By: Nola Sommer

When thinking of holidays, most of us imagine opening presents on Christmas, eating chocolates on Valentine’s Day, or blowing out our candles on our birthdays. But have you ever wondered about those forgotten, obscure and lesser-known days that are meant to celebrate an array of strange things? These holidays, hidden in the corners of our calendars, can bring happiness and laughter to our lives, making every day seem special. 

Every January 21st is meant to celebrate the unknown “Squirrel Appreciation Day.” The North Carolina wildfire rehabilitator Christy McKeown started this holiday. She created this day in 2001 as a way to encourage people to put seeds and nuts out for squirrels. Next January 21st you can celebrate by leaving food in your yard for your local squirrels– just make sure the food is nutritional and okay for squirrels to eat.

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The next obscure holiday is National Bubble Bath Day, celebrated on January 8th of every year. This holiday was created by high-end bubble bath brands in the 1990s to celebrate their products and encourage more people to use these “luxurious forms of self-care.” There are many benefits to taking bubble baths such as muscle or stress relief, mental improvements and improved sleep habits.

For all the pet lovers out there, here is a day for you all to look forward to: Love Your Pet Day. Every February 20th, Love Your Pet Day celebrates all our furry friends and their pampering. This day is used as a fun excuse to give pets special treatment and to spend the day with them. If you’re looking for some fun gifts, e-card companies have cards specifically for this day but you can also buy tasty treats. Some other ways to celebrate would be to take your pet to the groomer, teach them a new trick, take them for a walk or simply just spend time with them.

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National Chocolate Covered Raisins Days, celebrated every March 24th, has no known origin but it can be assumed that this holiday began soon after the “Raisinets” were created. These candies were started by The Blumenthal Chocolate Company in 1927 and then Nestle acquired the brand in 1984. Raisinets are loved across the world, with many people choosing them as their movie-going snack. These candies are not only delicious but are also packed with calcium, potassium, iron, fiber and vitamin B!

Next time you are feeling down, just look up which wacky holiday it is, and who knows, maybe you’ll get a laugh out of it!