By Paula LaRocque, KERA 90.1 Commentator
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-505401.mp3
Dallas, TX –
March, like other months, has its share of official calendar observances, some of them surprisingly zany. Many of the days we memorialize have serious intent or are at least well known. There's the Ides of March Day on March 15th, for example, and St Patrick's Day on the 17th.
But what about St. Urho ("oorlho") Day, which is March 16th, the day before St. Patrick's Day? As you might guess, it honors St. Urho, the patron saint of Finland, who supposedly used his huge and splendid voice to chase grasshoppers out of pre-Ice Age Finland, when the climate was much milder thus saving the grape harvest.
I should tell you that St. Urho was apparently invented in the 1950s by a couple of Minnesota Finns as a joke. But American Finns love him just the same. And now St. Urho Day is taken seriously enough that it's officially recognized in all 50 states. You can even buy St. Urho Day greeting cards.
The Irish, for their part, claim that the whole affair was an attempt by the Finns not only to preempt their holiday, but their beer which the Finns dye purple instead of green, to honor the grape.
Most months are rich in both sublime and ridiculous official designations, and March is no exception. Not only is it the serious National Women's History Month and Red Cross Month and Save Your Vision Month, it's also International Mirth Month, National Caffeine Awareness Month, National Frozen Food Month, and National Umbrella Month.
March also has its week-long observances for example, National Bubble Blowers' Week, which runs from the 20th to the 27th, and which I completely forgot. Maybe you did, too. But there's also National Procrastination Week, which some of us try to celebrate all year long. And American Chocolate Week, which some of us do celebrate all year long.
March also provides plenty of daily observances throughout the month. March 1st, for example, was both Beer Day and Pig Day. Don't want to forget those! And March 22 was National Common Courtesy Day. After Beer Day and Pig Day, we might need that reminder.
March 9 was Panic Day, and March 15 was True Confessions Day. But is that sequence right? Do we panic before or after we confess?
Last but not at all least was National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day, which was March 24th.
You think I'm kidding, don't you? But I'm not. You think I'm going to shout April Fool, don't you? But I'm not. We observe that on Saturday, April 1st.
But wouldn't it be perfect if April Fool's Day occurred in March?
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