My Florida

A Year To Celebrate

By Melody Murphy

2020 was a rough year. I know I’m not the only one who felt shellshocked by the end of it, wondering anxiously what 2021 had in store. It seemed incomprehensible that there could be good things ahead in the great unknown of the year to come.

So when I sat down with my 2021 planner last New Year’s Day, I filled in the birthdays of family and friends, put stars by the holidays I celebrate, marked the full moons and meteor showers, and penciled in appointments. And then I thought, “Is that it? Surely there must be something else to look forward to this year.”

But I had no trips scheduled. Going places was still uncertain. Events were up in the air. Entertainment options were limited. The prospect of a dingy grey year awaited, colorless and dreary.

I couldn’t have that. So I googled unusual holidays and observances, did some research, and filled in my planner with little opportunities for celebration. And I set out to enjoy 2021—in spite of itself.

Friends, there is a National Day for everything. I had no shortage of festivity. I noted the days for my favorite foods, drinks, and activities. If you have a hard time deciding what to cook, it is wonderful to flip a page and see that there are four days honoring your favorite foods next week. It makes grocery shopping so much easier. “My planner told me to eat cheese on Tuesday,” you can say to yourself, feeling righteous as you reach for a large wheel of Gouda. I looked up the birthdays of my favorite authors, actors, and musicians. I added some historic events and the birthdays of certain fictional characters. And then I set out to brighten the dark days of 2021. I did this not just for myself, but for my friends as well. I decided to surprise them with festive interludes. So I would tell them, come over tomorrow, or let’s meet for lunch or dinner, only saying we had something to celebrate. As it turned out, they enjoyed it as much as I did.

In January, I baked with pecans on Georgia Statehood Day. Shortbread Day fell on Epiphany, so I baked star-shaped shortbread and took batches to friends. My friend Jessica and I had dinner at Cracker Barrel for our patron saint Dolly Parton’s birthday. I wore my Dolly T-shirt and played her music all day.

The inauguration was on Cheese Lovers Day, so I had friends over for a fondue brunch to watch it. I summoned my best friend to my house on Hug Day simply so I could hug her. Every day is Hot Sauce Day to me, but I made the most of it. On Pie Day, my friend Gina and I celebrated with Key lime at Harry’s, followed by a brisk walk. (If you’re going to celebrate the foods you love, you really must be diligent about your walking routine. You can do both. I believe in you.)

On Peanut Butter Day, my friend Eryn and I drove to Ormond Beach for a PB&J picnic. It was a chilly, misty grey day, and the wind blew sand into our sandwiches, but it was worth it. We walked the beach to earn our peanut butter cookies.

I said nice things to friends on Compliment Day, which should be every day. We do not tell people the things we love about them often enough. Every day is a chance to say something kind. People don’t always know the good things about themselves. Tell them.

Croissant Day coincided with the day Laura and I had opened Always… Patsy Cline at OCT one year ago. For breakfast, I fixed our favorite chocolate croissants, and bacon and eggs like Patsy and her friend Louise cooked together in the show. As it was a cold morning and the next day was Hot Chocolate Day, we killed two birds with one cacao nib and added that too. And of course, I had Patsy Cline singing in the background.

And that was just the first month of 2021. I kept up the celebrations for the entire year. Did I continue the tradition with this year’s planner? Reader, you know I did—and I recommend it for you too. Find some small thing to celebrate every day. It brightens a dark year and adds sparkle to a good one. Wishing you a festive 2022! Find some small thing to celebrate every day.

Editor's Note: Need a jumpstart on Melody's suggestions? Well, we always have a list of unusual holidays in our GoodStart section. Check out page 14 in this issue!