February 25th 2023 - Holidays and Observances

 

(click on the day for details)

• Christian feast days:
  • Æthelberht of Kent
  • Blessed Ciriaco María Sancha y Hervás
  • Gerland of Agrigento
  • John Roberts, writer and missionary (Anglican Communion)
  • Hamburg Matthiae-mahl, feast of Hanseatic League cities on the mediaeval first day of spring
  • Blessed Maria Adeodata Pisani
  • Saint Walpurga (she was canonised on 1 May c. 870 and Walpurgis Night is celebrated 30 April)
  • February 25 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
• Kitano Baika-sai or "Plum Blossom Festival" (Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine, Kyoto, Japan)
• Memorial Day for the Victims of the Communist Dictatorships (Hungary)
• National Day (Kuwait)
• People Power Day (Philippines)
• Revolution Day in Suriname
• Soviet Occupation Day (Georgia)

 

Observances (click on the day, BD or week for details)

Choiseul Province Day

Introduce A Girl To Engineering Day

Let's All Eat Right Day

National Billy Day

National Chocolate Covered Nut Day

National Jessica Day

National Kathy Day

National Nicholas Day

Open That Bottle Night

Pistol Patent Day

Quiet Day

National Clam Chowder Day

 

Ric Flair’s Birthday

Nick Hounslow’s Birthday

James Phelps’s Birthday

George Harrison’s Birthday

Dutchess Lattimore’s Birthday

Chelsea Handler’s Birthday

 

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Sat Feb 25th, 2023 - Sun Mar 5th, 2023

Jewish Book Week

 

Fun Observances

World Sword Swallowers Day

If you enjoy seeing people do dangerous things, you will enjoy celebrating World Sword Swallowers Day on the last Saturday of February.

This unofficial holiday was created by the Sword Swallowers Association International (SSAI) in 2008. It celebrates the ancient art of sword swallowing and honors those who practice it.

16 Inches Long

The day also attempts to dispel myths about sword swallowing and to bring international attention to the medical and scientific contribution of sword swallowers.

According to SSAI, sword swallowing is the act of passing a sword or solid blade at least 16 inches long through the mouth into the stomach. Contrary to popular belief, sword swallowing is not a magic trick or an illusion, but a real skill that requires a lot of hard work and practice.

How to Celebrate?

• Find a sword swallowing event nearby and go watch them.
• Learn about the art and science behind sword swallowing.

Did You Know…

…that the art of sword swallowing is an ancient art that is thought to have originated in the southern part of India?

 

 

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Checking out of the grocery store, I noticed the bag boy eyeing my two adopted children. They often draw scrutiny, since my son's a blond Russian, while my daughter has shiny black Haitian skin.

The boy continued staring as he carried our groceries to the car. Finally he asked, "Those your kids?"

"They sure are," I said with pride.

"They adopted?"

"Yes," I replied.

"I thought so," he concluded. "I figured you're too old to have kids that small."

 

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The board of education in a nearby town sold off a building that had been a one-room schoolhouse. The buyer converted it to a tavern. One day an elderly man was walking by the place with his grandson and pointed to the building.

"That's where I went to school when I was your age."

"Really," said the boy. "Who was your bartender back then?"

 

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It was the first day of basketball practice at Wingate high school in Brooklyn, N.Y. Coach Jack Kaminer handed a ball to each player. "Fellas," he said, "I want you to practice shooting from the spots you might expect to be in during the game."

The No. 12 sub immediately sat down on the bench and began arcing the ball toward the basket.

 

***

 

New to the United States, I was eager to meet people. So one day I struck up a conversation with the only other woman in the gym. Pointing to two men playing racquetball in a nearby court, I said to her, "There’s my husband." Then I added, "The thin one—not the fat one."

After a slightly uncomfortable silence she replied, "And that’s my husband—the fat one."  

 

***

 

I was waiting at a small train station when a man put up a sign regarding my train:

“30-Minute Delay.”

“What happened?” I asked.

“The train went off the rails,” he said.

“How long will that take to fix?”

“Quite a few hours.”

“So why put up a sign saying it would take 30 minutes?”

“It’s the only sign we have.”

 

 

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sandrewn