National Penguin Day in the United States raises awareness of several species of penguins currently threatened by climate change. There are 17 different species of penguins, all native to the southern hemisphere.

Africa

Jan

Perihelion Day: January 4

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Perihelion Day is the day when the Earth is closest to the Sun. This day changes yearly, but it's usually in early January. The word "perihelion" comes from the Ancient Greek words "peri," meaning "near" or "close," and "helios," which translates to "the Sun." Perihelion is the opposite of Aphelion when the Earth is at its furthest point from the Sun. "Apo" means "away, off, apart."

Africa

Jan

Personal Trainer Awareness Day: January 2

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Personal Trainer Awareness Day coincides with most people making New Year's resolutions to get in shape and exercise. From their 2005 press release on the day: PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA (PRWEB) DECEMBER 9, 2005 The co-founders of January 2's National Personal Trainer Appreciation Day, Jim Labadie and Joey Atlas, know the holidays can be a calorically challenging time of year. To avoid increasing weight this season, they advocate starting a fitness plan before the festivities begin. Most people realize getting more physical activity and eating a nutritious diet of small, frequent, and healthy meals six days a week is critical to keeping weight off. However, to keep one's sanity, especially around the holidays, it's a good idea for people to give themselves one "cheat" or "guilt-free" day per week. Other tips include: 1) Walk extra laps around the mall when shopping. 2) Take a 10-minute walk after a large holiday meal to burn calories and improve digestion. 3) Limit alcohol consumption as it often leads to poor food choices. 4) Write down fitness goals and stick to them. 5) Have a clear picture in your mind of how great you will feel after the holidays, having kept the weight off. The website no longer exists for this event, and it is currently unsponsored.

Africa

Jan

Pet Travel Safety Day, Ntl.: January 2

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National Pet Travel Safety Day might sound like a redundant holiday, but it addresses a serious issue. Unfortunately, statistics show that for too many pet owners, including most of those who believe they are doing everything right, pet travel safety is a mystery. Pets pay the price of our ignorance. Take some time during this day to read, think and talk about your pet's safety when traveling. They will thank you later!

Africa

Jan

Pharmacist Day, Ntl.: January 12*

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On National Pharmacist Day, we're encouraged to show our appreciation for the vital work of pharmacists. Also, see World Pharmacists Day and American Pharmacist Month.

Africa

Jan

Pie Day, Ntl.: January 23

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Created in 1975, National Pie Day celebrates the pastry called 'pie.' Cherry, apple, pumpkin, key lime, pecan, or mince; choose your favorite and have a slice today.

Africa

Jan

Plan Your Vacation Day: January 28

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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

Play God Day: January 9

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Play God Day is based on the idea of playing God. However, while "playing God" is a phrase that usually has a negative connotation and can be considered blasphemous in many faiths, in this case, it's meant to encourage people to think about what they would do if they had the power of a god. What would they do for humanity? How would they help people? Once you know what you would do, find a way to make it happen, even if it's something as simple as holding the door.

Africa

Jan

Plough (Plow) Monday (UK): January 13

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Epiphany has passed, closing out the Twelve days of Christmas for another year. On the Monday following Epiphany, it's back to work and time to plow the fields for this year's crop. Plows are blessed, parades are held, and farmers go back to work in England.

Africa

Jan

Poetry at Work Day: January 14

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Poetry at Work Day promotes creativity in the office. Celebrating is as simple as posting your favorite poem on the wall or leaving a copy in the lunch room. See the Tweetspeak website for ideas, poems and templates.

Africa

Jan

Point in Time Count: January 21-31

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The Point-in-Time (PIT) is an annual count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness during the last ten days of January in the United States. HUD requires that Continuums of Care conduct an annual count of people experiencing homelessness who are sheltered in emergency shelter, transitional housing, and Safe Havens on a single night. In 2023, the New York Times did an excellent feature story on the count, following census takers throughout communities across the US. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/03/business/economy/us-homeless-population-count.html

Africa

Jan

Polar Bear Plunge Day: January 1

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POLAR BEAR PLUNGE

Using New Year's Day to engage in Polar Bear Plunge Day plays on an international tradition, where (brave?) people wade into or dive into icy waters on the first day of the year. It symbolizes starting anew, washing off the old year, and braving the new one with resilience, a physically challenging act and a communal celebration of endurance. The quirky ritual is popular worldwide. Plunging began as a joke to cure hangovers; now, the event is a significant charity fundraiser.

The first official Polar Bear Plunge began with the Coney Island Polar Bear Club in the United States. The organization was founded in 1903 by Bernarr Macfadden, a health enthusiast who believed that cold water is a tonic for one's vitality, virility, and immunity. The club started the New Year's Day swim tradition, which has continued for over a century, drawing crowds of enthusiastic participants each year.

In Scotland, the tradition is called Loony Dook; in The Netherlands, the tradition is Nieuwjaarsduik (New Year's Dive) at Scheveningen Beach in The Hague. The Dutch started this tradition in the 1960s, and in Canada, people have been plunging into the chilly waters of the River Forth on January 1 since 1986.

Africa

Jan

Polka Dot Day, Ntl.: January 22

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National Polka Dot Day celebrates the fabric pattern of dots on a solid background. The term "polka dot" first appeared in Godey's Lady's Book in 1857, describing the pattern on a muslin scarf as "for light summer wear, surrounded by a scalloped edge, embroidered in rows of round polka dots." The word "polka" is a descriptor for Polish women. The pattern of dots on fabric hit its height in the 1930s and 1940s following its debut in Minnie Mouse's dress in 1926. Other popular culture references to the pattern include Marilyn Monroe's 1951 bikini, The song by Brian Hyland, "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini," and the Marvel comic hero Polka Dot Man. For more on the history of polka dots, see https://www.thehairpin.com/2013/06/a-brief-history-of-polka-dots.

Africa

Jan

Polka Month, Ntl.: January

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This Bohemian dance, the polka, originated in the early nineteenth century in today's Czech Republic. Legend states that a teenager named Anna Slezak invented the polka in 1834. The simple, joyful dance quickly spread to Prague's ballrooms, and it became an international sensation when it was performed on stage at the Odeon Theater, Paris, in 1840. The word "pulka" in Czech means "half-step." National Polka Month endeavors to celebrate the folk dance and its music while introducing it to new generations.

Africa

Jan

Pongal (H): January 14-15

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Pongal is a Hindu festival marking the beginning of the end of winter and corresponds to the time when the sun is moving towards Uttarayanam (north) from Dakshinayanam (south). Usually, Pongal is celebrated on or near the 14th of January. People clean their houses, wear new clothes, and exchange gifts on this day. Rituals include chewing on sugar cane and decorating the homes with kolam, made from rice paste in different colors. Pongal is the harvest festival of South India and the southern state of Tamilnadu. 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