December 27th - Holidays and Observances

(click on the day for details)

• Christian feast day:
  • Blessed Francesco Spoto
  • Blessed Sára Salkaházi
  • Fabiola
  • John the Apostle
  • Pope Maximus of Alexandria
  • Nicarete
  • Theodorus and Theophanes
  • December 27 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
• Constitution Day (North Korea)
• Emergency Rescuer's Day (Russia)
• St. Stephen's Day (Eastern Orthodox Church; a public holiday in Romania)
• The third of the Twelve Days of Christmas (Western Christianity)

 

Observances (click on the day or week for details)

Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day

National Fruitcake Day

Visit The Zoo Day

 

Fun Observances

No Interruptions Day

Put up a "Do Not Disturb" sign on your door and ban all interruptions on December 27 because it is No Interruptions Day.

Holiday season tire you out? Ready to recharge your batteries before the New Year? While the creator of this unofficial holiday is unknown, it is very clear that they intended to create this holiday as a way to encourage people to take some time off for themselves and get ready for New Year's Eve festivities and the New Year.

Disconnect

In a world where there are plenty of distractions both at work and at home, it is sometimes important to disconnect and concentrate on the tasks at hand. These tasks could be as mundane as catching up on sleep, getting some me-time at the spa, or as important as putting some time in strengthening your relationships with family and friends, or finishing up work and projects for the year.

The High Cost of Interruption

Interruptions at the workplace are one of the biggest causes of lowered productivity and high costs. A study done by Dr. Gloria Mark at the University of California, found that on average people are interrupted about 20 times in an hour at work. Such interruptions can be in the form of phone calls, emails, co-workers stopping by to chat, and new tasks being handed off the worker. In addition to reducing productivity, interruptions in the workplace can cause higher stress levels and general dissatisfaction with work. In many workplaces such as in the airline or health industry distractions can have catastrophic consequences.

The holiday is sometimes celebrated on December 31.

How to Celebrate?

• Switch off your phones, disconnect your internet and do something you really enjoy doing – knit a scarf, read a book or work on your car, all without any interruptions.
• If you have been distracted at work, take this day to try and increase your productivity. Inform your colleagues that you will be working all day and would appreciate that you be bothered only in case of an emergency. Unplug your office phone, set an out of the office response to emails and concentrate on finishing up your tasks.
• Sometimes life's daily interruptions can affect our relationships with friends and family. Take this day to concentrate on your closest relationships. Do something special with your loved ones - go for a hike or a picnic and leave the phone behind. Spend quality time with your friends and let them know that your uninterrupted time is theirs today.

Did You Know...

...that there is an academic field called interruption science that studies the effects of distractions on productivity?

 

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Three buildings in town were overrun by squirrels—the town hall, the hardware store, and the church.

The town hall brought in some cats. But after they tore up all the files, the mayor got rid of the predators, and soon the squirrels were back.

The hardware store humanely trapped the squirrels and set them free outside town. But three days later, the squirrels climbed back in.

Only the church came up with an effective solution. They baptized the squirrels and made them members.

Now they see them only on Christmas and Easter.

 

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Seeing her friend Sally wearing a new locket, Meg asks if there is a memento of some sort inside.

“Yes,” says Sally, “a lock of my husband’s hair.”

“But Larry’s still alive.”

“I know, but his hair is gone.”

 

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Senior citizens have taken to texting with gusto. They even have their own vocabulary:

BFF: Best Friend Fainted
BYOT: Bring Your Own Teeth
CBM: Covered by Medicare
FWB: Friend with Beta-blockers
LMDO: Laughing My Dentures Out
GGPBL: Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low!

 

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sandrewn