May 13th 2022 - Holidays and Observances

 

(click on the day for details)

• Abbotsbury Garland Day (Dorset, England)
• Christian feast day:
  • Our Lady of Fátima
  • Gerard of Villamagna
  • Glyceria
  • John the Silent (Roman Catholic)
  • Julian of Norwich (Roman Catholic)
  • Frances Perkins (Episcopal Church (USA))
  • Servatius
  • May 13 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
• Rotuma Day (Rotuma)

 

Observances

Top Gun Day

 

Fun Observances

Frog Jumping Day

May 13 is Frog Jumping Day, a fun day to jump like a frog.

According to several sources, the unofficial holiday celebrates a short story named Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog by Mark Twain. In the story, a compulsive better named Jim Smiley trains a frog to jump and bets with a man that his frog can jump higher than any other frog in the town. The man dupes Jim Smiley and wins the bet. It is, however, unclear why the inventor of this day chose May 13 as the date for this “hoppy” holiday.

Frogs have great jumping capabilities and are the best jumpers among all vertebrates given their size.

How to Celebrate?

• Jump around like a frog. Make sure you do not do this in a heavily crowded or trafficked area.
• Go see frogs jump at your local aquarium or pond. And learn more about frogs and their habitats.
• Read Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog and other works by Mark Twain.

Did You Know…

…that a group of frogs is called an army?

 

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Years of smoking finally caught up with my friend John one morning when he keeled over at work, clutching his heart. He was rushed to a hospital and peppered with questions.

"Do you smoke?" asked a paramedic.

"No," John whispered. "I quit."

"That"s good. When did you quit?"

"Around 9:30 this morning."

 

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During Sunday school, the substitute teacher asked my four-year-old what his name was. "Spider-Man," said my son.

"No, I mean your real name," pressed the teacher.

My son apologized. "Oh, I"m sorry. It"s Peter Parker."

 

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"As another year rolls in," read an ad in our paper, "we"d like to offer our best wishes to all of you who have given us reason to celebrate." It was signed "Gunter"s Funeral Homes."

 

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Driving in Ohio, we spotted a sign that said "Wildlife Refuge." Seeing a dead deer lying in front of it, my husband shook his head.

"He almost made it."

 

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sandrewn