All - Leep Calendar

Last Bell Day in Russia signals the end of the school learning year and usually occurs on May 25 each year, before final exams. Children dress in traditional Soviet-era uniforms, and a first grader is given the honor of ringing the last bell of the school year.

Africa

May

Missing & Exploited Children's Day, Intl.: May 25

06:20 AM | -

International Missing & Exploited Children's Day began in 1979. President Ronald Reagan made it an official US observance in 1983. Supported by various organizations, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, it's a day focused on raising awareness about abduction threats and the exploitation of children and teens worldwide.

Africa

May

Morning Tea for Cancer (AU): May 25

06:20 AM | -

In Australia, the fourth Thursday of May is the Morning Tea for Cancer Day. Organized and promoted by Australia's Cancer Council, the Morning Tea for Cancer is a tradition that aims to raise awareness on fighting and preventing one of the world's deadliest diseases.

Africa

May

Red Nose Day: May 25 (est)

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Africa

May

Shavuot (J): May 25-27

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Shavuot (Shavuos), also known as the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, is a Jewish observance on the sixth day of Sivan. It commemorates the wheat harvest and the day God delivered the Torah on Mount Sinai, which united the tribe of Israel. Part of the Shalosh Regalim, it is a Biblical festival that calls for pilgrimage; Shavuot wraps up with the Counting of the Omer. Shavuot and Passover are linked to each other. Passover recounts the sparing of death to the firstborn son of the Hebrews by God. Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Torah and the unity of the twelve tribes as one people serving God. Shavuot is celebrated as a single-day holiday in Israel. Traditions include women and girls lighting candles in the evening and public readings of the Torah at the temple.

Africa

May

Solidarity with Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories, Week of: May 25-31

06:20 AM | -

Africa

May

Tap Dance Day, Ntl. (1878): May 25

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National Tap Dance is celebrated Day marks the birthday of Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson on May 25, 1878. He was an African American dancer, entertainer, and civil rights advocate who popularized this dance style on stage and later in the film. This event was first celebrated in 1989 by the decree of President George HW Bush.

Africa

May

Towel Day, Intl.: May 25

06:20 AM | -

International Towel Day celebrates the author Douglas Adams (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) through the symbolic advice given in the book that towels are one of the most valuable items an intergalactic hitchhiker can have. Fans of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy openly carry towels. The date of May 25 is two weeks after his death, which occurred on May 11, 2001.

Africa

May

Wine Day, Ntl.: May 25

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In 2003, the world's oldest known wine was discovered. Its vintage? 6000 BC. The containers these first winemakers used were more like the box wine of today, each holding approximately five liters. This bottle emerged in Shulaveri, Georgia, in Eastern Europe. If you've ever enjoyed visiting Batumi or Tbilisi, as this writer has, Georgia is a wine lover's nirvana! Even the Czarist Russian architecture walls are covered in grape vines rather than ivy. Every cobblestone street in Batumi seems to have its wine shop and vintage. It is darling! Wine has been a part of human history since we began living in agricultural communities approximately 8-10,000 years ago. It became an art form during the Grecian times and perfected by the Romans and French. Turning water into wine was Jesus Christ's first miracle to please His mother at a wedding (ah). Wine is a daily part of many cultures but shunned in others for religious reasons. It is considered a civilized drink best shared with family and friends. National Wine Day is an unofficial event without an official sponsor. However, many wineries and restaurants nationwide have specials on this day.

Africa

May

65 Roses Day (AU): May 26

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Africa

May

Blueberry Cheesecake Day: May 26

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Cheesecake is one of the oldest desserts in human history, eaten since ancient times in Greece. The desert originated on the Greek Island of Samos a little over 4,000 years ago. The dessert was so prized athletes ate it before performances during the original Olympics in 776 BC! It also served as a wedding cake throughout the Greek and Roman empires. The first cheesecake recipe in print also comes from the Greeks in 230 AD and included wheat flour and kernels, honey, and pressed cheese. The first known recipe, however, was by Roman politician Marcus Cato sometime in the century leading up to the birth of Christ. Of course, once the Romans got a hold of the original recipe, they augmented it, adding eggs and cheeses. As the recipe traveled to Europe over the coming centuries, each country put its spin on this basic dessert. Cutting it into slivers for serving and topping with fruit was the contribution of the chefs of King Henry the VIII of England in the 16th century. In 1545 cheesecake saw its first appearance in a cookbook. But, the cooks were not done with the dessert. Enter the United States in the 19th century and the invention of cream cheese in 1875. Cream cheese became the base ingredient for what we now call New York Style Cheesecake, which includes more egg yolks and cream cheese. The same man who invented the Reuben sandwich, Arnold Reuben, is credited with creating the New York-style cheesecake. There are several different versions of cheesecake. Blueberry cheesecake came about through experimentation, and blueberry and strawberry cheesecake are two of the most popular versions on the planet. What is the best way to celebrate Blueberry Cheesecake Day? Have a slice for yourself, and enjoy!

Africa

May

Don't Fry in the Sun Day: May 26

06:20 AM | -

The Friday of Memorial weekend is also known as Don't Fry in the Sun Day. The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention promotes the day to educate the public about the dangers of sun overexposure and skin cancer.

Africa

May

Feast of St. Augustine (UK)(604 AD): May 26

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The Feast of St. Augustine marks the death of Archbishop Augustine, the first archbishop of Canterbury as of 597 AD. Augustine is responsible for bringing Christianity to England and converting it from pagan faiths. His feast day occurs on the anniversary of his death, May 26, 604. WHY SO MANY FEAST DAYS? Have you ever noticed that there seem to be feast days for just about everything in the Catholic and Orthodox Christian faiths? There is a reason for that. The church granted feast days to allow all subjects of the Crown to take a day off. As most worked six days a week, feast days provided a break that landowners and nobility couldn't deny. If they tried, they were going against the church, and that you did not do. In medieval times, there were approximately 60 feast days a year. Add this to 52 Sundays, Christmas, and Easter; workers received at least 114 days off a year. Contrast that to today. The average American gets 104 weekend days and seven national holidays off work. That's three days less than the commoners of the Dark Ages, just in case you're feeling a little overworked.

Africa

May

Florida Folk Festival, White Springs (US-FL): May 26-28

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The Florida Folk Festival is a three-day celebration of music, dance, stories, crafts, and food, highlighting the uniqueness of Florida. From Irish fiddle tunes, techno contra dancing, and chocolate-covered Key Lime pie to the varieties of music brought by immigrants, the state's cultural heritage reflects the lives of generations of Florida families and communities. This event occurs over Memorial Day weekend and features over 300 performances illustrating Florida's heritage.

Africa

May

Independence Day, Georgia (1919)(GE): May 26

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When people ask me which country I've visited that surprised me, my answer is the Black Sea nation of Georgia and the city of Batumi (pictured above). Beautiful, eclectic, and as yet uncorrupted by chain stores and fast food restaurants, this little gem of Eastern Europe and Western Asia combines the majesty of the Russian Empire, the utilitarianism of the Soviet Union, and the forward modernism of its entry into the post-Soviet world after 1991. And did I mention the wine? Georgia makes some of the best and most diverse types of wine globally, with winemakers and little shops on nearly every street. Grapevines adorn buildings, like in other cities where ivy climbs the walls. The people are friendly and best of all, it is quite affordable. Like many nations in the region, it was part of the Russian Empire for many years. Independence Day marks its freedom from that empire on May 26, 1919. Unfortunately, it was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1922 and endured communism until it again found freedom in 1991. Ever since, this pretty little country nestled against the Caucasus Mountains has experienced civil unrest. However, since the 2010s, it has found its ground and continues looking toward the future.

Africa