Seasonal & Holidays
May Day, Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day and Memorial Day, Of Course, But What About World Naked Gardening Day and Other Obscure Holidays?
Besides mainstream holidays, and somber events recognizing the sacrifices of war, you could celebrate something every day this month.
Did you find a May basket on your fence or door this morning? (Photo by Will Merydith / Flickr)
May is jam-packed with holidays – May Day on the first, Cinco de Mayo on the fifth, Mother’s Day on the 10th and Memorial Day on the 25th, to name a few that you probably already have on your calendar.
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And then there are the “special days,” and that’s when things get really interesting. Most aren’t official holidays, and many were probably dreamed up as an excuse to buy and send a greeting card. Some are just plain weird – Lumpy Rug Day? – and others promote agendas.
Which brings us to Saturday, May 2. Did you know it’s World Naked Gardening Day? No, seriously.
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Some guy in Seattle came up with the idea in 2005. Though you’ll probably want to wear some sunscreen – Saturday’s metro Detroit forecast calls for sunny skies and a high of 71 – and stay out of the poison ivy, there aren’t a lot of rules. You’re naked, after all, and World Naked Gardening Day is all about the freedom of choice to beautify your space wearing whatever you want or, in this case, don’t want to wear.
You’ll also probably want to keep your celebration under wraps, unless you’re in an area where going au naturel is commonplace. There are a few such places in Michigan – Turtle Lake Resort in Union City, Northaven Resort in Brooklyn, Cherry Lane Resort in North Adams, Forest Hills Club in Saranac and Spruce Hollow Campground in Mesick – but gardening isn’t the main attraction at those clothing-optional resorts.
Before you throw caution to the wind and strip and go naked to the garden, you’ll want to get through today and all the celebration that goes with it. To wit:
May 1 isn’t just May Day, a worldwide celebration of spring and the coming of summer, celebrated by delivering flowers and dancing round a maypole (unless you’re in a communist or socialist countries, and then it’s a celebration of all their hard work). It’s also International Tuba Day and Space Day, both always observed the first Friday in May, presumably separately; and Save the Rhino Day.
Here’s the rundown of the other May holidays, some steeped in tradition, others more contrived:
May 2: Baby Day, Brothers and Sisters Day
May 3: Lumpy Rug Day, World Press Freedom Day
May 4: Bird Day, National Candied Orange Peel Day, Renewal Day, Star Wars Day
May 5: Cinco de Mayo, National Hoagie Day, Oyster Day
May 6: Beverage Day, National Teachers Day (always observed on Tuesday of the first full week of May), National Tourist Appreciation Day, No Diet Day, School Nurses Day (always observed on the Wednesday during Nurse’s Week)
May 7: National Tourism Day
May 8: Iris Day, Military Spouses Day (always observed on the Friday before Mother’s Day), No Socks Day, V-E Day, World Red Cross / World Red Crescent Day
May 9: Birth Mother’s Day (always observed the Saturday before Mother’s Day), International Migratory Bird Day (always observed on the second Saturday in May), Lost Sock Memorial Day, National Train Day (date varies)
May 10: Mother’s Day (always observed on the second Sunday of May), Clean Up Your Room Day
May 11: Eat What You Want Day, Twilight Zone Day
May 12: Fatigue Syndrome Day, International Nurses Day, Limerick Day
May 13: Frog Jumping Day, Leprechaun Day, National Receptionist Day (always observed on the second Wednesday in May)
May 14: Dance Like a Chicken Day
May 15: Police Officer’s Memorial Day, National Chocolate Chip Day
May 16: Armed Forces Day (always observed on the third Saturday of the month), Love a Tree Day, National Sea Monkey Day, Wear Purple for Peace Day
May 17: Pack Rat Day
May 18: International Museum Day, No Dirty Dishes Day, Visit Your Relatives Day
May 19: Boy’s Club Day
May 20: Be a Millionaire Day, Pick Strawberries Day
May 21: National Memo Day, National Waiters and Waitresses Day
May 22: Buy a Musical Instrument Day
May 23: International Jazz Day (always observed on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend), Lucky Penny Day
May 24: National Escargot Day
May 25: Memorial Day (always observed on the last Monday of the month), National Missing Children’s Day, Tap Dance Day
May 26: Sally Ride Day
May 27: Sunscreen Day
May 28: Amnesty International Day
May 29: Learn About Composting Day
May 30: Water a Flower Day
May 31: National Macaroon Day, Save Your Hearing Day, World No Tobacco Day
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