Hidden March Holidays

All images copyright Karen Foley & Dreamstime.com.

I always think of March as the oatmeal of holiday months.  It is bland and boring.  Oh sure, you have St. Patrick’s Day - the one day everyone on the planet is of Irish descent celebrated by drinking too much green beer and Irish Whiskey.  But past are the fun holidays were you get to dress in funny costumes, eat too much, get gifts or just cuddle with your honey.  And yet to come are the holidays celebrated on the beach with fireworks and long summer days.  Yup, March is the oatmeal of holiday months.

As a stock photographer, I like to use holidays as inspiration, and bland and boring just doesn’t cut it.  So I started to research hidden or overlooked holidays for this month to get my creative juices flowing, and was I ever delighted at what I found!

While March was named for the Roman God Mars, it is a month celebrated as National Irish American Heritage Month - not surprisingly since it contains the most Irish of all holidays.  But did you know it is also the month we celebrate Music in Our Schools,  Crafts, Women’s History, The Red Cross and Nutrition?

The powers that be have given us two reasons to celebrate the second week of the month naming it both Crocheting and Bubbles Weeks.

But the real gems are hidden in the holidays themselves.  I found many centered on food with my personal favorite being Popcorn Lover’s Day celebrated the second Thursday of the month.  But if that’s not your taste there’s Peanut Butter Lover’s Day on the 1st, Frozen Food Day on the 6th, Crown Roast of Pork Day on the 7th, Potato Chip Day on the 14th, Submarine Day (sandwich or boat?) on the 17th, Poultry Day on the 19th, Chip and Dip Day on the 23rd, Chocolate Covered Raisin Day on the 24th, Pecan Day and Waffle Day (celebrated by eating pecan waffles?) on the 25th, Spinach Day on the 26th, Something on a Stick Day on the 28th, and Clam on the Half Shell Day on the 31st. 

We need something to take a holiday from, so there are Employee Appreciation Day and National Salesperson Day on the first Friday of the month followed by International Working Women’s Day on the 8th,  , Dentist Day on the 6th  and Doctor’s Day on the 30th.   We’re sure to be exhausted from so much celebration, so we have National Goof Off Day on the 22nd. 

In the spirit of Multiple Personality Day on the 5th, we also celebrate I Want You To Be Happy Day on the 3rd and Be Nasty Day on the 8th.  We have Everything You Think Is Wrong Day on the 15th followed closely by Everything You Do Is Right Day on the 16th.  Which really makes you wonder about I Am In Control Day celebrated on the 30th.

Not wanting to leave animals out of the celebration, we have National Pig Day on the 1st, If Pets Had Thumbs Day on the 3rd, and Learn About Butterflies Day on the 14th.

If your passions are more of the inanimate variety, there is Old Stuff Day on the 2nd, Worship of Tools Day on the 11th, Ear Muff Day and Jewel Day on the 13th and Bunsen Burner Day on the 31st. 

Looking to pop the question?  Proposal Day on the 20th might be an ideal time. But watch out for Extraterrestrial Abductions Day celebrated at the same time - coincidence?

On a more serious note, International Earth Day on the 20th is about caring and respecting the planet on which we live.  Which goes well with Peach Blossom Day on the 3rd, Plant a Flower Day on the 12th, Goddess of Fertility Day on the 18th, National Agriculture Day on the 18th, and Take a Walk in the Park Day on the 30th. 

To honor those who serve others, we celebrate Girl Scouts Day on the 12th for the small but mighty, Hug a GI Day is on the 4th, and unfortunately we honor Supreme Sacrifice Day on the 18th. 

If the thought of all these dates to remember makes you frantic, celebrate it on Panic Day on the 9th.  Not enough to celebrate?  There is always National Make Up Your Own Holiday Day on the 26th. 

Well that certainly got my creativity going - time to capture all these quirky holiday memories in pictures.

All images copyright Karen Foley & Dreamstime.com.

Karen Foley is a professional freelance stock photographer and writer. She enjoys writing about the craft and creativity of photography and often looks for creative ideas in unlikely places.