Scolidays – 2006 (Custom holidays)

A few weeks ago I mentioned I’ve taken the egotistical but interesting step of creating my own holidays: called Scolidays. Forgot to post the 2006 calendar mostly because, well, I hadn’t finished making it. A fact that has led to an additional day called “procrastinators lamentation day”.

Scolidays 2006

1/29 – Letter writing day. Pick 5 people you have something you want to say to and write them letters. Could be a friend you haven’t spoken to in too long, a family member you haven’t seen in awhile, an author who wrote a book that moved you or to an organization that you’re glad exists (The YMCA, the local pub, whatever matters to you). (Make up day 3/29).
2/8 – Summer in Winter day. You have to dress in summer clothing, do summer activies, and eat summer food (e.g. tank tops, shorts, volleyball, hot dogs and watermellon).
3/15 (Today) – Ides of March. You must speak in Shakespearean English, preferably quoting from the play Julius Cesear as often as possible.
4/1 – Silly hat day. You must wear a silly hat that can not be confused with any real purpose. You must wear it, or at least carry it around with you, for most of the day, including going to work, the store, friends, etc.
4/17 – Learn something new day. It doesn’t matter how big or small but the day must involve learning a new skill. it could be a magic trick, or how to make lasagna. Ask people you know to teach you something they like to do.
5/15 – The procrastinators lament . Take stock of all the important things you were supposed to have done by this time this year. Hang your head in shame at least until lunch time. Then make a list, rank them, and do at least one item on the list today. Decide the fate of the remaining items: either set them on fire and leave them behind, or make new plans to for the rest of them.
6/3 – The day of fear. Pick something that you’re afraid of, trivial or signifigant, and go and do it. Might include calling a radio talk show, public speaking, getting onstage at an open mike night, handling snakes, telling someone how you really feel about them, whatever. You can pick a fear buddy: you help them with theirs, they help you with yours.
8/9 – The day of surprise. Pick one person you know and like and plan a surprise. Could be a mystery gift package, tickets to their favorite show, or anything cool they’d never expect someone else to do for them.
9/23 – Go somewhere new day. Get out a map, pick a spot you’ve never been to, and drive. No one in the car can have been there before. Pack a lunch maybe or bring some friends. Bring a camera. Send me pictures.
10/12 – Share culture day. Make a pile of cool stuff you like and share it with someone. Could be a mix-CD of music. A box of cookies you’ve made. Anything. But you have to make it yourself and give it to one or more specific people. It can be a share culture potluck party: everyone brings cool food, music or games they’ve made.
11/4 – Day of hedonistic glory. All bounds are removed. Eat what you like. Sleep late. Watch movies, really bad movies all day. Laugh as you drive past the gym, with Big Mac, Big Gulp, and Toblorone in hand. All the things you’ve wished you could do should be done: but today only.
11/18 – Day of ascetic fasting and restraint. Do as little as possible. Spend your time in quiet places. Drink only water or tea. If you must eat, do so with great restraint and simplicity. Stay in one place as much of the day as you can. Don’t watch TV or use the computer and consume as few resources of any kind as possible. See how few things you can use or consume in one day.
12/9 – Low technology day . Pick a year from the past and only use technologies that existed in or before that year (1950 would mean B&W TV, but no cable, no internet, no cell phones).
12/31 – 2007 holiday planning day. Review which days you actually celebrated, make a list of ones to try and build a calendar for 2007.

If you think these days are lame, let me know what days you’d put on your own calendar. If you’re interested in following any Scoliday’s, leave a comment – and I’ll give a heads-up on the blog a few days before.

Posted Wednesday, March 15th, 2006 at 11:09 am

in creative thinking, philosophy | 23 Comments » |

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Scott (admin) - March 15, 2006 at 11:44 pm #

I noticed on your blog you’re a novelist – I did think about having a day for starting the November Novel writing contest: it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. (I wrote one unpublished novel, but it took me infinitely longer than a month – see! I’m an optomist).

Anyway, if you have your own pet holidays (Konradays), let me know what they are. I’ll gladly steal ones I like.

Matt - March 16, 2006 at 10:33 am #

This is a really great idea. I’ve never been into the ‘normal’ holidays much, except for Halloween (which I celebrate in my own way). However, I’ve always been big on family-made holidays. I really want to do something like this and spread the traditions. I think I’ll pick some values/characteristics that I admire and base my holidays around them. Thanks for the idea.

duus - March 16, 2006 at 10:46 am #

do you iCal? you should post one of those new fangled iCal subscribable calendar thingies. with links. or something.

unless your point was that we should make our OWN holidays, in which case my suggestion would undermine the purpose. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good, I always say! Even when it is a non-sequitur.

Scott (admin) - March 16, 2006 at 11:00 am #

Sorry, I’m non-iCal. Not even sure how to iCal if I wanted to be all cool like the cool kids.

My point is mostly that by publishing this list there’s a +20% chance I won’t chicken out this year in celebrating them. If anyone wants to join in on these, great – and if you think these days are stupid and you have better ideas for a what cool holidays are, rock on – that’s great too. So it’s all good.

Phil Gerbyshak - March 16, 2006 at 4:07 pm #

This is fun and innovative. I love 4/17 and will celebrate it with you this year. I’m waiting on 5/15 until I have more time, er, wait, until I know more, er, the heck with it, maybe I should just dig into it.

Scott (admin) - March 22, 2006 at 6:21 am #

A few more potential days here – I like breakfast for dinner day and Count the stars.

http://quietmusingsva.blogspot.com/2006/03/personal-holidays.html

Sunny - April 1, 2006 at 10:10 pm #

Although not a Scolliday, another that you might add to your list: Brainchild Day – http://brainchildday.com – Also, have any of you heard of quirkyalone day?

Heidi H. - April 21, 2006 at 12:39 pm #

Yes, Scolidays! Have huge inflatable icons to
accompany the New Holidays and accessorize your lawn
– so instead of Santa and Rudolph, a linebacker-size
Easter Bunny, or a grand Turkey with a 3 foot wattle,
install in the front of your house a six foot blow-up
Pencil with accompanying giant blow-up Paper for 1/29
- Letter Writing Day ; Konrad West’s Wrong Trousers day,
giant inflated Trousers; and for 8/9 – The Day of Surprise,
a Giant Exclamation Mark.

Joanne - September 29, 2007 at 9:30 am #

This is from a year ago, but I love the idea of nostaligia days. Spend a day looking back at photos and remembering certain important eras in your life. Not to live in the past, but to acknowledge those important parts of yourself. You can have more than 1 for different important eras.

Decade day. Pick a different decade every year and act/dress according to that decade. This is an extension of the low technology day.

Old friends day. Spend time talking with old friends about the good ‘ol days.

I have many more idea. This is ok for now.

bill - October 3, 2007 at 10:07 pm #

Scott, I really appreciated your efforts to create holidays which are meaningful to you. Do others adopt yours as well. Here is one I created.

SILVER SKULL DAY – October 3rd

A day to honor silver skulls and David Byrne’s recording The Forest.

http://giveawayboy.livejournal.com/2007/10/04/

Fusion the Cat - December 16, 2007 at 1:00 pm #

I’m making a list for every day to be a holiday! Heare a couple of them:
3/14 – Pi Day
4/13 – Pie Day
1/23 – ABC Day
6/10 – Mole Day (or is it Mol Day?…meh well…)
2/29 – 1/4ths Day
Of course there’s more, but I don’t feel like putting all of them up…

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