5 National Holidays To Celebrate In January
Looking for some cute ways to celebrate the new year? There are plenty of national holidays next week that will bring a smile to your face. From national hat day to national hot toddy day, we’re sure you’ll find a way to bring a little extra joy into your home.
January 9 to January 15: National Pizza Week
Celebrate one of the tastiest national holidays with a pizza loaded with pepperoni — America’s favorite topping, per a YouGov survey. To get the fun started, we asked Nick Banker of Upper Crust Pizza in Akron, Ohio – winner of the 2021 International Pizza Challenge’s Pizza Maker of the Year – for advice. His top tip? “I prefer old-world pepperoni, or ‘cup and char’ pepperoni. They curl up into crispy cups inside the oven and add a nice crunch to your pie.”
Try Battistoni Cup & Char Spicy Pepperoni or Hormel Cup n’ Crisp Pepperoni (at supermarkets). And if you’re looking for an easy start to homemade pizza, look no further than this two-ingredient pizza dough.
Monday, January 10: Houseplant Appreciation Day
January 10 is the perfect day to show your houseplants some love! Not only do they beautify your home, they can keep you healthy, says Gretchen Mason, a plant specialist with Modern Foliage Designs: “Studies suggest that having plants in your home may help boost immunity to colds and other respiratory illnesses and may lessen the duration of these illnesses.”
Looking for new easy-care plants? “The Fittonia or ‘nerve plant’ is a favorite—it has striking foliage and can even flower. It prefers bright light and will remind you to water it by dramatically wilting if it gets too dry,” Mason says. Dracaena “Jade Jewel,” snake plant, and echeveria are also low-maintenance, according to Mason. “And if you have experience with keeping plants in your home,” she adds, “the Alocasia polly is a fun one to try!”
Tuesday, January 11: National Hot Toddy Day
What better way to warm up on a chilly day than with a hot toddy? Featuring cranberries, cinnamon and honey, this recipe from the mixologists in the Woman’s World test kitchen is a flavorful twist on the classic cocktail.
To make a Spicy Apple Rum Toddy:
- Bring 1 cup of water to a boil.
- Add 4 cinnamon apple spice tea bags.
- Remove from heat and steep for five minutes.
- Remove tea bags.
- Add 2 cups of apple juice, 6 tablespoons of dark rum, 6 tablespoons of apple-flavored brandy, and 2 teaspoons of honey. Divide mixture among 4 glasses.
If desired, garnish with apple slices, cranberries, star anise and cinnamon sticks. (Makes four drinks!)
Wednesday, January 12: Stick To Your New Year’s Resolution Day
Whatever your resolution, the key to success lies in how you phrase it, say researchers in PLOS ONE. In their study of 1,066 people, those with approach goals (which involve introducing something new into your life) were more likely to achieve them than those with avoidance goals (which involve quitting something).
“Approach-oriented goals give you clear instruction on what to do,” says researcher Per Carlbring. “If your goal is to stop eating sweets to lose weight, you’ll likely be more successful if you say, ‘I’ll eat fruit several times a day’ instead. You then replace sweets with something healthier, which probably means you’ll lose weight and keep your resolution!”
Saturday, January 15: National Hat Day
Make someone’s day (and your own!) by donating a hat to those in need. The nonprofit organization Knit for Kids provides patterns to help you create cute and cozy hats for kids who don’t have winter gear. Not a knitter? Consider donating gently-used or new hats (snag them for a steal at Target’s Dollar Spot or Dollar Tree) to a coat drive – many will gladly accept hats and other warm-weather accessories. Log on to One Warm Coat to find a coat drive near you.
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.
