Want to celebrate Eat Brussel Sprouts Day or, maybe even better, Chocolate Cake Day? Then January is your month. The Holidays for Everyday website (http://www.holidaysforeveryday.com) and other similar websites highlight a wide range of traditional and not-so-traditional events, festivals, and holidays for each day of the year.

Whether it is something “everyday” such as chocolate cake or brussel sprouts (yum!), a multicultural festival, a national holiday, or some other type of celebration, opportunities exist to celebrate something all year long. I have selected events related to seasonal food celebrations from January through December. Each month has information, website connections, and a list of related books.

So, here’s to a happy and healthy 2013, and a reminder that we should always celebrate the small things, as well as the big things, all through the year.

JANUARY 19: NATIONAL POPCORN DAY

• dePaola, Tomie. The Popcorn Book. Holiday House, 1978.
• Landau, Elaine. Popcorn. Charlesbridge, 2003.
• McCully, Emily Arnold. Popcorn at the Palace. Browndeer Press, 1997.
• Sandburg, Carl. The Huckabuck Family and How They Raised Popcorn in Nebraska and Quit and Came Back. Illus. by David Small. Farrar, Straus & Grioux, 1999.
• Stevenson, James. Popcorn. Greenwillow, 1998.

▶The Popcorn Board’s website notes that the exact date of celebration whether it be January 19 or the day of the Superbowl is debatable (http://www.popcorn.org/AboutUs/Media/NationalPopcornDay/tabid/115/Default.aspx). The site includes ten activities for celebrating popcorn such as writing popcorn haiku, stringing popcorn for birds to eat, and pages to color. There are also popcorn recipes posted daily on the home page (http://www.popcorn.org/). Another special popcorn celebration is National Popcorn Poppin’ Month in October.

FEBRUARY: PANCAKE MONTH

(Pancake Day is celebrated on various days as well as on Shrove Tuesday in connection with Mardi Gras.)

• Carle, Eric. Pancakes, Pancakes! Picture Book Studio, 1990.
• Chamberlin, Mary, and Richard Chamberlin. Mama Panya's Pancakes: A Village Tale from Kenya. Illus. by Julia Cairns. Barefoot Books, 2005.
• dePaola, Tomie. Pancakes for Breakfast! Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1978.
• Isaacs, Anne. Pancakes for Supper. Illus. by Mark Teague. Scholastic, 2006.
• Luckhurst, Matt. Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox:The Great Pancake Adventure. Abrams, 2012.
• Numeroff, Laura Joffe. If You Give a Pig a Pancake. HarperCollins, 1998.

▶For information about Pancake Month and lots of links, go to the Holiday Directory page (http://www.gone-ta-pott.com/national_pancake_month.html).

▶A page of Pancake Day activities can be found at Activity Village (http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/pancake_day.htm). Pancake Day is also celebrated in late September as the conclusion of National Breakfast Month(http://www.wptv.com/dpp/money/consumer/national-pancake-day-pancakes-just-might-be-the-ultimate-comfort-food/).

MARCH: NATIONAL PEANUT MONTH (PEANUT BUTTER LOVER’S DAY, MARCH 1)

• Keller, Kristin Thoennes. From Peanuts to Peanut Butter. First Facts: From Farm to Table. First Fact Books, 2004.
• Koster, Gloria. The Peanut-free Café. Illus. by Maryann Cocca-Leffler. Whitman, 2006.
• Llewellym, Claire. Peanuts. Children's Press, 1998.
• Miccuci, Charles. The Life and Times of the Peanut. Houghton Mifflin, 1997.
• Wright, Michael. Jake Goes Peanuts. Feiwel and Friends, 2012.

▶The National Peanut Board’s site includes recipes and activities (http://www.nationalpeanutboard.org/). Click on the “Classroom” link at the top of the page for a downloadable lesson packet and coloring sheets.

▶Connect to a “Celebrate the Peanut” page that includes factual information, many activities, and connections (http://www.squidoo.com/peanut-lapbook).

▶Did you know that it takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter? Find an interesting, lengthy list of fun facts at the National Peanut Board’s page (http://www.nationalpeanutboard.org/classroom-funfacts.php).

APRIL: SWEET POTATO DAY, FIRST MONDAY (SWEET POTATO MONTH IS FEBRUARY)

• De Las Casas, Dianne. The Gigantic Sweet Potato. Illus. by Marita Genry. Pelican Publishing, 2010.
• Lindsey, Kathleen D. Sweet Potato Pie. Illus. by Charlotte Riley-Webb. Lee & Low, 2003.
• Prose, Francine. Rhino, Rhino, Sweet Potato. Illus. by Matthew S. Armstrong. HarperCollins, 2009.
• Rockwell, Anne. Sweet Potato Pie. Illus. by Carolyn Croll. Random House, 1996.

▶A page at Fun Science Facts from the Library of Congress describes the difference between sweet potatoes and yams (http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/sweetpotato.html).

▶The Gigantic Sweet Potato picturebook by Dianne de Las Casas has an accompanying webpage of activities with lots of fun things that could be incorporated into a celebration of Sweet Potato Day (http://storyconnection.net/?content=sweetPotato). An eight-page guide to accompany this book can be found is also available (http://storyconnection.net/activities/gsp/GSP-Educators-Guide.pdf/).

MAY: NATIONAL STRAWBERRIES MONTH (PICK STRAWBERRIES DAY, MAY 20)

• Bang, Molly. The Grey Lady and the Strawberry Snatcher. Four Winds Press, 1980. (Caldecott Honor).
• Bruchac, Joseph. The First Strawberries: A Cherokee Story. Illus. by Anna Vojtech. Dial, 1993.
• Hopkinson, Deborah. Saving the Strawberry Farm. Illus. by Rachel Isadora. HarperCollins, 2005.
• Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. Sweet Strawberries. Illus. by Rosalind Charney Kaye. Atheneum, 1999.
• Wood, Don, and Audrey Wood. The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear. Child's Play, 1984.

▶Learn about strawberries from the University of Illinois Extension website that includes history, lore, and facts (http://urbanext.illinois.edu/strawberries/index.cfm). Did you know that there are over 200 seeds in one strawberry?

▶Visit USDA Healthy Meals for additional fact and informational pages about strawberries (http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/strawberries-0/).

▶For games and activities related to strawberries, go to the Strawberryville site (http://www.strawberryville.com/).

JUNE 18: INTERNATIONAL PICNIC DAY

• Hutchins, Pat. We're Going on a Picnic. Greenwillow, 2002.
• Mahy, Margaret. The Rattlebang Picnic. Illus. by Steven Kellogg. Dial, 1994.
• McCully, Emily Arnold. Picnic. HarperCollins, 2003.
• Morton, Christine. Picnic Farm. Illus. by Sarah Barringer. Holiday House, 1998.
• Woodson, Jacqueline. We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past. Illus. by Diane Greenseid. Hyperion, 1997.

▶Print a calendar page to color in celebration of the 2013 International Picnic Day (http://familycrafts.about.com/od/calendars/ss/June-2013-Picnic-Calendar-to-Color.htm/).

▶National Picnic Month is July (http://www.gone-ta-pott.com/national_picnic_month.html).

JULY 21: NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY

• Cooper, Elisha. Ice Cream. Scholastic, 2003.
• Gibbons, Gail. Ice Cream: The Full Scoop. Holiday House, 2006.
• Greenstein, Elaine. Ice-Cream Cones for Sale! Scholastic, 2003.
• Metzger, Steve. The Ice Cream King. Illus.by Julie Downing. Tiger Tales, 2011.
• Murphy, Stuart J. The Sundae Scoop. Illus. by Cynthia Jabar. Mathstart 2 series. HarperCollins, 2002.
• Older, Jules. Ice Cream, including Great Moments in Ice Cream History. Charlesbridge, 2002.

▶Lots of information about ice cream is available from the International Dairy Foods Association including a section titled “From the Cow to the Cone” (http://www.idfa.org/news--views/media-kits/ice-cream/july-is-national-ice-cream-mon).

▶Learning and informational activities related to ice cream are available from the Western Dairy Association (http://westerndairyassociation.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Ice-Cream-Activity.pdf/).

▶Locate fun activities related to ice cream at A to Z Teacher Stuff (http://themes.atozteacherstuff.com/947/ice-cream-activities-teaching-ideas-printables-and-lesson-plans/).

AUGUST 20: NATIONAL LEMONADE DAY

• Jenkins, Emily. Lemonade in Winter: A Book about Two Kids Counting Money. Random House, 2012.
• Murphy, Stuart J. Lemonade for Sale. Mathstart 3 series. HarperCollins, 1998.
• Staake, Bob. The Red Lemon. Golden Books, 2006.

▶Make some lemonade (http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/perfect_lemonade/)!

▶Kids can learn about setting up a business by using the ideas at Lemonade Day (http://lemonadeday.org/).

▶Share information about Alex’s Lemonade Stand, the charitable organization that helps individuals raise money for fighting childhood cancer (http://www.alexslemonade.org/).

▶Play an online lemonade stand game (http://www.primarygames.com/socstudies/lemonade/start.htm/).

SEPTEMBER 5: NATIONAL CHEESE PIZZA DAY

• Dobson, Christina. Pizza Counting. Illus.by Matthew Holmes. Charlesbridge, 2003.
• Gemignani, Tony. Tony and the Pizza Champions. Illus. by Matthew Trueman. Chronicle, 2009.
• Morgan, Mary. Dragon Pizzeria. Knopf, 2009.
• Wellington, Monica. Pizza at Sally's. Dutton, 2006.

▶Find a fun page of cheese pizza facts, such as there are more than 61,000 pizzerias in the United States (http://mobile-cuisine.com/did-you-know/dyk-cheese-pizza).

▶Follow the ideas for the “Claude Monet’s Pizza Day” activity and dress up your cheese pizza (http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/elem/elem51.html).

▶Peruse the Unique Teaching Resources website to find writing prompts for September 5 (http://www.uniqueteachingresources.com/September-writing-prompts.html).

OCTOBER 1: NATIONAL HOMEMADE COOKIE DAY

• Hutchins, Pat. The Doorbell Rang. Greenwillow, 1986.
• Rosenthal, Amy Krouse. Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons. HarperCollins, 2006.
• Rylant, Cynthia. The Cookie Store Cat. Scholastic, 1999.
• Wellington, Monica. Mr. Cookie Baker. Dutton, 2006.

▶Learn more about National Homemade Cookie Day and find some cookie recipes (http://www.mahalo.com/national-homemade-cookies-day).

▶Look at the incredible resource of Food Timeline which has a phenomenal amount of information related to the cookie (http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodcookies.html).

▶Celebrate October as National Cookie Month with a webpage linking to information and related holidays like National Sugar Cookie Day on July 9 (http://www.gone-ta-pott.com/National_cookie_month.html).

NOVEMBER 23: NATIONAL CRANBERRY DAY

• Huffmon, Betty, and Terry Sloat. Berry Magic. Illus.by Teri Sloat. Alaska Northwest, 2004.
• Jaspersohn, William. Cranberries. HarperCollins, 2001.

▶Learn about cranberry history (http://www.oceanspray.com/Who-We-Are/Heritage/Cranberry-History.aspx and http://www.cranberries.org/cranberries/history.html/).

▶These two sites provide brief information on National Cranberry Day and offer steps for preparation and storage of cranberries (http://www.ifood.tv/blog/how-to-celebrate-national-cranberry-day and http://www.nationalwhateverday.com/whatever-days/november/eat-a-cranberry-day-2).

▶Click on the link and visit a cranberry bog at the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association (http://www.cranberries.org/).

DECEMBER 12: NATIONAL GINGERBREAD HOUSE DAY

• Bratun, Katy. Gingerbread Mouse. HarperCollins, 2003.
• Sabuda, Robert. Cookie Count! Little Simon, 1997. (includes a pop-up of a gingerbread house!)

▶View amazing photographs from previous National Gingerbread House Competition (http://tinyurl. com/8eftv9b). Then, check out the photo of the “World’s Largest Gingerbread House,” which weighed 14,250 pounds of gingerbread and was covered with 4,750 pounds of icing (http://www.neatorama.com/2006/12/16/worlds-largest-gingerbread-house/).

▶Cut and paste a gingerbread house with all the trimmings (http://www.gingerbreadland.com/fun_for_kids.htm). This site also has two coloring pages.

SOURCES FOR MONTHLY, WEEKLY, AND DAILY CELEBRATIONS, EVENTS, AND HOLIDAYS

• Abbey, Cherie D. Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World Dictionary. 4th ed. Omnigraphics, 2010.“Details more than 3,000 observances from all 50 states and more than 100 nations: A compendious reference guide to popular, ethnic, religious, national, and ancient holidays.”
• American Food Holidays. http://www.thenibble.com/fun/more/facts/food-holidays.asp#index
• Earth Calendar: Celebrate Every Day (holidays and celebrations around the world). http://www.earthcalendar.net/index.php
• Holidays for Everyday. http://www.holidaysforeveryday.com/
• National Whatever Day. http://www.nationalwhateverday.com
• State Symbols USA (scroll down for American food holidays arranged by month). http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/National_Symbols/American_Hollidays.html.

WRAP-UP IDEAS:

▶Talk with students about different types of celebrations they have enjoyed. These could be celebrations with their community, school, family, or even individually. Make a graph on the board or on a poster that tracks different types of celebrations.

▶Ask each student if he/she could create a brand new everyday celebration, what would it be? When would it be? Who would celebrate?