Friday 1
New Year’s Day
Saturday 2
Happy Mew Year for Cats Day
National Science Fiction Day
Sunday 3
International Mind-Body Wellness Day an opportunity to celebrate how a healthy mind and healthy emotions means a healthy body! The mind, body and soul connection plays an integral role in our overall health and well-being. Our emotions, purpose, spirituality, experiences, goals, beliefs, habits and actions all have an important impact on mind-body harmony and overall health. That is why we celebrate International Mind-Body Wellness Day at the start of each year, because nothing is more important than creating the best you possible, and what better time than the new year for a new you?
JRR Tolkien Day
National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day
Monday 4
National Spaghetti Day
National Trivia Day
Tuesday 5
National Bird Day
National Whipped Cream Day
National Screenwriters Day
National Keto Day
Wednesday 6
National Bean Day
National Cuddle Up Day Since January has some of the coldest temperatures of the year, it’s a great excuse to warm up by cuddling with those closest to you! Plus, if you’ve got a fireplace and cozy blankets, it’s even better.
National Technology Day
Thursday 7
National Bobblehead Day
Friday 8
Earth’s Rotation Day Most of us probably know the Earth rotates on an almost-vertical axis every 24 hours, which gives us one Earth day. But this basic knowledge wasn’t always so undisputable. In 1851, French physicist Leon Foucault demonstrated how our planet rotates using his now-famous pendulum. Today, Foucault’s Pendulums are a fixture in science museums around the world. The simple but brilliant contraption uses a suspended lead ball to indicate the rotation of the Earth over the course of a day. The pendulum is surrounded by small pins arranged in a circle, which the pendulum knocks down one by one, eventually completing a full rotation.
National Bubble Bath Day
National Winter Skin Relief Day
Saturday 9
Virtual Led Campus Tour, 4pm Santa Catalina School Virtual Open House Series. January 9–21 See website to for events offered and to register santacatalina.org/upper-school/admission/admission-fairs/open-houses
National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (Above Image: Sergeant Pascale Wowak with Scotts Valley PD)if you have a police officer as a friend or family member, National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day on January 9 is the perfect time to show officers we understand how difficult their job is. So it’s important to show officers how much we understand their difficult work and appreciate their sacrifice and risk.
Sunday 10
National Houseplant Appreciation Day Houseplants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen for us to breathe, improving the air quality in your home. Plants also release moisture into the air, conditioning it with refreshing humidity that can actually make your house feel cooler! Whether your green thumb has driven you to amass an impressive indoor garden or you’re just kicking around the idea of a low-maintenance cactus for your desk, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and join us in bringing the outdoors inside on National Houseplant Appreciation Day.
Monday 11
National Clean Your Desk Day
National Human Trafficking Awareness Day National Human Trafficking Awareness Day on January 11 raises awareness of the persistent issue of human trafficking. Though the entire month of January has already been recognized as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, this day is specifically dedicated to awareness and prevention of the illegal practice. This holiday is also separate from the World Day Against Trafficking Persons, as established by the United Nations. Since the Senate established this day of observance in 2007, it has drawn massive public support from individual donations to government-organized events.
Tuesday 12
Meet Our Students, 4pm. Santa Catalina School Virtual Open House Series. January 9–21 See website to for events offered and to register santacatalina.org/upper-school/admission/admission-fairs/open-houses
Mt Madonna School Conversations of Meaning, 7pm-8:30pm. Join us via Zoom for a glimpse into the Values program. Values in World Thought spans 11th and 12th grades and engages students in meaningful conversations. True dialogue is a collaborative process of active listening and discussion that helps the students develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter, and respect and curiosity about the ideas of others. RSVP to [email protected] for the Zoom link.
Wednesday 13
National Rubber Ducky Day The popular toy has seen a lot of variations in its history. First designed in the 1800s when rubber manufacturing began, the duck was then made out of plastic and vinyl during both World Wars, as rubber was scarce. The ducky toy was first patented in 1928 by Landon Smart Lawrence, but the toy was a little heavier back then—he put a weight in it to make sure it would always stay upright. If you’re every out in the ocean, you might just run into a rubber ducky. 28,000 rubber ducks on their way via boat to Washington went overboard during a storm in 1992. It’s been said that the ducks floated north to the Arctic, got trapped in the ice, and were slowly thawed out into the Atlantic Ocean.
National Sticker Day
Tea with Teachers, a panel discussion with MMS elementary school teachers, January 13, 4:30-5:30pm. Enjoy a cup of tea and join this Zoom discussion to hear from MMS elementary school teachers about our program. RSVP to [email protected] for the Zoom link.
Thursday 14
National Dress Up Your Pet Day
Friday 15
Martin Luther King’s Birthday
National Bagel Day
National Hat DayArts & EntertainmentFashion
Saturday 16
National Fig Newton Day
National Nothing Day
Sunday 17
Catalina’s Curriculum, 4pm. Santa Catalina School Virtual Open House Series. January 9–21 See website to for events offered and to register santacatalina.org/upper-school/admission/admission-fairs/open-houses
Michelle Obama’s Birthday
Monday 18
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Each year on the third Monday of January we observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and reflect on the work that still needs to be done for racial equality. This January 18, make the holiday more than just a day off and take time to reflect and take action on civil rights issues across the globe. The concept of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a holiday was promoted by labor unions. After King’s death, US representative John Conyers and US Senator Edward Brooke introduced a bill in Congress to make King’s birthday a national holiday.
National Thesaurus Day
National Winnie the Pooh Day
Tuesday 19
Gateway School Tours by Appointment January 19 and 20, 2021, 9:30am-3:00pm. Gateway School, 255 Swift Street. Come and learn how Gateway School inspires curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking through innovative education for a fast-changing world. You’ll have the opportunity to see the health and safety protocols of our facilities while also learning more about our curriculum. Visit www.gatewaysc.org to make an appointment for a personalized, individual tour of our campus.
Meet Our Parents, 5pm. Santa Catalina School Virtual Open House Series. January 9–21 See website to for events offered and to register santacatalina.org/upper-school/admission/admission-fairs/open-houses
National Popcorn Day
Wednesday 20
Gateway School Tours by Appointment January 19 and 20, 2021, 9:30am-3:00pm. Gateway School, 255 Swift Street. Come and learn how Gateway School inspires curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking through innovative education for a fast-changing world. You’ll have the opportunity to see the health and safety protocols of our facilities while also learning more about our curriculum. Visit www.gatewaysc.org to make an appointment for a personalized, individual tour of our campus.
National Cheese Lover’s Day
National Penguin Day We love penguins for lots of reasons: They walk around in tuxedos, they have a cute waddle, and they’re unique! And to show that we care, we observe National Penguin Day on January 20. While this day celebrates the penguins, it’s also a time to think about saving them. Many penguin colonies have been lost to climate change and it’s estimated that half the population of emperor penguins will vanish by the end of this century. We can start to help these endangered creatures by focusing on environmental issues.
Thursday 21
In the Classroom, 4pm. Santa Catalina School Virtual Open House Series. January 9–21 See website to for events offered and to register santacatalina.org/upper-school/admission/admission-fairs/open-houses
National Banana Bread Day
National Hugging Day
National Squirrel Appreciation Day
Friday 22
National Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day Your kitty has questions and January 22 is the day to be answering them, hence it is known as Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day. What child hasn’t promised their cat that if they just reveal they can speak, they’ll keep the secret? On this special day, we’re listening to each meow and trying to understand just what that cat is getting at – we just wish they had speech bubbles above their head like Garfield!
Pre/K Preview: Songs, Stories and Learning, January 22, 10:00-11:00am
Parents of toddler, preschool and kindergarten-age children are invited with their child to join MMS Pre/K teachers and students in yoga, storytelling, songs and more! RSVP to [email protected] for the Zoom link.
Saturday 23
Spring Hill School Virtual Open House 10:00 am and 1:00 pm. Small classes. Big learning. Email [email protected]. 831-427-2641
Birth Network of Santa Cruz County presents this FREE live Zoom event: Meet the Doulas at 4pm. Learn about how doulas support families through the birth and postpartum experience during our current Covid situation. Preregister at BirthNetSantaCruz.EventBrite.com and for more information visit BirthNet.org
Birth Network of Santa Cruz County presents this FREE live Zoom event: Meet the Doulas at 4pm. Learn about how doulas support families through the birth and postpartum experience during our current Covid situation. Preregister at BirthNetSantaCruz.EventBrite.com and for more information visit BirthNet.org
National Pie Day Sponsored by the American Pie Council (yes, that’s a real thing!), National Pie Day lets us enjoy one of our favorite desserts guilt-free. While pie exists in some form all over the world, the United States has an inextricable relationship with the flaky dessert.
Sunday 24
National Compliment Day The power of a compliment is pretty remarkable: either giving or receiving one can boost your happiness and confidence — making the act a win-win. You never know when someone could use some good vibes, so spread the positivity by giving someone a reason to smile!
National Peanut Butter Day
Monday 25
National Fun at Work Day
National Irish Coffee Day
Opposite Day
Tuesday 26
National Peanut Brittle Day
National Spouses Day
Wednesday 27
International Holocaust Remembrance Day From 1941 to 1945 Nazi Germany and its collaborators committed the systematic murder of over six million Jews. The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was Nazi Germany’s “Final Solution” for eliminating all Jewish people within Nazi Germany’s grasp. By the end of this heinous act, roughly two-thirds of Europe’s Jewish population had been murdered. The United Nations General Assembly’s resolution 60/7 designated International Holocaust Remembrance Day on November 1, 2005, during the 42nd plenary session. Join us on January 27 for International Holocaust Remembrance Day when remember the Nazi’s act of genocide so that no one else will suffer like that again.
Thursday 28
Anastasia Higginbotham- Virtual Event What You Don’t Know Thursday, January 28th, 4:00 pm Join Bookshop Santa Cruz for a special virtual event with author and illustrator Anastasia Higginbotham whose new picture book, What You Don’t Know: A Story of Liberated Childhood, delves into queerness, Blackness, and the love that dismantles whiteness. This online event will include a reading, Q&A, and demonstration of Higginbotham’s disco collage workshop. https://www.bookshopsantacruz.com/higginbotham
National Lego Day
Friday 29
National Puzzle Day
Saturday 30
National Croissant Day
Sunday 31
National Backward Day
Source: NationalToday.com
