June is here! That means we are almost halfway through 2023! Whether you find that good, bad or scary, thems the facts, Jack! Summer is upon us! The swimming pools are open, the cookouts are underway, and the ice cream is probably melting. So before we put another month in the rearview mirror, let's look at some obscure days worth celebrating in June.
2nd - National Doughnut Day - Every day is a good day to enjoy a donut… unless you're dieting, then I'm sorry I keep bringing it up. Start the day with a sugar high; your kids' teachers will thank you. While you are at it, pick some up for the office. Everyone loves a Doughnut. Or is it donut? Either way, I'm drooling.
3rd - National Play Outside Day, World Bicycle Day, National Trails Day - Okay, we get it, June 3rd! You want us to get out of the house today. So, whichever of the above outings sounds best for you and yours, do it! You don't want to disappoint June 3rd, do you? It's getting very insistent.
4th - National Cheese Day - I may be lactose intolerant, but I will not let that stop me from enjoying a lovely cheese platter! Cheese sticks, cheesy bread, cheesecake! This may have turned into an advertisement for Lactaid.
6th - National Drive-in Movie Day - I am old enough to remember going to the drive-in a few times as a kid. Drive-ins are an iconic part of our past, and they made a resurgence during "The Pandemic." If you are lucky enough to have one nearby, this week would be a great time to gather the family for a bit of nostalgia.
8th - National Best Friends Day - Friends make the world go round, and best friends keep you from flying off of it. Take time today to celebrate your besties. Encourage your kiddos to do something nice for their most fabulous friends. Maybe make them a handwritten card, or bake them some cookies. Or go a step further and take your kiddos and their best friend out to ice cream. Yesterday was National Chocolate Ice Cream Day, after all.
10th - National Black Cow Day - No, not the four-hoofed type. Did you know there is an Ice Cream Float called a Black Cow?? Some say it's just another name for a rootbeer float, but others claim it's made up of cola, chocolate ice cream, and chocolate syrup. AND I am in! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some ice cream and soda goodness calling my name.
13th - National Weed Your Garden Day - Hey, it's gotta be done anyway, so why not make an event out of it? Is it possible to convince the kids it's a holiday? Worth a try.
14th - National Flag Day - "You're the emblem of the land I love. The home of the free and the brave." In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation (signed into law by Harry Truman in 1949) establishing June 14th as National Flag Day. The Stars and Stripes have had their ups and downs over the years, and it seems we are in a patriotism drought these days. So today, let's hoist the flag, sing songs of Old Glory and fly the Red, White, and Blue with pride!
15th - Nature Photography Day - Nature photography is beautiful and easy! Smartphones are so advanced that anyone can snap amazing pictures that look like a professional took them. Take the family to the park and let everyone take turns grabbing photos of the amazing world around them. Flowers, bugs, shadows. Bonus idea, let everyone pick out a favorite and actually print them out! I know!? Who prints photos anymore?
18th - Father's Day - Is it any coincidence that National Go Fishing Day lands on Fathers Day? I think not. And they certainly deserve a day of relaxation. Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there who are slyly reading MomSquad! 😉
19th - Juneteenth - How it took till 2021 to make this a Federal Holiday, I do not know. June 19th marks the anniversary of the day in 1865 (2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed) when troops marched into Galveston, Texas, and freed 250,000 black people still enslaved in the Confederate stronghold. Slavery is truly the horror of our past, but the fight to free those slaves is something to be celebrated.
21st - Summer Begins - It's official. Summer is here! Today marks the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, today's the most daylight you will get all year, which is probably why yesterday was World Productivity Day. I didn't bother to mention it because if you're here, you are probably already a pretty productive person.
23rd - National Hydration Day - This one may not be a barrel of laughs, but it's essential. Today teach your young ones the importance of staying hydrated. You could even make a game out of it. Whoever drinks their suggested daily water intake gets a prize. It's harder than you think. (Not recommended for kiddos who haven't quite mastered the art of bladder control yet)
24th - Summersgiving - Thanksgiving in June?? In 2009 a fella by the name of Robert Solomon invited all of his friends over for a Thanksgiving BBQ because one Turkey Day a year just wasn't enough. I think he's on to something! Turkey legs on the grill surrounded by friends and loved ones… sound like a perfect day. BUT If turkey isn't your thing, you can use Summersgiving as an excuse to gather the family around the table and be thankful for time spent together.
30th - National Meteor Watch Day - Luckily, there is a meteor shower synced up with this national holiday, or it might have been a slightly dull evening staring up at the night sky. June Bootid meteor shower runs the June 22nd - July 2nd, peaking on the 27th. Arietids peaked on June 7th, and though it is a daytime shower, it is known to be the most active daytime meteor shower and can have up to 200 meteors per hour!