January 29 —National Corn Chip Day
  Celebrate this day by snacking on corn chips, either plain or with your favorite salsa or dip.
• January 29 — National Puzzle Day
  Commemorate the day by doing crossword puzzles, logic puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, or Sudoku (number puzzles). Use your brain, challenge yourself, and have a lot of fun.
• January 30 — National Inane Answering Message Day
  When your telephone rings and you hear the beginning of an annoying, meaningless, inane pre-recorded message, hang up.
• January 31 — Backward Day
  Do everything backward today. Put your shoes on before you put your socks on. Eat dinner in the morning and breakfast in the evening. Eat your dessert before you eat the main course.
• January 31 — Inspire Your Heart with Art Day
  Celebrate art and the effect it can have on your emotions. Appreciate art.

Excluding the federal holidays, which of the occasions I've described have you celebrated? In the comments section, please tell everyone how you have commemorated that special day.

Are there any events occurring in January that are worthy of having a “day” proclaimed in their honor that do not presently have such a day? Please tell us about the event.