Before becoming a mom, I knew about various “National Days,” such as National Siblings Day, National Dog Day, and even some dedicated to food, like National Donut Day. However, I did not realize how many special events were designated on most days or each day of the year until I had my son and started reading a bunch of parenting magazines; they often contained calendars that highlighted the various ways to celebrate. My mind was blown over time by all the random yet fun to borderline weird days that were designated each month. National Potato Day…ok, my son was impressed by his passion for french fries. National Hugging Day? Bring it in. Lost Sock Remembrance Day. Huh? National Weirdos Day. Yes, please!
These National Days stem from various cultures, traditions, etc., and ultimately spice things up and give credit or honor to areas, events and/or individuals. October 30th does not disappoint with its array of events and celebrations that span the spectrum of funny to interesting and downright weird to some! Here are five of the National Days designated for the day before Halloween:
National Checklist Day
Ooohhh, yes, sign me up for this one all the way! Creating a to-do list and then crossing off each task as it is completed is gratifying. You can do this at work, home, or wherever; using checklists can be an effective, impactful habit. Of course, be sure to put “Celebrate National Checklist Day” on your checklist for today in honor of this event, tee hee. Checklists are especially helpful around the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.
Haunted Refrigerator Night
Designated for October 30th each year, on the eve of the truly spooky Halloween day, this event encourages you to delve into your refrigerator and tackle the potentially scary and unpleasant: purge the fridge of any expired or questionable items, scrub the shelves and drawers, organize the items and make that refrigerator a little less daunting! After all, you may forget about leftovers, but when they start stinking up the place, they don’t forget about you. Turn on some festive music, grab your cleaning supplies, gloves, and garbage bags, and set the dead contents of your fridge free to the garbage can and beyond!
National Text Your Ex Day
Talk about possibly terrifying for some! If you have a friendship or a relationship from the past with loose ends or unfinished business, this is the day to reach out and clear the air or work toward amicable closure. After all, you can totally use this day as an excuse to reach out, right? Or, if that ship has truly sailed with your ex-friend or lover, and the thought of contacting them makes you gag or causes your skin to crawl, perhaps reach out to someone else, whether it be a friend, family member, co-worker, etc., someone that may enliven you and empower you. Just make sure whomever you text is worthy of your time and attention.
National Candy Corn Day
Ok, so there is a food item on this date! It just couldn’t be a complete October 30th celebration without candy corn. This is one of those items that carry a love/hate stigma; you either love the taste and can’t stop eating it, or you despise the super sweet taste and that distinct waxy texture. Nobody can deny that candy corn is synonymous with the fall season and still pops up at stores, shops, pumpkin patches, and candy bowls on Halloween! According to Better Homes & Gardens, more than 35 million pounds of candy corn are produced each year; that is remarkably wicked to some and spectacular to others! Speaking of wicked…
National Wicked Day
It makes sense that the day before Halloween, the inclination exists for some to watch a scary movie, read an exciting book, or engage in fun festivities that inspire their spooky side! National Wicked Day is indeed hatched from the musical Wicked and spurs the curious, adventurous, and mysterious.
National Days can highlight certain aspects of states, countries, cultures, and everyday life; they can add some variety to our lives or at least make us stop and think, smile, or laugh!
