September Celebrations

I love to celebrate.  I love to make a fuss over birthdays and holidays, I love decorating and putting out fun little reminders of the season, and there’s just something about balloons that can turn a rough day around. But, as the school year has begun and families settle into a new routine, the holidays can seem so far away.  The days have a way of blending together, chaos and busyness replacing the fun of summer.  It doesn’t have to be that way, though.  There are loads of ways you can add a little celebration into a rough week.  I love celebrating those silly, made-up national days to surprise the kids and perk up the week.  You know the ones – National Donut Day (yes, please!), National Talk Like a Pirate Day, National Go Barefoot Day…  Someone went to all the time and effort to make up reasons to celebrate life, and you better believe I’ll take whatever chance I can get.

For the next few months, I am going to be sharing some of my favorite National Days and fun ways to celebrate with your family.  Add them into your week and have a little fun!

Let’s get started with September.  This month has so many fun ways to celebrate!  As much as I would love to go through each one, I doubt anyone would be awake at the end of the post, so I’ve narrowed it down to my favorite 5.

September 5th:  National Cheese Pizza Day

 

Moms, here’s a great excuse for an easy weeknight meal.  Order from your favorite restaurant or get the family involved and make your own, experimenting with different cheeses.  Have a pizza cook-off competition and have the kids make a pizza trophy for the winner.  Use cardboard triangles and yellow tissue paper and have your younger kids practice tearing the tissue paper cheese and pasting it on their cardboard pizza.  Make a pizza banner.  Get creative and have fun with it!

Oh, I love any excuse to celebrate reading.  Wrap up a new book and surprise your kids.  Spend the afternoon at the library.  Make a fort at home and snuggle in with the kids to read your favorites.  Have the kids make up their own stories for you to read.  Make special bookmarks.  See who can do the funniest character voices.

I think this one is especially important for all ages. Spend the day encouraging each other.  Make a pact that no one will complain or grumble.  Write sweet notes and put them in your children’s lunchboxes.  Tell your spouse how much you appreciate him.  Have the kids make a list of all the great things about their siblings. Check out this list of 64 Positive things to Say to Kids and encourage your children.  It’s amazing what a little encouragement can do to brighten someone’s day.

Kids love helping in the kitchen.  Let them!  Make a day of it! Have them create menus and play restaurant.  Let the little ones make their snacks.  Help the older ones navigate the grocery store for ingredients.
Share a favorite family recipe. Bake and decorate cookies, and by all means let them lick the bowl!

Spend the day doing nice things for your neighbors. Take in their garbage cans, bring them some cookies.  Leave some rainbow rocks for them to find. Bring them some “just because” balloons or some flowers from your garden.  Good neighbors are invaluable.  Show them some extra love!