All - Leep Calendar

Backward Day is an organic celebration with no sponsor, celebrated worldwide. The basic concept of today? Do everything in reverse. Eat dessert first. Call people by their last names. Read a book back to front. Back into your parking space. See how many palindromes you can identify (words spelled the same forward and back). You get the idea! Historically there is something called "Backwards Day," but there is no specific reason for designating January 31 to observe it. The original Backwards Day occurred in the Julian Calendar (45BC-1582), the predecessor of the modern Gregorian calendar. Day one of the Gregorian calendar is October 15, 1582 (though it would be the mid-1700s before it became the standard in Europe and the rest of the world). Because the Sun's rotation around the earth is just shy of 365 days, the way the Roman's dealt with this was to shift the calendar backward one day every 128 years. With the rise of Christianity, this became a problem. The vernal equinox determines Easter, and over centuries, the Julian calendar caused the vernal equinox to move backward by ten days. With its leap year every four years, the Gregorian calendar solved this problem. The Gregorian calendar also assured that the vernal equinox would always fall at the same time every year.

Africa

Jan

Bug Busting Day, Ntl. (UK): January 31

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National Bug Busting Day occurs three times per year in the United Kingdom: January, June, and October. It is a concentrated effort to stem the tide of lice infections within schools and the general population. Through the registered charity Community Hygiene Concern, the government teaches parents, educators, and pharmacists how to detect and stop the spread of head lice and provides affordable Bug Busting kits. Community Bug Busting Days were started by the late Dr. RJ Donaldson, affectionately known as Paddy. Dr. Donaldson demonstrated in the 1970s that an intensive detection/treatment campaign dramatically cut the prevalence of head lice. He was the tireless mentor of the Bug Busting Days organized by Community Hygiene Concern, taking a personal interest from 1986 in our development of wet detection methods in preference to less effective dry or damp methods. Today Bug Busting Days are organized in partnership with the Department of Health. Lice are a big problem in schools. Once they infect an individual, these parasites can be very difficult to get rid of. The following are some facts: The eggs of head lice usually take seven to ten days to hatch. Combing dry or damp hair with a fine-tooth comb is not a reliable way to detect lice. Metal combs are not suitable for louse detection because these combs are primarily nit combs. Lice caught between the tightly spaced teeth remain unnoticed against the metal and can be combed back into the hair unharmed at subsequent strokes. No studies prove that wet head lice grasp hairs more tightly, thus hampering their removal with a fine-tooth comb. Head-to-head contact is not necessary to catch lice—close contact is enough. Head lice are a community problem. Approximately 20% of head lice cases occur in people over 16 or under four years old.

Africa

Jan

Hot Chocolate Day, Ntl: January 31*

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What better way to warm up a cold winter day than with hot chocolate? National Hot Chocolate Day is embraced by many restaurants, confectioners, and fast food restaurants throughout the nation. At many, you'll find free hot chocolate by purchasing something.

Africa

Jan

Inspire Your Heart with Art Day: January 31

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Today is Inspire Your Heart with Art Day, which celebrates art in all shapes and forms and its effect on our hearts and soul. Take a moment on this day to appreciate your favorite piece of art or create a new one. Look at it, think about it, feel it; that's how we celebrate Inspire Your Heart with Art Day.

Africa

Jan

Jaya Ekadashi (H): January 31

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Hindus believe fasting (vrat) on Jaya Ekadashi assists in eradicating one's sins and brings them closer to achieving salvation (Moksha). While pious devotees observe a complete fast on this day, some opt for a partial fast. The day before Jaya Ekadashi, people consume a single meal to prepare for the fast. On Jaya Ekadashi, devotees rise early and take a bath, after which they offer their morning prayers to Lord Vishnu. The vrat is observed for 24 hours, either full or partial abstinence from specific foods, including rice, grains, honey, and eating on a metal plate. However, fruits, nuts, milk products, vegetables, and dried fruits can be consumed during the vrat. Firm Vishnu devotees stay awake the entire night and spend their time at Vishnu temples singing hymns and listening to stories devoted to Lord Vishnu. After bathing and offering prayers the following day, a lamp is lit, completing the vrat. PLEASE NOTE: We use the Indian civil calendar, the official holiday calendar in India. The Hindu faith has many calendars, each specific to different regions and tribes, with dates and celebrations marked by differing positions of the sun, moon, and stars. Names of months and holidays and the corresponding dates in the Gregorian Calendar may vary widely from one calendar to the next. Determine the proper calendar before attending local events.

Africa

Jan

Lughnasadh, South: January 31 - February 1

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Lughnasadh is a pagan festival celebrated during the peak of summer in August in the northern hemisphere and in February in the southern hemisphere. Lughnasadh is Irish Gaelic for "Commemoration of Lugh," which can have two meanings, marriage or the gathering of the crops, both celebrated with feasting and dancing. In contemporary times, the festival of Lughnasadh has also grown to celebrate love and marriage.

Africa

Jan

National Day (NR)(1968): January 31

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The island nation of Nauru gained its independence on January 31, 1968, from the trusteeship of Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. National Day in Nauru is a celebration of this anniversary.

Africa

Jan

Parkash Utsav (S): January 31

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Parkash Utsav is the Sikh celebration of Guru Har Rai Sahib's birthday on January 31 annually since 2003.

Africa

Jan

Plan Your Vacation Day: January 31

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Created to encourage Americans to begin planning their summer holiday, Plan Your Vacation Day is an awareness campaign by the US Travel Association. Tool kits are available on their website for the next year, starting in the fall.

Africa

Jan

Social Security Check Day (1940): January 31

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Social Security Check Day marks the anniversary of the first Social Security check issued in the United States on January 31, 1940, to Ida May Fuller for $22.54. Its number, 00-000-001, reflected this. Miss Fuller had filed her retirement claim on November 4 of the previous year, having worked under Social Security for almost three years. Social Security continues as a vital part of the United States' retirement program for senior citizens and a safety net for the disabled.

Africa

Jan

Up Helly AA (UK): January 31

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For all you Viking fans, the town of Lerwick, Scotland, has an annual celebration to close out the Yule season you'll love—Up Helly Aa. Up Helly Aa centers on the burning of a Viking Galley each year. In Nordic culture, this was done annually as a sacrifice to the sun god. It's both a festival and an impressive bonfire, the likes you'll never see again—until the next Yuletide. Held annually on the last Tuesday in January.

Africa

Jan

Zebra Day, Intl.: January 31

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International Zebra Day celebrates Zebras. Zebras are the striped equids of Africa and are one of the most beloved animals on the planet. There are three primary categories: mountain, plains, or maneless, and 11 subspecies. Every Zebra's stripe pattern is unique to it. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/how-many-types-of-zebras-are-there.html. Image (C) LD Lewis; Nairobi National Park, 2015

Africa

Jan

Adopt a Rescued Bird Month: January

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If you live in West Los Angeles, you may have seen the flock of green parrots. Conventional wisdom is a few birds escaped from a pet store fire sometime in the 1980s, and now they number in the 100s. It’s quite a sight the first time you see them. Parrots are not native to North America, but exotic birds are popular pets. Sometimes they get lost, their owners pass, or they are surrendered where they end up in shelters and need to find new homes. Adopt a Rescue Bird Month highlights that animal rescue helps all animals, including birds. If your dream is to own a bird, before you purchase from a pet store, check with your local shelter and bird rescue. You might be able to give a bird its forever home.

Africa

Jan

Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month (CA): January

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Each year Alzheimer’s Canada hosts National Alzheimer’s month. Nearly one million Canadians are living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias today, a number expected to increase to 1.4 million in the next 15 years. Three out of four Canadians know someone with dementia. Women represent 72 percent of Canadians living with Alzheimer’s. Two or more family members provide care for every person with the disease. Women account for 70 percent of family caregivers. In 2011 alone, caregivers spent 444 million unpaid hours providing care. That’s the equivalent of $11 billion in lost income or 230,000 full-time jobs. Dementia costs the Canadian economy $33 billion annually, and by 2040, that figure will skyrocket to $293 billion annually. Age is the most significant risk factor for dementia; after age 65, the risk doubles every five years. Dementia also occurs in people in their 50s, 40s, and even 30s. Dementia is progressive and varies significantly from person to person. From the initial onset, it can take eight to 10 years – or even longer, before death. Dementia is fatal. Its causes are not fully known, and there is still no cure or effective treatment to prevent or reverse the disease. Dementia is a collective term to describe brain disorders whose symptoms include: A decline in memory, reasoning, and communication skills. Gradual loss of ability to carry out day-to-day activities. Changes in personality and behavior. Dementia can be present in the brain for up to 25 years before symptoms appear. There are many ways to get involved with the campaign at www.alzheimer.ca/stillhere:

Africa

Jan

Bath Safety Month, Ntl.: January

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A soothing warm shower is one of the best parts of the day, but it can also be dangerous if homeowners aren't careful. Slippery floors in and around the shower stall can cause falls and injuries. Two-thirds of all bathroom injuries treated at emergency departments occurred in the tub or shower, according to a 2008 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fixture manufacturer Moen champions National Bath Safety Month in January. The company provides bath safety tips and statistics to educate consumers on the importance of restroom safety and how they can make easy, impactful updates to their homes without sacrificing style.

Africa