On This Day: August 30th … Strange Holidays

Toasted Marshmallow Day

Frankenstein Day

National Grief Awareness Day

Three opposites. Oh well. I’m on it.

Toasted Marshmallow Day

During eleven out of the twelve months of the year, we enjoy a wide range of interesting, if not strange holidays. When we get to August, there is a major shortage of big holidays to celebrate. Perhaps that is why many Europeans take the month of August off for vacation.

Perhaps it as just as well that there are no big holidays to compete with National Marshmallow Toasting Day. After all, how could any holiday compare with this day.

Enjoy today or tonight by a campfire or bonfire, toasting a big, soft, sticky, and sweet marshmallow, or two, or three, or however many you can eat. Summer would not be the same without a campfire and this great campfire treat. Summer is short. Summer is good. Let's enjoy it while it is still here. Toast a marshmallow and forget about everything else.

And don't forget to make a few S'mores.

"I can resist everything except temptation."—Oscar Wilde

Frankenstein Day

Doctor Frankenstein created a living monster from body parts of the dead. In his laboratory, he made the monster come to life. Frankenstein is the name given to the monster, named after his creator. There are three known Frankenstein "days". As a result, a there's more than a little confusion. We have Frankenstein Friday, National Frankenstein Day, and Frankenstein Day. Each one of them is a monster of a day. Let's clarify these three days for you.

Frankenstein Day is on August 30. This day is in honor of author Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley who was born on August 30,1797. She wrote the book "Frankenstein "in 1818. This day in in honor of her birth.

Frankenstein Friday is the last Friday in October. Originally, we traced some references back to a website on Franken berry cereal, which suggests a commercial origin.

Frankenstein Friday celebrates the birth of Frankenstein and its creator. Frankenstein is one of the best known horror characters, dating back to the 1800's. We can't imagine the Halloween season without the presence of Frankenstein, lurking somewhere in the darkness.

Frankenstein was born in 1818 when Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, at the age of 21, wrote the story "Frankenstein".

Frankenstein's Mother: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Frankenstein's Father: Boris Karloff

To celebrate this day, I suggest you read the novel, or see a Frankenstein movie.

This day was created by Ron McCluskey from Westfield, New Jersey in 1997. Ron's hometown of Westfield, NJ. is also the hometown of Charles Addams, the New York Times magazine cartoonist who created The Addams Family. So, Ron's interest in Frankenstein comes as no surprise.

Ron picked Friday to celebrate this day for the "FR" connection, and because more people can party on Friday than on other night of the week.

Dr. Frankenstein just placed an order on Amazon.

It wasn’t expensive, but I imagine the shipping cost him an arm and a leg.

National Grief Awareness Day

Today recognizes the time it takes to heal from loss doesn’t have a prescribed course and is a reminder closure comes in many forms. When a loved one dies, the void they leave affects everyone differently.

Throughout the day, take stock of those in your life who have been affected by a form of loss. The death of a loved one, a close friend or enduring an extreme change in their lifestyle can trigger grief. When we lose the stability of shelter, a job or a routine we have known for years, we suffer a type of loss that requires closure. Some adjust to these changes easily, and others take time to become familiar with new routines.

Offer to listen to a friend or ask them to join you for a coffee or tea. Send a message letting them know they are never far from your mind. Then, set a date for another visit. If you find you are suffering from grief, know that it’s natural. You’re not alone, and it’s okay to ask for help if you feel your grief is overwhelming.

“Do you not know that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken?”—Terry Pratchett

More Strange Holidays Coming!