February Holidays and Events

This article is for an upcoming issue of the Tribal Tribune. In case there was any confusion, it is still January.

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Keep track of all the holidays and events that aren’t on the calendar.

Although February is the shortest month, there are a ton of events and holidays. From the 1st all the way to the 28th of this month, February’s interesting goings-ons cannot be overlooked.

Almost everyday in February, or for that matter any month, have some kind of odd holiday or celebration. Since it wouldn’t be very practical to explain every one of them, I picked the most fascinating.

The first odd holiday lands on February 11th and is aptly called Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day. It encourages people to look on the bright side and not dwell on the past. Although the exact origin of this holiday is still unknown, the phrase itself has been around for hundreds of years.

February the 20th is Love Your Pet Day, and is probably the most practical of the odd holidays. The purpose of this holiday is to express appreciation to family pets. This can be done via extra play and snuggle time, treats, or doing anything to show your pet you care.

Public Sleeping Day, which falls on February 28th calls for people to take a break from the stresses of life with a public nap. If that means sleeping in the middle of work, school, or the bus so be it. This holiday may not be for everyone, especially those that don’t want to be caught in an awkward picture. On the upside it lands on a Saturday which means school and work conflicts won’t be a problem.

A better known holiday are Groundhog Day, in which the famous Punxsutawney Phil determines when Spring will arrive by seeing (or not seeing) his shadow. Another is Mardi Gras, also called Fat Tuesday, which has its famed parties in New Orleans exactly 47 days before Easter.

Of course Valentine’s Day is probably the most popular and well-known holiday of February. Although its origins were different, modern Valentine’s Day is usually a holiday for couples. It is also typically celebrated in schools by exchanging Valentine’s cards, candies, and treats.

One overarching event of February is Black History month. It celebrates the achievements and contributions African Americans have made in history, and commemorates those who were especially influential. The UPHS library with likely have a display with all the books relating to Black History Month.

There are also countless anniversaries in the month of February. Some of the most interesting include the anniversary of the first Supreme Court Meeting, the first public school, Facebook’s launch, and my personal favorite, the anniversary of Hershey Chocolate’s founding.