31 Holidays in February 2020 – New Holidays – Purpose and Origins

This is a list of 31 holidays that are celebrated in the month of February. If you know of any others, let me know in the comments below!

World Read Aloud Day

Saturday, February 1, 2020
World Read Aloud Day is commemorated annually on February 1. This day emphasizes the importance of sharing stories, and encourages people to grab a book and read it aloud to an audience. The observance was created by LitWorld.org and it is celebrated in over 170 countries.

Groundhog Day

Sunday, February 2, 2020
Groundhog Day is observed every year on February 2nd and was established in 1887. It marks the midway point between the Winter solstice and the vernal (Spring) equinox. It is a derivative from the early Christian holiday of Candlemas Day. The holiday is commemorated when a famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, emerges from his burrow and looks for his shadow.

Super Bowl

Sunday, February 2, 2020
Super Bowl 1 was held in February of 1967. The Super Bowl is the season final championship game of National Football League (NFL) in the United States of America. The matchup for this game is the winning teams of the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). in 2020, Super Bowl LIV (54) will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

World Cancer Day

Tuesday, February 4, 2020
World Cancer Day aims to save lives by raising awareness and educating the population about cancer. The day also serves to pressure governments and individuals to take action in order to prevent, treat and control cancers.

National Signing Day

Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Unfortunately, this is not related to sign language; it has to do with high school football players signing up for college. National Signing Day was established in 1981 by the College Football Association in an effort to eliminate separate conference signing dates and force student-athletes to commit to only one NCAA institution. National Signing Day is now held on the first Wednesday of February annually.

National Weatherperson’s Day

Wednesday, February 5, 2020
National Weatherperson’s Day recognizes all the men and women that professionally work to provide the most accurate forecasts about the weather. The day also celebrates the birth of John Jeffries, one of the first men to observe the weather in 1744. This holiday happens every year on February 5th.

Int’l. Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation

Thursday, February 6, 2020
The International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation is an observance promoted by the United Nations. The organization aims to raise the awareness of the female genital mutilation issue. According to the UN, over 200 million girls and women that are alive suffered from genital mutilation. The United Nations encourages all Nations and Communities to intensify movements towards the elimination of female genital mutilation. The observance occurs every year on February 6th.

National Wear Red Day

Friday, February 7, 2020
National Wear Red Day is celebrated on the first Friday of February annually. It is dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, 1 in 4 women die from heart disease, and coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women. National Wear Red Day was established by the American Heart Association along with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in 2003. The day is celebrated annually by wearing red color to represent the fight against heart disease and stroke in an effort to generate awareness and initiate change.

Tu Bishvat Starts

Sunday February 9, 2020
Tu Bishvat (Hebrew: ט״ו בשבט, literally: the 15th of the Lunar Month of Shevat) is the New Year for trees (similar to Arbor Day). It falls in January or February each year, typically when almond blossom is seen in Israel. It is one of the four New Years in the Jewish Calendar.
According to the Jewish Law (Halachah), the ‘New Year for trees’ defines the beginning of the year for separating tithes for the poor and Levite. Tithes are 10% portions of a product, which are allocated as charity to either the Levites or the poor. Torah Law requires, that when the Holy Temple was standing, these tithes would be removed from the produce, before it was ‘fit for consumption’. There was a seven year cycle, culminating in the Shmittah year, when fields lay fallow. After every seven seven year cycles, a Jubilee, 50th year was celebrated.

Academy Awards

Sunday February 9, 2020
The Academy Awards is an annual award ceremony dedicated to honoring the cinematic achievements of the film industry. Each year, a statuette referred to as an Academy Award of Merit (commonly known as the Oscar) is awarded to those who have excelled.

National Pizza Day

Sunday February 9, 2020
National Pizza Day is dedicated to appreciating pizza, a baked flatbread that is typically topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Pizza is believed to have been invented in Naples, Italy around the 10th century. It has grown to become one of the most popular foods in America.

World Pulses Day

Monday, February 10, 2020
World Pulses Day commemorates Pulses, which are a type of crop. Pulses include many types of dried beans, lima beans, kidney beans, butter beans, and broad beans. Farmers can sell pulses or consume it with their families. The observance occurs yearly on February 10th.

DICE Awards

Tuesday, February 11, 2020
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) is pleased to announce the nominees for its 23rd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards (#DICEAwards). Academy members will begin general voting for the video game industry’s premier, peer-juried awards show on Friday, Jan. 10th, and the winners will be revealed at the D.I.C.E. Awards ceremony on Thursday, February 13th at Aria Resort Las Vegas (#DICE2020). https://www.interactive.org/news/23rd_annual_dice_awards_finalists_revealed.asp

Int’l. Day of Women and Girls in Science

Tuesday, February 11, 2020
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science was created by the United Nations with the goal of recognizing the achievements of women and girls in science. Additionally, the objective of the observance is not only to promote those achievements by women, but also to emphasize how important it is to recognize them and promote gender equality. The observance occurs yearly on February 11th.

Darwin Day

Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Darwin Day commemorates the achievements and the life of the scientist Charles Darwin. Darwin’s most famous achievement is the development of the Theory of Natural Selection. The celebration occurs every year on Darwin’s birthday, February 12th.

Galentine’s Day

Thursday, February 13, 2020
Galentine’s Day has its origin form an episode of the TV show “Parks and Recreation” in 2010. The fictional character Leslie created the day to celebrate female friendships. The observance encourages ladies and their girl friends to go out on the night of February 13th, before Valentine’s day and celebrate their friendships.

International Condom Day

Thursday, February 13, 2020
International Condom Day is promoted by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation in an effort to reduce the spread of HIV through safe sex practices. Since its inception in 2009, it has been an informal observance celebrated in conjunction with Valentine’s Day. It seeks to promote the use of condoms as a means of preventing unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Internet Friends Day

Thursday, February 13, 2020
Internet Friends Day celebrates friendships that were developed through the Internet. In the modern world, social media plays an important role on a large portion of the world’s population. Inevitably, it became a place where relationships are developed, being those relationships romantic or simply friendly. Although the origin of this observance is unknown, Internet Friends Day has become more and more popular every year since 2015 with the growth of social media. The observance occurs every year on February 13th.

National Cheddar Day

Thursday, February 13, 2020
National Cheddar Day celebrates one of the most famous cheese types in the United States. It is believed that Cheddar originated in the 12th century, in Somerset, England. Today, more than a third of all the cheese sold in the United States is Cheddar. The commemoration occurs every year on February 13th.

World Radio Day

Thursday, February 13, 2020
World Radio Day seeks to celebrate the importance of the radio in improving international cooperation, providing access to information and supporting free speech. The day also serves to promote the radio as a means of communication in times of need and emergency. Radios are still the most readily available medium that can disseminate information to reach the widest and most diverse audiences in the shortest amount of time.

Valentine’s Day

Friday, February 14, 2020
Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love and friendship. The idea of Valentine’s Day seems to have originated during the Middle Ages, somewhere around the 14th or 15th century. The holiday derived its name from two Roman martyrs for love, both named Valentine.

Washington’s Birthday (also called Presidents Day)

Monday, February 17, 2020
President’s Day, or Washington’s Birthday as it is still legally known, was originally designed as a celebration of George Washington’s birthdate. In 1880, Congress voted to make this the first national holiday which honored an individual. In 1968, Congress enacted the Uniform Monday Bill, to give workers as many long weekends as possible. This moved many holidays to a standard Monday each year. Many states were already honoring Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, February 12th, and this celebration was combined with George Washington’s birthday in some states. It is observed on the third Monday in February each year.

National Drink Wine Day

Tuesday, February 18, 2020
National Drink Wine Day is celebrated annually on February 18 across the United States. The purpose of the day is to spread the love and health benefits of wine. Wine has played an important role in history, religion and relationships. We embrace the positive benefits of wine such as new friends, reduced risk of heart disease and the enhancement of food and life.

National Love Your Pet Day

Thursday, February 20, 2020
Love your pet day encourages being affectionate with your pet. It is encouraged to do activities such as: taking your pet for a walk, giving your pet a treat, and playing catch with them. One of the most popular ways to celebrate comes in the form of sharing pet photos on social media. Some Insurance companies and Veterinarians offer special deals on this day such as reimbursement for part of the veterinary costs if your pet is ill or injured.

World Day of Social Justice

Thursday, February 20, 2020
World Day of Social Justice is an observance organized by the United Nations, it aims to raise the awareness of Social Justice. The UN highlights the importance of promoting gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, and disability equality. World Day of Social Justice occurs annually on February 20th.

International Mother Language Day

Friday, February 21, 2020
International Mother Language Day seeks to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. The day also seeks to support quality education, unity, diversity and international understanding. Language is the most effective way humans have of communicating with one another and acts as a powerful instrument in the preservation and development of cultures and ethnicities. According to UNESCO, as of 2018, about 2,500 languages, and thus their cultures, are currently at risk of extinction within a few generations.

National Margarita Day

Saturday, February 22, 2020
National Margarita Day focuses on appreciating the margarita, a tequila-based alcoholic cocktail. The origins of National Margarita Day are not well documented, although accounts of the day began to emerge in the 1990s. A margarita is cocktail made of tequila, triple sec and either lime or lemon juice served in a cocktail glass with salt on the rim. The tequila used in margaritas is made from blue agave plants that grow in Los Altos, Mexico. This holiday is observed every year on February 22nd.

Mardi Gras

Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Mardi Gras marks the end of the Carnival season, a period observed by many Roman Catholics that starts at Epiphany on January 6 and ends on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday (Mardi Gras). Since Mardi Gras is the last day before lent (a solemn period observed by prayer, repentance, fasting, and moderation), it is often associated with lavish Carnival-like celebrations.

Paczki Day

Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Paczki Day is a Polish tradition where the population eats Paczkis on the day that is also known as Fat Tuesday. Paczki Day is a Polish version of doughnuts filled with jelly inside. The tradition spread to other countries besides Poland. In the United Stated, states with heavy Polish communities like Chicago and Detroit.

Shrove Tues (Pancake Day)

Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day and Mardi Gras, is a day for feasting in preparation for the sacrifice and fasting period of Lent, which begins the following day with Ash Wednesday. Celebrations continue into the night of Shrove Tuesday as people engage in eating rich and fatty foods but they must end by midnight. Carnivals are common during the Pre-Lenten Season, known as Shrovetide, street parties, carnivals and parades are also common. Shrove Tuesday is observed by Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, and Methodists. The consumption of pancakes is a common means of celebrating and using up fat, eggs and dairy before the fasting season begins. This holiday is celebrated 41 days before Easter every year.

Ash Wednesday

Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Ash Wednesday is mainly a Catholic observance in which ashes are marked on the forehead of parishioners in the shape of a cross. The ashes are meant as a reminder of our mortality and sinfulness. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40 day period (excluding Sundays) that ends with Easter. This is a solemn period observed by prayer, repentance, fasting, and moderation.

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