On This Day: September 8th … Strange Holidays

National Ampersand Day

Pardon Day

International Literacy Day

Well, this shouldn’t take very long.

National Ampersand Day

Try hard to contain your excitement about this “&” today.

Every once in a while, a holiday comes along and you say... “What!? This holiday certainly can cause one to stop and ask why.

The term ampersand is a corruption of and (&) per se and, which literally means "(the character) & by itself (is the word) and." The symbol & is derived from the ligature of ET or et, which is the Latin word for "and."

Regardless of why, this day is here for your enjoyment, so take full advantage and use the Ampersand character as often as you can, and in creative ways.

Did you know the ampersand was once the last character in the alphabet.

"Any fool can know. The point is to understand."—Albert Einstein

Pardon Day

Governors and the president are the only ones who can give out a pardon. But today isn’t about that at all. Well, not all that.

The word pardon can be commonly used as a synonym of forgiveness. Forgiveness is the deliberate act of giving up on feelings of resentment or vengeance towards a person, group, or institution that may have wronged you. Most religions and cultures hold forgiveness as one of the key elements of living a good, honest, and pure life. Scientific studies have shown that practicing forgiveness can improve the physical and mental health of the forgiver. People who forgive those who have hurt them tend to live happier and healthier lives.

It is thought that the day owes its existence to the pardon granted by United States President Gerald Ford to former President Nixon for his involvement in the Watergate Scandal on September 8, 1974.

This unofficial holiday is also known as International Pardon Day or National Pardon Day in the U.S.

To err is human, to forgive is divine.—Alexander Pope

International Literacy Day

The day was created by the United Nations. It is promoted by the UN's UNESCO. According to their website: "The aim is to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies."

Literacy is a global issue, and hence the UN takes an active role in promoting it. They do recognize and celebrate that billions of people are literate. But, they go further to promote literacy, and to seek improved literacy rates in every country of the world.

Celebrate International Literacy Day. Read a book, or help someone learn how to read.

"Never settle for less than your dreams: somewhere, sometime,

some day, somehow, you'll find them."—Danielle Steele

More Strange Holidays Coming!