January Celebrations & Themed Gifts | What’s Up in January 2019, 15th-31st (part 2)
New Year’s Day is just the first of many special days and celebrations in January. Not only providing you with fresh ideas for having fun. But also coming up with themed birthday gift ideas. Enjoy the 2nd half of January with the Hat Day, Popcorn Day, Hugging Day, Puzzle Day and many more. Celebrate Appreciate a Dragon Day, Winnie the Pooh Day, Rubber Ducky with your children. Use the Martin Luther King day, The Compliment Day or Warm Your Hear with Art day as an opportunity to talk to your kids about some important topics. Check them all at the following post.
Did you enjoy the themed special celebration from January Celebrations up to 14th Jan (meaning part 1)? Here is the next portion of the celebrations in January.
** This following post contains affiliate links. Despite that, the written in here is honest and based on my own opinion or/and experience, research and wish to share my awesome findings with you!
15th JANUARY | TUESDAY
HAT DAY
It’s time to celebrate in style one of the stylish celebrations in January. And really dig in deep to find out what all hats have to offer. Especially if you always find excuses for not wearing a hat. It is curious that in the Middle Ages hats were an indicator of social status. Today, there is a great variety of hats for every taste, occasion, style, and face shape. Depending on where you live, if you are outside in the middle of a cold January, you may definitely want to wear a hat today. Take a hat that displays your favorite affiliation, try a new fancy hat. Just be sure to actually WEAR A HAT and post #HatDay on social media.
Sequins stay super trendy this year too. So wearing a statement sequined hat is one of the best you can do to celebrate this January, 15th.
Gift Ideas for people who celebrate a birthday on 15th Jan 2019 and all hat lovers:
- any cool hat would be a great idea, but recently I’ve found these super fancy hats with sequined lettering at SummerSequins Etsy shop.
16th JANUARY | WEDNESDAY
APPRECIATE A DRAGON DAY
There’s much to be learned, so why not search the web for the interesting story behind this legendary creature. I personally would celebrate by watching some of the best dragon movies: How To Train Your Dragon (my-favorite!), Merlin (mini series actually), Shrek (I just love that pink, eye-lashed, and lipsticked female dragon that falls in love with the Donkey, remember?), Dragonheart, The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers, Maleficent, Reign on Fire, Willow, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Still thinking which one to pick up for my dragon movie night. If you have kids, then try and learn how to speak the hilarious Dragonese language.
Gift Ideas for people who celebrate a birthday on 16th Jan 2019 and all Dragon Lovers:
- This Women’s Vintage Dragon Bracelet,
- this Leather Dual Dragons Journal,
- this gorgeous Magic Dragon Star Gem Dangle Pendant,
- this cute Stormy Dragon Plush
- this imaginary Dragonese dictionary for the kids or as a gag gift
- How to Train Your Dragon box set with 8 books for the kids
17th JANUARY | THURSDAY
POPEYE DAY
Gift Ideas for people who celebrate a birthday on 17th Jan 2019 and all for Popeye lovers:
- some really cool Popeye tees,
- Popeye 75th Anniversary Collectors Edition,
- Cheap & Chic By Moschino For Women,
- the Easy Spinach Cookbook
18th JANUARY | THURSDAY
WINNIE THE POOH DAY
A.A. Milne was the genius writer who brought the adorable, honey-loving bear to life. The National Winnie The Pooh Day is celebrated on Milne’s birthday – January 18, 1882. The Pooh Bear (as he was lovingly called) is actually inspired by a black bear named Winnie who lived at the London Zoo during the WWI.
Christopher Robin (Milne’s son) is said to have been visiting Winnie quite often. The story tells that he named his own teddy bear after Winnie and a swan called Pooh. Winnie-The-Pooh (inspired by this cute friendship) first appeared on the printed page in 1926, together with friends Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore. All of them were based on toys owned by the author’s son, who also featured in the famous stories as …Christopher Robin :). Winnie the Pooh starred in a series of much-loved Disney films.
This is one of the cuddliest celebrations of the year, so take a pot of honey and read again this adorable book. It is considered to be one of those children books that are created for adults too, with lots of wisdom and life truths to spread – all about love, happiness, friendship and joy of little things. Use #WinnieThePoohDay to post on social media. And if you happen {some day} to be in Hartfield, East Sussex (where the books were written by Milne), visit the well-known Pooh Corner and enjoy Pooh like never before.
Gifts for Pooh’s lovers and people born on 18th January:
- the complete tales of Winnie The Pooh,
- this silver sterling “Keep Me In Your Heart” Winnie the Pooh Pendant Necklace,
- this cute Pooh Pajama
- or this cuddly plush Winnie The Pooh.
19th JANUARY | SATURDAY
POPCORN DAY
Popcorn treat can be sweet or savory, caramelized, buttered or plain, or sprinkled with nuts and chocolate.
It is super easy to celebrate today – prepare a bag of crunchy popcorn with your favorite adding while watching your favorite movie all time (I love the classic mix of butter and salt, but also add some thyme and rosemary!) Or maybe try out other yummy variations like parmesan & bacon popcorn, jalapeño popcorn, curry popcorn, maple-pecan popcorn, chocolate popcorn – google some recipes and pick up your new popcorn experience. If you have kids, today is perfect for doing some popcorn crafts – popcorn strings, candle holders, door stoppers or just run a hopping corn science activity. Also, check the recipe for the cutest ever Unicorn Popcorn at LifeLoveLiz – unicorn food (and everything UNICORN) is such a trendy thing right now, especially on parties!
As a whole, enjoy your favorite popcorn, take a photo and share on social media using #NationalPopcornDay
Special gifts for real Popcorn fans or a little adding for those born on 19th January:
- this vintage Popcorn making maker on wheels,
- this easy pop hot air popcorn maker
- or the absolute popcorn bestseller Microwave Popcorn Popper Bowl.
20th JANUARY | SUNDAY
CHEESE LOVER’S DAY
The earliest record of cheese making dates back to 5,500 BCE in what is now the territory of Poland. Although there are no solid proves how cheese was discovered, it is thought that first it was created by accidentally left milk to sit a few days (in those years milk was transported and stored in sheeps’ stomachs, blah!).
Today there are over 1,400 varieties of cheese. Gouda, Parmesan, Cheddar, Bleu, White Cheese – there’s at least one for every taste. The nutritional value varies depending on the specific type. For example, cottage & mozzarella are at the lower end of fat and calories per serving, while mascarpone isn’t good for your weight-loss diet. So be careful with the fav yum Tiramisu.
The basic principles behind making cheese are quite simple – let the milk sour, then separate the curds (solids) from the whey (liquid), salt them and let to age. Depending on the variety, a great taste will come after 40 days. Bacteria, enzymes or fungi (added later) along with the type of milk, temperature, time and moisture are all controlled to reach the desired taste, color, and texture.
On the National Cheese Lover’s Day enjoy some cheese in your meals (google for some recipes). I personally can’t resist on a hot butter sandwich with melting cheese inside. What’s trending now is the giant cheese fondue. So gather some friends, arrange a large plate of assorted cheese, place a fondue in the middle of the table and start your cheese tasting event. You might also find local dairies and shops to reveal some new types of cheese. Yummy food, white wine, friends, joy – just remember to take photos and post on Instagram with #CheeseLoversDay.
Gifts for Foodies/Cheese Lovers and people celebrating on 20th January 2019:
- Cheese for White Wine Pairing Box,
- this Electric Fondue Maker,
- this DIY Microwave Fresh Cheese Maker for doers,
- this gorgeous Composing the Cheese Plate cookbook
- or maybe this adorable Natural Bamboo Cheese Board & Cutlery Set with Slide-Out Drawer (plus a bottle of white wine, of course)
CAMCORDER DAY
Camcorder Day is a tribute to videography of all varieties – both professional and amateur. If you just love recording your memories, you have one more reason today to make a great shooting of… well, whatever you want!
Just don’t forget to upload your shed oeuvre to YouTube, Facebook or Instagram and share it with the rest of us. And just in case you wanna take advantage of this celebration and please yourself with something really special, then take a look at Prynt Case by clicking here. It is a super cool video gadget that will let you print (yes, print!) your videos. Jump in here to learn more and check how it actually works and why worth having it!
21st JANUARY | MONDAY
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY
Each year on the 3rd Monday of January, America and all the world honors the birth, life, and dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was an American clergyman, activist, father, theologian, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. King has become a national icon in the history of American progressivism.
You can celebrate by finally read his book Strength to Love, or one of his biography bestsellers Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. or I Have a Dream: The Story of Martin Luther King or this National Geographic Readers: Martin Luther King, Jr. edition. Watch (or perhaps rewatch) the incredible and inspiring “I Have A Dream” speech (here’s the link on YouTube) and post #MartinLutherKingJrDay on Instagram. And believe that:
‘Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase’,Martin Luther King, Jr.
SQUIRREL DAY
Appreciate the little squirrels in whatever way you can today! Because squirrels are just adorable, and extremely fun to watch. You can do anything from putting out some extra food to learning something new about these cute little mammals. For example – squirrels don’t dig up all of their buried nuts, which results in more trees! And this is ac5tually another very good reason to appreciate squirrels.
Gifts for Squirrel Lovers and people celebrating on 21st January 2019:
- this AMAZINGLY FUN Chair Squirrel Feeder
- The Secret Life of Squirrels Picture Book or The Secret Life of Squirrels: A Love Story
- 2018 Squirrels Square Wall Calendar
- this humorous Squirrel Whisperer T-Shirt for Nature Lovers
- this funny Squirrel Best Friend For Life Shirt
- this lovely Squirrel Heartbeat T-Shirt for women
- this hilarious Excuse Me Your Bird Feeder Is Empty Squirrel T-Shirt
- this elegant Squirrel Nut Bowl
- this cute Born To Love Squirrels Coffee Mug
- this stylish and eco-friendly Bamboo Cheese Board with charming squirrel
- this fantastic personalized romantic gift Squirrels – Couple of Nuts framed print (good for Spouse’s day in just a few days from now)
- this sparkling Swarovski 10th Anniversary Squirrel Crystal Figurine
- this gorgeous women lightweight new stylish squirrel print scarf
OTHER CELEBRATIONS:
- HUGGING DAY
Hug Day aims to encourage everyone to show more emotion and support by giving a simple hug in public. There is only one way you are supposed to celebrate today – give a big hug to anyone you want, no matter a family member, a friend or a total stranger.
By the way, have you heard about the hugging therapy? It is proved to be definitely a powerful way of healing. Research shows that hugging (along with laughter) is extremely effective at healing sickness, disease, loneliness, depression, anxiety, and stress. Because hugging boosts oxytocin (the happiness hormone) levels. Hugging boosts also self-confidence so if there’s a person around who needs emotional support, just give a hug without speaking – this works better than any words spoken.
Don’t hesitate to celebrate and give a BIG and HEARTWARMING hug, take a photo of you while hugging and use #HuggingDay to post on social media. Also take a look at The Art of Hugging: A Heartwarming Guide to Everyone’s Favorite Gesture of Love book inspired by The Free Hug movement.
22nd JANUARY | TUESDAY
CELEBRATION OF LIFE DAY
23rd JANUARY | WEDNESDAY
PIE DAY
Everybody loves pie. So what better way to celebrate today by making a pie with your favorite filling?
Do you know someone who’s pie freak? Check some cool gift ideas inspired by your friend’s craze about pies.
OTHER CELEBRATIONS:
- NATIONAL HANDWRITING DAY
It is considered that a person’s handwriting style is as unique as the fingerprint. Because of this, handwriting is often used by many forensic experts and historians to test the authenticity of documents.
24th JANUARY | WEDNESDAY
COMPLIMENT DAY
This unofficial day was started in 1998 as a way “to tell the people in our lives how much we appreciate them.”
A compliment has an extremely powerful effect when you want to give credit for a job well done or show your thumbs up for someone’s appearance or work. But you must be honest. People somehow know when they are told fake compliments (and this usually has a bad effect).
Giving compliment means you respect or you noticed, or both. You won’t lose anything by appreciating a friend, co-worker or a family member. Everyone needs to hear encouragement compliments from time to time. That’s why it is proved that compliments instill confidence. Especially in a child. A single compliment every day will lead to significant results – just have to try! I’ve already tried on my kid and I noticed incredible improvements in her behavior.
Make sure you complimented today as much (and honest) as you can. And use #ComplimentDay to tell who and what you complemented today!
25th JANUARY| THURSDAY
OPPOSITE DAY
Opposite Day is particularly popular among children, who enjoy the kind of absurdity that can happen when everything you say is backwards. Sponge Bob Square Pants even got into the act, with an episode containing the whimsical nature of this day
When talking about gifts today, you can find inspiration in today’s funny holiday. The thought for the day is Opposites attract. Meaning that everything that represents duality and opposites makes a good and thoughtful gift today. Like Jin And Jang. Sun and Moon. Black and White. Left and Right. Hot and Cold. Long and short. Get it, right?
MACINTOSH COMPUTER DAY
26th JANUARY | SATURDAY
SPOUSES DAY
There are many reasons to celebrate today. Probably being thankful for fulfilling your life, supporting your crazy ideas, giving security, boosting confidence, loving unconditionally, giving respect to everything you do or say, being patient when you need to release the tension after a long hard day…. Don’t take for granted the way your spouse makes your life better. Don’t take for granted your spouse’s love and devotion. I know life is busy, stressful. There are many issues to cause fights and yelling at each other. But at the end of the day just stop. Give a kiss. Say “Forgive me, I love you” from the bottom of your heart. So simple!
27th JANUARY | SUNDAY
CHOCOLATE CAKE DAY
I confess – I don’t need a birthday, anniversary, or a Chocolate Cake day to celebrate this life-saving dessert! But since today is exactly the Chocolate Cake Day, I will be definitely celebrating, bet ya!
I was puzzled to reveal that in America chocolate was consumed primarily as a beverage until the 1830s – 1840s. The word chocolate itself comes from the Aztec word xocotal, meaning bitter water. It is believed that the world’s first chocolate cake was baked around the late 1800s after Bostonian Dr. James Baker discovered that one could grind cocoa using a water-powered mill. And the earliest chocolate cake recipe dates back 1847 (in The Lady’s Receipt Book by Eliza Leslie). The first boxed cake mix was created by a company called O. Duff and Sons in the late 1920s. Betty Crocker released their first dry cake mixes in 1947.
So ..no wonder about how to observe today’s celebration.
Take a break from dietary healthy eating and indulge in chocolate by having a giant piece of chocolate cake. Why not try your hands at a homemade chocolate cake and show it to your Instagram followers using #ChocolateCakeDay hashtag.
28th JANUARY | SUNDAY
BLUE MONDAY
Blue Monday was created back in 2005 by Sky Travel Shop, a television channel devoted exclusively to programs about travel, and commercials for travel agencies. Although created with the main idea about the New Year’s resolutions and this month’s usual comedown after the festive holiday season, I suggest you can make extra fun of it with some funny items and gifts for people who absolutely hate Mondays.
29th JANUARY | TUESDAY
PUZZLE DAY
This cute holiday honors puzzles of all types – jigsaws, riddles, math, mechanical, and word puzzles. And of course, real-life puzzles. As a whole – everything that puzzles us.
Why should you love Puzzles? First, they are developing skills. And second, they are beneficial to health. For example, crosswords, word search, and anagrams test the vocabulary and language skills. Sudoku and Rubik’s cube test math skills and logical thinking. Jigsaws are good to improve patience and visual skills. Puzzles have a crucial role in skills development since early childhood. Then at school. At university. Work. Home. Toilet. Everywhere, anytime. 🙂
Studies have shown that doing puzzles can help enhance brain activity in adults, and also increases creativity, concentration, and problem-solving skills. It also improves memory, that’s why it is used in Alzheimer disease treatment.
If you are a real fan of puzzles, why not host a Puzzle party with your friends? Involve them in a puzzle-games-marathon, serve Rubik Cube shaped cake like this one, prepare small puzzle awards. Or play some Scrabble with your family? Or just grab a cup of coffee and solve today’s Sudoku or crossword?
I will definitely spend some time googling the history and science behind creating puzzles. (while writing this, I revealed the fact that the first crossword was created by the journalist Arthur Wayne and it was published on December 21, 1913, in the Sunday New York World newspaper.) Post #PuzzleDay and tell everyone which is your favorite brain-teaser!
Give the real Puzzle lover who celebrates on 29th January 2019 (no matter what):
- a giant challenging and beautiful 1000-Piece Puzzle,
- a collection of Metal Wire Link Puzzles,
- a super handy Felt Mat for Puzzle Storage to stock puzzles
- or the better – a Wooden Fiberboard Work Surface with 4 sliding drawers,
- a huge Sudoku collection,
- the Original 3D Dog Crystal Puzzle (especially in the 2018 year of the dog according to the Chinese zodiac),
- the Night Edition of Empire State Building 3D Puzzle with Easyclick Technology,
- or just a lovable Puzzle pendant necklace for couples or besties,
- or maybe customized photo puzzles to commemorate some of your wonderful moments in a puzzling way!
Oh, just to mention, as a mom, that the best ever puzzles for kids comes from Melissa&Doug!
30th JANUARY | WEDNESDAY
CROISSANT DAY
Wake up and head straight to your favorite bakery to get a croissant for your breakfast, because it is Croissant Day. While it is usually preferred plain, there are many variations of this yummy pastry. For example, bakeries bake croissants with chocolate, fruits, meat, and cheese.
Croissants are not French in origin. Food historians believe that the Austrian kipferl is the ancestor of the present-day croissant. Legend has it that kipferl, which is the German word for crescent, was created by some Viennese bakers as a way to celebrate the defeat of Ottoman invaders by the soldiers of Vienna. According to the story, the bakers fashioned their new creation in the form of the crescent moon – the symbol of the Ottoman Empire they saw on the enemies flag. It is thought that the pastry was popularized in France by Marie Antionette, the last queen of France, who actually called it ”croissant”.
To celebrate today, try making croissants at home from scratch. Try this super useful Croissant Cutter Roller that makes perfectly sized croissant in minutes literally. Don’t forget to share on Instagram with #CroissantDay hashtag! Especially if you are celebrating a special occasion today.
31st JANUARY | THURSDAY
INSPIRE YOUR HEART WITH ART DAY
Today is a day to indulge in an inspirational art. The point is to feel reborn and refreshed. Beethoven, Chopin, Richard Clayderman would bring you to heaven with their celestial music. Read Shakespeare. Go to a gallery, theatre, cinema, or music venue, and soak up the art deep into your heart. Why not have dinner over classical music instead of the usual TV noise background? You’ll feel the difference!
There are over 1,200 cool holidays to reveal, enjoy and celebrate. The celebrations in January were cool and funny. But to wait to see what’s coming in February – the love month! Can’t wait to tell you!
Don’t miss a celebration in 2019 with www.bestgiftidea.net. Or get this cool Holidays Everyday Wall Calendar by Calendar Inc from Amazon.
#EnjoyEveryDay
And follow this link to check the what February celebrations that are coming.
Annie
