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Funky Holidays for December
Give a cheer, December's here, and you know what that means… It's beginning
to look, sound, and smell like Christmas! Twinkly icicles suspended from
rooftops glisten. Cash registers jingle Cha-Ching! while last minute shoppers
scurry about. Hearty greetings of the season are expressed with genuine warmth
and delight. Children are bundled up to go outside to make snow angels while
their moms hurry to wrap presents and put the finishing touches on the tree.
Church bells ring and carolers sing. Homes are filled with tantalizing aromas of
evergreens and cookies baking. Hearts are filled with generosity and the spirit
of the season. Stockings are filled with goodies and surprises. But most of all,
'tis the season for parties galore!
As you might imagine, December is devoted predominantly to Christmas,
Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year, but never fear - the Party Girl is here and
with the help of Chase, has found additional holidays and lots of ways to
celebrate them.
December is…
Bingo's Birthday Month - N-1-4-A game of Bingo? Since its
introduction in 1929, Bingo has become a $5 billion dollar per year charitable
fund-raiser. For charity or just for the fun of it, have a Bingo Party.
National Stress-Free Holidays Month - This is for real, according to
Chase: "The holidays are so fraught with busy schedules that families
often miss out on quality time together…a reminder to parents to strive for
more stress-free holidays for their families." Okay, parents, here's what
you do: call a family meeting, vote on a night that everyone MUST show up, and
together, plan a Family Stay at Home Night, where the only agenda is to have
fun together!
World Aids Day - Not a festive occasion or reason to party, but a
worthwhile reminder to raise awareness of AIDS.
Other Holidays
December 1
Basketball Created: Anniversary - 1891. In order to create an indoor
sport that could be played during the winter months, phys. ed. teacher, James
Naismith nailed up peach baskets at opposite ends of the gym and gave students
soccer balls to toss into them. Thus began the sport of basketball as we know
it today. Gather some fellow basketball fans and attend a local high school,
college, or professional game together, meeting afterwards to discuss the game
at a Take Your Best Shot Party.
Cookie Cutter Week - Dec. 1-7. Celebrating cookies and collecting
cookie cutters. Mmmm…Cookies. What a great time of year to host a Cookie
Exchange Party. You provide the ambiance, punch, and dessert. Everyone else
brings 3-6 dozen of their prize cookies and swaps them, ½ dozen at a time,
leaving the party with a variety of homemade yummies to serve at their own
holiday happenings. (And don't forget to share the recipes, too!)
Giant Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center - "The New York
lighting of the huge Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Plaza signals the opening
of the holiday season in New York." Undoubtedly it will be featured on
the news, but that's no reason you couldn't invite your friends and family to
your own Tree Lighting Ceremony, complete with eggnog, goodies, and good
cheer!
Playboy First Published - 1953. Publisher, Hugh Hefner, launched
Playboy magazine in Chicago. Noted for its nude centerfolds, the guys bought
for the articles. Yeah, right! Have a Playboy Party and let the wild rumpus
begin!
Woody Allen's 65th Birthday - 1935. Born as Allen Stewart
Konigsberg, this prolific actor, writer, and producer won a prestigious film
award for Annie Hall, starring Diane Keaton (whose real name is Annie Hall!)
Her outrageous way of dressing stormed the fashion world and was soon imitated
by women everywhere. Other noted Woody Allen film classics include Sleeper,
Manhattan, Bullets Over Broadway. Invite guests over for an Annie Hall Party
as a special tribute to Woody Allen.
December 2
Safety Razor Patented - 1901. And just in the nick (ouch!) of time,
too! Can you imagine the blood that might otherwise be shed during the frenzy
of this season? "American King Camp Gillette designed the first razor
with disposable blades. Up until this time, men shaved with a straight edge
razor which they sharpened on a leather strap." If you think you're at
the end of your razor-sharp wits, how 'bout inviting some friends over for a
quiet evening of commiseration, snacks, and wine? (Keep all sharp implements
and razors out of sight!)
George Pierre Seurat's Birthday - 1859-1891. French
Neo-impressionist painter known for his pointillism style (small dots of color
to create an image). Show off your creativity and class. Use this technique to
create an original piece of holiday art for your homemade party invitations!
December 3: First Heart Transplant
1967. "Dr. Christiaan Barnard, a South African surgeon, performed the
world's first successful heart transplantation at Cape Town, South
Africa." In honor of this great accomplishment, host a Have a Heart Party
to raise money to donate to charity or provide holiday flowers to a local
hospital.
December 5
Bathtub Party Day
- Oooh. I love taking baths. And since
everyone nowadays takes showers, "Here’s a day to recall some of the luxury
of days gone by. Immerse yourself in a long, hot bath. Invite a few friends
and take turns." They said it, I didn’t. For information, contact Tom and
Ruth Roy, Wellness Permission League, PO Box 662, Mt. Gretna, PA 17064-0662.
(717) 964-1308. Fax (717) 964-1335
wellcat@desupernet.net
Walt Disney’s Birthday
- Where would we be without Walt? Have a party
in his honor. There’s tons of licensed stuff out there with Mickey’s face
(among others)…a great excuse for a party, don’t you think?
December 8
Norman Rockwell's 1923 Christmas Cover for the Saturday Evening Post
- 1923. "One of his earliest covers for the Post when they were still in
black and red, Norman Rockwell's 1923 Christmas cover for the magazine
depicted a trio performing Christmas carols." Great idea for a party -
get a group together to go Christmas caroling and invite everyone back to your
place for hot chocolate (or maybe something a little stronger!)
Eli Whitney's Birthday - 1765-1825. Whitney's invention, the cotton
gin, got the Industrial Revolution off and running. So what kind of party
should you have in his honor? Why, a "Not Just Another Cotton-Pickin'
Party," of course! Use cotton balls in creative ways to decorate.
December 9
Clarence Birdseye - 1886-1956. Thank god he invented a way to
deep-freeze food or we'd all starve! Just nuke 'em and serve. Now, you may not
think this is party-related, but…have you checked out the frozen foods
section of your grocery store lately? They're stocked with lots of wonderful
appetizers and desserts that can be served at your next party! No muss, no
fuss. Just zap! and serve. Frozen food…now THAT'S my idea of very COOL!
Emmett Kelly's Birthday - 1898-1979. Most noted for his performance
as "Weary Willie," he dressed as a circus clown who wore rags, a
scruffy beard, and a large nose. This great entertainer clowned his way into
the hearts of millions. Have a Clown Party. Invite people to dress as clowns
and load up the room with all kinds of pranks and tricks and watch the fun.
December 10
First Grand Ole Opry Broadcast Anniversary - 1927. "Grand Ole
Opry made its first radio broadcast from Nashville,TN." Kick up your
heals and throw a Grand Ole Opry Holiday Party, complete with holiday music -
country style.
Human Rights Day
- This isn’t something you celebrate necessarily
but it is something we should all be aware of--Presidential Proclamation 2866,
of Dec 6, 1949, covers all succeeding years. Customarily issued as "Bill
of Rights Day, Human Rights Day and Week."
Premiere of "The Mighty Mouse Playhouse" - It
was 1955. And this was one of my favorite shows (oops, yep, I’m old). Made
famous again by the late comedian Andy Kaufman with his humorous take-off on
the "Here He Comes to Save the Day!" which was Mighty Mouse’s
theme song!
December 12
Chanukah -The Festival of Lights is an eight-day
celebration commemorating the victory of the Maccabees and the rededication of
the Temple of Jerusalem. Nes Gadol Hayah Sham (a great miracle happened there)
when the oil enough for one day burned brightly for eight. Can you say Latke
Party? Light candles, spin the dreidel, sing songs, exchange gifts, eat latkes
and have a fun-filled Chanukah (also spelled "Hanukkah")!
Frank Sinatra’s Birthday
Born in Hoboken, NJ in 1915, "Sinatra matured
from a teen idol to the premier singer of American popular music. Known as
the "Chairman of the Board" to his fans, he made more than 200 albums." Have
your friends over for a "crooning" lip-sync type shindig…why not?
December 14
Tell Someone They're Doing a Good Job Week - As my mom always said,
"It doesn't cost extra to say Thank You!" "Every day this week,
tell someone 'you're doing a good job.'" Better yet, invite them out for
coffee or lunch or have a whole group Good Job Party - just to recognize them
in a special way.
December 15
"Davy Crockett" TV Premiere Anniversary - 1954. "Born
on a mountain top in TN. Killed a bear when he was only three." Whether
or not this is true doesn't matter. These words were part of the theme song
for TV's first mini-series, shown in five parts on Walt Disney's
"Disneyland" show, starring Fess Parker as Davy Crockett, "King
of the Wild Frontier." The show was so popular that little boys
everywhere wore coonskin caps to be just like their favorite western hero.
(The fact that the real Crockett never wore such a hat made no difference.)
Wild, Wild West is a great party theme, too!
December 16
Boston Tea Party - 1773. Boston patriots dumped the contents of a
British ship (nearly 350 chests of tea) overboard in the Boston Harbor. Let's
celebrate with a Tea Tasting Party. Tea for two, three, or twenty. -- whatever
your pleasure, there are so many different kinds of teas, it'll be fun and
relaxing!
"Dragnet" TV Premiere Anniversary - 1951. We heard,
"Just the Facts, Ma'am", every week, as said by Sgt. Joe Friday
(played by Jack Webb). He was the policeman whose job it was to investigate
and solve crimes. Thought to be based on real stories, each episode ended with
a description of the fate of the bad guys. The theme music was great, too.
Party theme idea: Have a Mystery Murder Party. Set up the scenario and all
guests become detectives, trying to solve the clues to solve the crime.
December 17
Wright Brothers Day - In recognition and celebration of Orville and
Wilbur Wright's success of the first powered flight, on this day in 1903 at
Kitty Hawk, NC. The plane stayed up less than a minute, but it represented
man's ability to fly and the beginning of alternate modes of transportation
exploration. Soar into the holidays with a Reach New Heights Party. Suspending
kites and planes dragging message banners can fill the room with high-flying
fun.
December 18 -
Premiere of "To Tell the Truth"
This was one of the biggest hits of 1956.
"This long-running popular game show …used a celebrity panel (and the home
audience) to guess which of the three guests claiming to be the same person
was telling the truth. The real person had to tell the truth while the
others could lie. Panelists took turns questioning the guests, and, at the
conclusion, the identity of the person was revealed." Obviously, a great
theme for a party.
Underdog Day - "To salute…all the underdogs and unsung heroes
- the Number Two people who contribute so much to the Number One people we
read about. (Sherlock Holmes' Dr. Watson and Robinson Crusoe's Friday are
examples.)" Wouldn't it be a great idea to have award ceremonies at work,
school, and even at home for mom or dad or the kids? Make up funny
certificates and let the fun (and recognition for great contributions and
achievements) begin! You can hand out bananas as prizes, with #2 written on
'em! (Get it? They're not TOP banana, they're #2 banana.)
December 22
"Ding Dong School" TV Premiere Anniversary - 1952. One of
the first educational TV shows featured Miss Frances, a college educator, who
made learning entertaining - right in your own living room. The name for this
educational TV series was given by a three-year old enamored with the bell,
which rang at the beginning of each show. Great party idea - From the Mouth of
Babes. Have a contest to see whose kid, grandchild, neighbor's child, etc.
said the cutest little thing! From new words ("pisghetti" and
"roast beast") to naïve daffynitions, everyone's got a kids' story
to share.
Anniversary of First Gorilla Born in Captivity - 1956. Born at the
Columbus, OH zoo, "Colo" weighed in at 3¼ pounds, becoming the
first gorilla born in captivity. This time of year's a zoo anyway, so just go
bananas and invite guests to a "Go Ape! Jungle Party".
December 23
Samuel Smiles' Birthday - 1812-1904. Scottish writer noted for
coining the phrase, "A place for everything and everything in its
place." Well now, his name alone is reason enough for a "Have a
Smiley Christmas" Party! Slap a Santa's cap on the smiley faces and
you've got the perfect theme for a festive party.
Susan Lucci's Birthday - 1949. This soap opera queen, star of
"All My Children," deserves to celebrate. After 20 years playing a
bitch on the show, Susan finally won an Emmy. Honor her with a "Soap 'n'
Suds Party" tribute. Invite your friends to talk about their favorite
soaps and script out new episode plots. Write Susan in or out - she's got her
award, so she's happy. Keep the beer flowing and the conversation will
overflow with fun!
December 24
Christmas Eve - "Family gift-giving occasion in many Christian
countries." Hearts and homes are full at this special time of the year
and Christmas Dinner is the perfect way to share the love and warmth of the
season.
"The Perry Como Show" TV Premiere Anniversary - 1948.
Known by a variety of names, this popular crooner's show had radio roots
before moving to television. "Dream Along with Me"…"you're on
your way to the stars"…was his theme song and the show delivered a
variety of star talent into our living rooms weekly. Perry Como recorded one
of the all-time most beautiful renditions of "Ava Maria." Find it
(library, music store) and play it at your Christmas Dinner, Open House, or
Party and watch the tears flow and the faces glow.
December 25
Christmas
A religious and family and friends feel-good day…don’t be a scrooge,
celebrate with help from the Party411 Christmas
Planning Guide.
December 26 -
National Whiners Day
Chase’s says that this is "...a day dedicated
to whiners, especially those who return Christmas gifts and need lots of
attention on this day. People are encouraged to be happy about what they do
have, rather than unhappy about what they don’t have. The most famous whiner
of the year will be announced. Nominations accepted through Dec 15." For
information, check out the
National Whiner's Day website.
December 29
YMCA Organized: Anniversary - 1851. "The first US branch of the
Young Men's Christian Association was organized at Boston." This great
organization continues to provide a wealth of social services and activities
to communities across the country. As this year comes to a close, why not ask
a few friends to join you in volunteering to assist in one of the Y's
affiliated soup kitchens, etc.? You'll feel great and afterwards, you can
invite your friends over for a warm and tingly nightcap.
"You Asked for It" TV Premiere: 50th Anniversary - 1950.
Sponsored by Skippy Peanut Butter, the show provided entertainment in direct
response to viewers' letters which requested a wide variety of zany and
unusual acts, heroic people, and performing animals. What a great theme: Send
out invitations to a You Asked for It! Party. Guests should come prepared to
act out whatever other guests ask for. (I won't go there. You can set your own
rules!)
December 30
Holiday Bowl, Parade and Game - A whole day of fun and football!
"The televised parade, the morning of the Holiday Bowl football game,
features floats, marching bands, giant balloons and unique specialty units.
Parade at 10 AM, kickoff for game is 5 PM." Invite friends who get a kick
out of football over for a "Pass the Bowl" brunch or later to watch
the game. If you feed them, they will come!
"Let's Make a Deal" TV Premiere Anniversary - 1963. Who
could forget that affable host, Monty Hall, and the outrageous
no-talent-required game show? All dressed up in crazy costumes and nothing to
lose, contestants from the audience traded personal items they brought along
and made deals with Monty for whatever was hidden behind the door of their
choice. Win or lose (zonk!), there was always something to laugh about. Let's
Make a Deal - the theme of your next party! Guests should be prepared to trade
personal possessions for fabulous (and not-so-fabulous) prizes.
Bert Parks' Birthday - 1914-1992. Actor best known as emcee for the
Miss America pageant. "There She Is (Miss America)" was his
signature song. Okay - it's almost a new year and the perfect time to get all
decked out, so why not throw your own beauty pageant for New Year's Eve?
(Caution: If your friends look anything like mine, a bathing suit competition
may not be the best look du jour. But a talent show and dressing up (or down)
might be a hoot!)
December 31
Make Up Your Mind Day - Dedicated to all those people who find it
difficult to make up their minds. Make a decision today and stick with it!
Can't decide which kind of party to host? Pick a theme, any theme, and just do
it! However you celebrate, Happy New Year!
New Year's Eve - New Year's Eve is traditionally a special night of
partying to welcome in the new year. It falls on the last evening of the
Gregorian calendar. Happy New Year!
Holidays courtesy of Chase’s
Calendar of Events; published by Contemporary Books, Chicago, Ill.
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