January 5 wacky holidays

Today is National Bird Day. It seems fairly obvious to me, but I Googled the topic and found an interesting site. According to them, it's the perfect to reflect on how we treat birds. I once owned a cockatiel. He was very peaceful and would great me each morning. I thoroughly enjoyed him. He liked to sit on the screen of my laptop while I worked on it. He wouldn't bother anything, and he kept his talons away from the screen, which was a huge worry I had. And once he flew outside, and I feared he would be gone, but later that day, he landed on our back patio and just stood by the door, waiting to come inside.

National Second Hand Wardrobe Day occurs today. I don't remember wearing hand-me-downs as a kid, but that's probably because I was the oldest in the family and the oldest grandchild. But when I had kids, I certainly didn't mind "recycling" clothing. It sure as heck beat buying an entire new wardrobe. Even today, I like to scour thrift shops and second hand stores because you never know what you will find. Once, in Lincoln, I found a pair of Venezia jeans that still had the tag attached. A pair of $60 jeans (which I would NEVER pay for a pair of jeans) for only $3.50. Now that's a bargain! And I still remember when Courtney was a freshman and I swung by a thrift store to check on some possible costumes to create for Homecoming week activities. There was a beautiful leather coat - long and with a great belt - and Courtney liked it. How can you pass up a leather coat that sold for $5? I couldn't, so I gave the cash and let her get it. She wore it all the time! And, who can resist stopping at a garage sale?

Then, there are the new additions to my family. They won't wear anything that isn't new. Scott's sister stopped and bought a few shirts so the kids would have some decent clothes when they are here, brands like Aeropostale, Old Navy, American Eagle, and they wouldn't wear any of it because it wasn't new. I like to call that thinking stupidity.

And if you aren't in need of any clothing, why not clean the cluttered closet and donate items to a local thrift store.

Fruitcake Toss Day is celebrated today. So instead of letting that heavy cake dry out even more so, make it a family event. See who can throw it the farthest. Instead of pumpkin chuckin - which is a big thing in a local Nebraska town - toss the fruitcake. There's a traditional celebration in Manitou Springs, Colorado. Looks like fun.

I'm actually working on an article for a regional magazine for next year's Christmas edition. And yes, it's about fruitcake.

Finally, it's Twelfth Night or the Epiphany, a Christian feast celebrating the revelation of God to mankind. Various Christians recognize this date as the day the Magi brought gifts to the baby Jesus, signifying the twelfth day of Christmas.