All - Leep Calendar

Held the first week of December annually, National Anger Awareness Week provides tools and education to families leading into the highly emotional Christmas season. Sponsored by the British Association of Anger Management (BAAM), multiple resources are available on the "Beating Anger" website to assist with managing the stresses and triggers that instigate anger. http://www.beatinganger.com

Africa

Dec

Antarctica Day, Intl. (1959): December 1

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Today is the anniversary of the signing of the Antarctic Treaty on December 1, 1959. This treaty, signed by 12 nations to ensure the area of Antarctica (comprising 10% of the earth's surface), be set aside as an international space forever and be used only for peaceful purposes. The treaty is considered the first nuclear arms agreement and the first to govern human activity in an international space. On the 50th anniversary, the non-profit Our Spaces took up the cause. They created International Antarctica Day to help educate the world about this pristine environment and the treaties protecting it.

Africa

Dec

Art, Day Without: December 1

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Created in 1989 as a way for artists, museums, and other cultural institutions to raise awareness about AIDS, Day Without Art (DWA) now attracts thousands of institutions worldwide. It has become part of the observance calendar for many schools, libraries, museums, galleries, and art centers.

Africa

Dec

Bifocals at the Monitor Liberation Day: December 1

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Bifocals at the Monitor Liberation Day is an ode to the forty-plus crowd. If you’re over 40, you’ll get this. It comes out of nowhere. You’re going along daily with no need for reading glasses when suddenly, the screen gets fuzzy. At first, you fight it, increasing the screen font, contrast, and lighting to pretend it isn’t happening. As the days go by, it gets worse. Without warning, now you cannot read labels in the grocery store, see your nails to do a manicure, or anything else within 12 inches of your face. It dawns on you—you are officially in middle age, and you’ll never be able to pick up anything to read without your trusty glasses again. And, if you wear bifocals, it’s even worse. Will you use the far-sighted or reading lenses inserted into your far-sighted lenses? How do you decide? Should you decide? Whatever you do, one thing is sure. With all that up and down and side to side to see what’s on the screen, at least your neck gets a good workout!

Africa

Dec

Bingo Month, Ntl. (1929): December

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International Bingo Month marks the anniversary of the promotion of the modern game of bingo (the one now associated with church basements), in December 1929, by toy salesman Edwin S. Lowe. First seen at a carnival, the game became an answer for creating income at the onset of the Great Depression. It was a hit! The original name was 'Beano.' It became bingo due to mispronunciation. Initially, players used beans to cover the numbers called. Today we use stamps. Lowe used two methods, one with twelve cards and one with 24 cards, charging $1 and $2, respectively. But Lowe wasn't the originator of bingo. The game was first played in 1530s Italy and was a lottery called Lo Giuoco del Lotto d'Italia. Over the centuries, it spread throughout Europe and morphed into several different formats, from educational to gambling. Today it is often associated with fundraising and senior citizens. No matter what you call it, bingo is beloved by millions worldwide.

Africa

Dec

Calendar Awareness Month, Intl.: December

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International Calendar Awareness Month seeks to remind us of changes to our current calendar over the years and educate us about the different calendars used by various cultures worldwide. Pope Gregory XIII created the Gregorian Calendar in 1582, but it was universally implemented in 1752. The Gregorian calendar has 365 days, with one leap year every four years to account for the 365.25 days it takes the sun to rotate around the earth. The birth of Christ is the demarcation point for BC "Before Christ" and AD "Anno Domini," meaning "The year of our Lord." Non-Christian societies refer to the periods as BCE "Before the Common Era" and CE "Common Era." Regardless of which designation, the same demarcation point, the birth of Jesus Christ is universal. We use both markers in LEEP Calendar. Prior to 1752, the world used the Julian Calendar, which the Roman Empire adopted in 45 BC by Julius Caesar. He was the first to create Leap years and designate January 1 as the first of the year, but the timing was off by one day every 128 years. When the Roman Empire fell, the first of the year moved back to March and, in some cases, Christmas. By the Middle Ages, the extra day every 128 years caused issues with Christian holidays and the harvest. The equinoxes marking the changes in the seasons were falling ten days too early. Pope Gregory XIII decreed a new calendar for all of Christendom. England and its colonies, Protestant and ever the rebel, continued on the Julian Calendar under Queen Elizabeth I, while the rest of Europe transitioned to the new Gregorian Calendar. Eventually, this became problematic, leaving England out of step with its trading partners. An act of parliament in England officially approved the Gregorian Calendar in 1750, and the change was implemented in stages during 1752 and established January 1 as New Year's Day. Every civilization has operated on a calendar. Other calendars in use today often follow religious observances and mark their years according to when that specific faith came into being or by the position of the moon, stars, and sun. Examples of this include: 1) The Islamic calendar (Hijra) begins in 622 CE to mark the Prophet Mohammed's journey between Mecca and Medina. 2) The Hebrew Calendar begins October 6, 3761 BCE. 3) The Hindu calendar begins January 23, 3102 BCE. 4) The Buddhist calendar initiates on May 13, 544 BCE, or March 11, 545 BCE. There is some discrepancy within the faith. 5) The Sikhs mark time from March 14, 1469 CE. 6) The Chinese Calendar begins in 2637 BCE. Live in countries where the above religions are the dominant faith? You'll find events, holidays, and legal documents often have the faith calendar date rather than, or in addition to, the Gregorian calendar date. Following a religious calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar can be advantageous. On average, faith calendars are shorter than the Gregorian calendar, allowing for shorter billing cycles per year. The shortage often translates to a 13th month of pay for employees working under religious calendars. In Islamic countries, where the Hijra calendar is the official government calendar, you'll see this. It is also why Islamic observances move every year 11 days earlier.

Africa

Dec

Cancer Related Fatigue Awareness Month: December

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The American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute, the US Government, and various other cancer-related organizations promote Cancer Related Fatigue Awareness Month. The National Cancer Institute of the United States defines cancer-related fatigue as such: "Fatigue is cancer treatment's most common side effect tied to chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or selected biological response modifiers. Cancer treatment-related fatigue generally improves after therapy, but fatigue may persist for months or years following treatment. Research indicates that fatigue may be a significant issue long into survivorship for at least a subset of patients. Fatigue presents as a symptom in cancers that produce problems such as anemia, endocrine changes, and respiratory obstruction and is common in people with advanced cancer who are not undergoing active cancer treatment. Cancer treatment-related fatigue occurs in 14% to 96% of patients undergoing cancer treatment and 19% to 82% post-treatment. Several studies have documented significantly worse fatigue in cancer survivors compared with non-cancer populations, as described in one review article. For example, a Norwegian cross-sectional study compared the prevalence of fatigue in long-term survivors of testicular cancer (n = 1,431) at an average of 11 years post-treatment with the majority of fatigue in age-matched men in the general Norwegian population (n = 1,080). The prevalence of chronic cancer-related fatigue (CRF) was 17.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 15.2–19.1%) among testicular cancer survivors, compared with 9.7% (95% CI, 8.0–11.5%) in the general population. Chronic CRF was also associated with multiple psychosocial problems, somatic complaints, and poor quality of life. Fatigue, like pain, is viewed as a self-perceived state. Patients may describe fatigue as feeling: • Tired • Weak • Exhausted • Lazy • Weary • Worn-out • Heavy • Slow • Like they do not have any energy or any get-up-and-go." This month is about educating those dealing with cancer, those supporting cancer patients, and their caregivers on how to mitigate this side effect and live fuller lives.

Africa

Dec

Cat Lover's Month, Ntl.: December*

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Ailurophile is the fancy name for a person who loves cats, and December is National Cat Lover's Month. Cats have been companions to people for over ten to 12,000 years and perform an essential function in keeping rodent populations at bay. Cats, as we know them today, are descendants of a Middle Eastern wildcat called "Felis Sylvestris," or Cat of the Woods. This origin is why cats are called felines and where the name Sylvester (as in Sylvester the Cat) is widespread. National Cat Lover's Month is an opportunity for cat lovers to socialize, share and work together to make the world more purrfect! This event appears to have been initiated in 2014, and its founder is unknown.

Africa

Dec

Constipation Awareness Month: December

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December was declared Constipation Awareness Month sometime ago and is observed fastidiously in the healthcare industry despite being absent from official status since 2012. In Western cultures, December is a time of overeating, rich foods, and high alcohol consumption. For many, this causes stomach issues ranging from indigestion to constipation. Holistic remedies and physical activity can often prevent or relieve this issue. If left unchecked, constipation kills. December presents an excellent opportunity to explore solutions and learn to eat in such a way that your health remains good.

Africa

Dec

Decembeard (AU): December

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Australian men skip shaving for a month and grow a beard for a good cause, fighting Bowel Cancer. Decembeard is an annual fundraising campaign (and the perfect excuse not to shave). To get started, register on the event website. Start growing your beard and enjoy the festivities of the holidays. It's as easy as 1-2-3 and all proceeds go to fight bowel cancer and cancer research.

Africa

Dec

Disability Inclusion Month: December

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Disability Inclusion Month is a new event in 2021 designed to encourage employers, schools, and public spaces to accommodate the 1 in 4 people in the United States with physical or mental disabilities. These can be obvious, like wheelchair access, or hidden, like dyslexia. Inclusion means making sure that people with disabilities can Use your services Access the information they need Easily enter and move around buildings That they feel safe in your environment That they feel included December is the second Disability Awareness Month annually, and the first is in October and focuses on making workplaces more disability friendly.

Africa

Dec

Eggnog Month, Ntl.: December

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The Merriam-Webster Dictionary says eggnog is a drink made of eggs, sugar, milk, or cream and often includes liquor. Nog is an old English dialect word from East Anglia of obscure origins used to describe a variety of fortified beer, hence noggin. Eggnog appeared in print in the seventeenth century. Enjoy the entire month by making your recipe for eggnog.

Africa

Dec

Farmers' Day, Ntl. (GH): December 1

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The African nation of Ghana is well-known for its agriculture. Key crops include cassava, citrus, cocoa, cocoyam, maize, millet, palm oil, plantain, rice, rubber, sorghum, and yams. Each year the nation celebrates the farmers who bring these essential products to market on Farmers' Day. Image: Rberchie, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Africa

Dec

Food Service Safety Month, Intl.: December

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Worldwide Food Service Safety Month encourages food service safety. It reminds cooks, whether at home or on the job, to buy, prepare, serve, and store prepared food properly. Annually in December since 1998.

Africa

Dec

Galveston Dicken's on the Strand (US-TX): December 1-3

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With a nod to the ghost of Dickens' past and an eye toward the future, the world-famous Victorian holiday festival returns to Galveston Island. The annual holiday street festival, based on 19th-century Victorian London, features parades, non-stop entertainment on six stages, strolling carolers, roving musicians, bagpipers, jugglers, and a host of other entertainers. Costumed vendors peddle their wares from street stalls and rolling carts laden with holiday food and drink, Victorian-inspired crafts, clothing, jewelry, holiday decorations, and gift items.

Africa