Free Cone Day

I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM, WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM!

Hey ice cream fans! Ben and Jerry is celebrating their 30th anniversary today and as part of the celebration, the socially-minded ice cream maker is giving out free ice cream between noon and 8:00 PM at select outlets in the U.S. and Canada. The Free Cone Day has been an annual tradition since 1979 and it's always a fun party with entertainment happening throughout the day.

If you love ice cream as much as we do, check out their innovative flavors at your local Scoop Shop. You won't even have to bring your own ice cream scoop!. Don't forget to keep an eye out for the local celebrities that occasionally show up as guest scoopers.

National Dance Week

CAUSE SOMETIMES YOU JUST WANNA BOOGIE

Here's one zany holiday that you won't be able to enjoy unless you get right into the thick of it. That's right, it's National Dance Week, a time to raise awareness about the health benefits of exercise through dance, as well as the extreme amount of fun that's involved with dancing! If you don't know how to dance but have always wanted to take lessons, check local studios today for sales and discounts.

If you aren't interested in embarrassing yourself just yet, I urge you crank up the radio and dance the day away from the privacy of your home. Not does dancing lift your mood, it also makes it easier to meet new people, relieves stress, and increases your confidence. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me!

National Knuckles Down Month

WE HAVE NOT LOST ALL OUR MARBLES...YET

When you ask most people to celebrate National Knuckles Down Month, you might find yourself in a fistfight. Ask the right people though, and you'll be transported back to that happy time when you were young enough to be entertained by a simple game of marbles! During National Knuckles Down Month, we pay tribute to the timeless game of marbles, but we also recognize all of the other fun games that defined our childhoods.

That means even if you aren't a fan of marbles, you can still have fun with board games, puzzles, or even a simple baseball catch. If it meant something to you when you were a child, now is the time to re-live those memories and honor the games that kept you busy and out of trouble :)

Hug An Australian Day

BEAR HUGS, AUSTRALIAN STYLE

G'day mate! Happy Hug An Australian Day to you! Today we pay tribute to the Aussies in our lives that we know and love (If you don't have any Australian friends, you can substitute Crocodile Dundee or Steve Irwin as an universal Aussie representative).

Hugging an Australian will certainly make both the hug giver and receiver feel better, but it may even go as far as to improve international relations! That's definitely a plus in my book. So what are you waiting for, you silly blokes? Get out there, give some hugs, and relieve some stress on this amorous day of bear hugs and Aussie embraces. The Australians aren't going to hug themselves!

National Scoop The Poop Week

DON'T BE A PARTY POOPER, USE A SCOOPER

Many people are always on the lookout for ways that they can live a more eco-friendly life. If you fall into this category, or even if you want to do some good this week, I urge you to participate in National Scoop The Poop Week. It's a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it!

During National Scoop The Poop Week, dog-owners and dog-less citizens alike are urged to proactively scoop up any pet poop that they find lying around parks, streets, and other recreational sites. Each year many dog owners fail to pick up after their pets, allowing the resulting waste to build up and contaminate our drinking water with harmful bacteria.

If everyone does their part to clean up some extra poop during this week, hopefully we can help to avoid this situation and keep our water fresh and drinkable!

National TV Turnoff Week

Turn It off!!

Now that spring is here and the weather is getting warmer by the day, what better time is there to celebrate National T.V. Turnoff Week? The point of this brain-energizing week is to raise awareness of the harmful effects of excessive television exposure, and to encourage people to replace TV time with more productive activities. Reducing the amount of time you spend watching television can lead to a more literate and stimulating life.

While you give your brain a break from the boob tube this week, spend your free time discovering new hobbies. You'll be pleasantly surprised by how many other exciting activities there are to replace your favorite TV shows. Try playing a few holes of golf or toss the football around with your friends and family. After all, spending time indoors watching TV is a crying shame when you've got beautiful spring weather to keep you healthy and active!

National Karaoke Week

CAUSE DEEP DOWN, WE ALL WANT TO BE AMERICAN IDOLS

Each year, National Karaoke Week is celebrated during the last week of April. For all you fans of this sometimes embarrassing, always entertaining hobby, you'll be delighted to find karaoke events being organized all over the country as we pay tribute to the art of amusing amateur singing.

To really celebrate National Karaoke Week, you simply can't appreciate it from a distance. I urge all of you to take those headphones off your ears, turn off the radio, and get on stage to give it a try! And just remember...there's no such thing as a bad karaoke artist, especially during this celebratory week!

Kindergarten Day

Did you know that the first Kindergartens had actual gardens that were cultivated and maintained by the children? Yep, that's right...the creator of the first Kindergarten, Friedrich Froebel, believed that allowing children to participate in gardening would also encourage them to cultivate their own inner lives. April 21st is Mr. Froebel's birthday, and is now officially Kindergarten Day all across the world.

As we honor Mr. Froebel and his vision, we pay tribute to the schools that gave most of us our first real taste of education, drawing, song, play, and artistic activities. Since Froebel intended Kindergarten to be a place that taught children about the harmonious interconnected nature of all things, I hope you'll join me in relaxing and appreciating the teachers and schools that have promoted our own personal growth.

Check These Out!

Hey folks,

Here are some new Zany holidays to keep your eye on this week.

Monday, April 21, 2008 - Kindergarten Day

Tuesday, April 22, 2008 - National Karaoke Week

Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - National TV Turnoff Week

Thursday, April 24, 2008 - National Scoop The Poop Week

Friday, April 25, 2008 - Hug An Australian Day

International Daffynitions Month

THAT"S JUST DAFT!

Do you wash your dirty dishes indistinct? Did you see any parasites besides the Eiffel Tower when you were in France? Are you confused by my daffynitions yet? As you may have already guessed, a daffynition is a type of pun that involves reinterpreting an existing word which sounds like a different word or group of words (indistinct = in the sink; parasites = Paris sites). If this is the first time you've heard about daffynitions, congratulations, you now have an entire month to practice and play around with them!

April is International Daffynitions Month (conveniently coinciding with National Humor Month), and that means it's time to pay tribute to this amusing form of wordplay. So set your alarms (what an octopus is) and head over to the dockyard (a physician's garden) for a month of pleasurable punning and wacky wordplay!

National Blah Blah Blah Day

I feel obliged to inform you about National Blah Blah Blah Day, since it just so happens to be my wife's second favorite holiday (someone really needs to get rid of Diamonds, Flowers, and Massage Day already). Every year on April 17th, Blah Blah Blah Day comes into full effect and I try to hide from it under my bed in the fetal position. The purpose of this day is to take care of the long list of household projects and boring chores that people have been nagging you to do. And don't even try to procrastinate on Blah Blah Blah Day -- its entirely immune. Trust me, I've tried.

Since there's really no way to avoid the responsibility of Blah Blah Blah day, it's time to take a look at that monthly planner you haven't opened all year and start chipping away at some overdue projects. The good news, however, is that being productive on this chore-filled day means you have a good excuse to fill up your favorite beer mug and relax when all is said and done.

Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day

Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day is a perennial favorite of anybody who is a big fan of sleeping in. On this glorious holiday, you'll be able to enjoy an extra 25 minutes of sleep as you doze through the time you would normally set aside to put on your clothes! It's no wonder this comfortable holiday follows quickly in the wake of the hyper-stressful Tax Day, and I think you'll agree when I say that we all deserve it!

So hit snooze a couple of extra times on April 16th, and leave your collared shirt in the closet. Today you and your co-workers will enjoy the soft comfort of your favorite pair of pajamas all day long! You might as well go all out and wear your favorite slippers as well. After all, this is the last time you'll be able to enjoy this luxury until next year!

National Humor Month

BECAUSE IT'S BETTER THAN CRYING AFTER TAX DAY

Like my doctor always says, laughter is the best medicine! ...or was it penicillin? Either way, April is National Humor Month and I hope you'll join me in laughing my way through it. National Humor Month is celebrating its 32nd birthday this year, after being founded by popular humorist Larry Wilde in 1976. Mr. Wilde originally designed this zany holiday to increase public awareness of just how beneficial laughter can be for your health and overall quality of life.

Laughter is a great way to lift your spirits on gloomy days and has been scientifically proven to relieve day-to-day stress. That sounds like a pretty good reason to grab some of your favorite laugh-inducing toys and games and join the rest of us in a festival of fun! Nobody wants to be around a wet blanket during National Humor Month, so make sure to do your part to spread infectious laughter all throughout April.

National Avoid The Post Office Day

Don't go Postal!

April 15th is National 'This Sucks' Day, which incidentally coincides with the last day to submit your tax returns to the government. But in light of my experience this morning, I would like to hereby submit a petition to change it to National Avoid the Post Office Day. While attempting to send a packaged to my dear, aged granny in Missouri, I was very nearly trampled to death by a stampeding crowd of desperate citizens attempting to avoid reclassification as tax evaders.

Now, people...I understand very well the reluctance to give the government your hard earned money, but this foot dragging until the last moment is getting rather ridiculous. Perhaps some custom imprinted calculators with tax day reminders will help prevent this in the future.

Take A Wild Guess Day

GUESS WHAT? (NO MONKEY BEHINDS INVOLVED)

Guess what April 15th is. Go ahead, take a wild guess. If your wild guess was "Take A Wild Guess Day", you have some strange guessing issues. Anyway, if you're a fan of hunches, speculation, conjecture, or even good old-fashioned gut feelings, I'm going to venture a guess of my own and say that you're in for a real treat!

During this year's Take A Wild Guess Day, why not share your love of intuitive intelligence with customers and employees? Try setting up a jar filled with a multitude of bouncing balls and have people guess how many the jar contains. Just make sure everyone has filed their tax returns before you start celebrating, as I've heard the IRS frowns upon form-filling guesswork.

Here is what's up for this week!

Hey Folks,

Here are some more crazy, zany, outrageous holidays for you this week.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - Take a Wild Guess Day & National That Sucks Day

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 - National Humor Month

Thursday, April 17, 2008 - Blah Blah Blah Day and National Wear Your Pajamas To Work Day

Friday, April 18, 2008 - International Daffynitions Month

Barbershop Quartet Day

BECAUSE ONE DAY OF HARMONIZED MELODIES IS ALL WE CAN TAKE

Barbershop Quartet music became a very popular part of the pop-culture during the 1940's. For all of you who don't know, a Barbershop Quartet is a group of 4 vocalists each of which has their own role. The lead sings the melody, the tenor harmonizes above the melody, the bass sings the lowest harmonizing notes and the baritone complete the chord, usually below the lead. The Quartet is a very interesting and heart-felt form of singing that has been entertaining people since the origin of the style.

In honor of our beloved Barbershop Quartet singing, and the gathering of 26 people at Tulsa, Oklahoma, (April 11th, 1938) to found the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America (known today as the Barbershop Harmony Society), today April 11th has been officially declared Barbershop Quartet Day!

Keep the tradition alive, go out today April 11th with three friends and start singing in the street. Revive some of the classic Barbershop Quartet songs, and encourage everyone else to sing along. Barbershop Quartet music is a great way to get outside, have a good time and enjoy each others company for a change. Even if you can't sing you can still stand in the back of the group and hum the melody, or pick up some great noise makers that you can use during each song to make all the good singers aware of your presence!

National Siblings Day

NO MORE SIBLING RIVALRY!

Being an only child has its benefits, but there is nothing better than sharing a moment with your brother or sister. I apologize in advance to all those unable to celebrate, but appreciating and loving your brother or sister is what the April 10th National Siblings Day is all about. Recognizing the bond between brothers and sisters for the special gift it is, today is a day to hug, honor and enjoy your sibling.

Even if the only thing you and your sibling share is DNA, today is your chance to make a difference and fix your relationship. Give your sibling a call or even a surprise visit because it is never too late with family. Everyone loves to get a gift, especially on a zany holiday! So go out and find some great games or gadgets that will keep your sibling busy whether at work or in school. Every time they are bored, they can pull out their new gift and think of you!

Show your siblings the love and appreciation they deserve! Even if your an only child, I'm sure you have a cousin out there that needs some love to. Take this opportunity to create a closer bond with your family, and have a great National Siblings Day!

National Cherish An Antique Day

Your Old CDs and VHS Tapes Do Not Count!

April 9th celebrates the time when our beloved items and knickknacks were made by loving hands and not machines. Today is it very rare (and expensive) to find products that were created one at a time by very skilled laborers. To honor the past and its time-worn traditions go out and buy some antiques or dig through your old closets and pull them out. These items wont last forever, so it is important to keep them in a safe place and take care of them. Antiques are not only items, but also articles of clothing. Take National Cherish an Antique Day to go look for and preserve some of your old clothes because everyone knows vintage is coming back!

If you can't find any antiques to buy and all the ones you "used to own" are now broken, don't fret! Tons of great imitation antique promotional products are available if it is that worn-out, old-time vintage look that your going for! April 9th only comes around once a year, so let the cherishing of the antiques begin!

Couple Appreciation Month

NO...I LOVE YOU MORE...

Don't you hate it when you see those happy couples walking down the street holding hands and stealing kisses from one another? If so then this month and holiday are definitely not for you! Even if it is not your significant other's birthday, anniversary, or some zany holiday they made up, you should still recognize April 1-30th as Couple Appreciation Month. Use this time during the month of April to show thanks for each other's love and emotional support. Do something special for one another to reinforce and celebrate your relationship.

Let your loved one know just how special and appreciated they are with some type of customized award. You could also get your loved one some type of cute heart-shaped gift that will remind them not only that you were thinking of them, but that the gift is from the heart!

Whatever you do, make sure you do it best and show your loved one just how much you appreciate them this month.

Open Your Eyes This Week!

Keep on the look out this week for these crazy, zany, outrageous holidays!

Monday, April 7, 2008 - National Kite Month
Tuesday, April 8, 2008 - Couple Appreciation Month
Wednesday, April 9, 2008 - National Cherish an Antique Day
Thursday, April 10, 2008 - National Siblings Day
Friday, April 11, 2008 - Barbershop Quartet Day

National Kite Month

Go Fly A Kite!

Kitefliers everywhere have been so inspired by there beloved instruments to declare the month of April as the National Kite Month. Co-founded by the American Kitefliers Association and the Kite Trade Association International, National Kite Month has become a widely recognized holiday all across the nation. More then 600 events take place throughout the country, including kite festivals, kitemaking classes, and "fun flys" at local parks and beaches. Check out the National Kite Month Official Site for more information.

Even if you dont own a kite or have access to one you can still go out and celebrate. The weather is getting warmer and it is a great time to go out to some of the parks and beaches where the kite events will take place. You can just show up and look to the sky to appreciate your new found love of kites! You can also bring tons of great outdoor sports gear and accessories to the park or beach to add to the kiteflying fun!

International Twit Award Month

FINALLY TIME TO RECOGNIZE THE FOOLS IN YOUR LIFE

April Fools Day has recently passed and I am sure we all have that twit of a friend that has to pull a prank. Tuesday morning I woke up unaware of the date with a call informing me that I could sleep in, work had been canceled. The news was like music to my ears, I started to take off my shoes and climb back into bed when I was crushed by that ghastly phrase "April Fools Day."

As angry as I was, I couldn't help giving my foolish friend a big smile as I arrived to the office. He may be a real twit but it is always good to have a foolish friend to keep you laughing, even when you first wakeup. In honor of our fools, clowns, pranksters and twits, the month of April has been deemed as the International Twit Award Month. Get out there and show some appreciation to those who keep you laughing by giving them an award or some type of crazy gizmo or gadget for them to use on the next prank!

And remember, some twits are not funny but just stupid, and you can award them for that too!

No twit discrimination in the month of April!

Laugh at Work Week

THIS MAY WELL BE YOUR ONLY CHANCE!

Beginning with the infamous April Fools Day, this week (April 1-7) has been officially declared as the week to laugh at work! I know that as soon as I get to work in the morning the only thing I am laughing about is my co-workers passed out, using their desks as a pillow. In honor of Laugh at Work Week we need to take charge of our dull and laugh-free work environments and add some excitement to wake everyone up!

Just this week try showing up to work with some games and gadgets that could spice up everyones day. My co-workers and I love to mess around with office junk, just to help pass the time and relieve some stress at work. It is really important to have fun and laugh when your at work or else your bound to go crazy. We certainly remember that all work and no play can make you a dull boy!

Reconciliation Day

Because Mended Fences Are Better Than Broken Ones

Today is Reconciliation Day, a holiday started by noted advice columnist Ann Landers for the purpose of mending old fences. I find the timing to be particularly apt given all the ill-feelings that might have arose from the previous day's pranks. The intention of the holiday is actually rather serious -- to provide an opportunity for people to re-establish broken relationships between family, friends and significant others.

As cliché as they may be, cards, chocolates and flowers are traditionally quite effective at performing this task. Just be warned that attempts to reconcile with estranged loved ones can have varying degrees of success -- you do so at your own peril.

April Fools Day

Because Only Fools Rush In

The grand daddy of all zany holidays, April Fools Day is possibly the only time of the year when you can seriously prank your pals and not get a fist to the face in return. Aspiring pranksters and experienced tricksters from all corners of the world will be attempting to one-up each other on this most merry of days.

The Museum of Hoaxes has a section dedicated to some of the most audacious April Fools pranks. Take a look and then see if you can top them with your own outrageous stunts. Be sure to remember to bring a camera along to record them for posterity.