Most of us think of holidays as one of those few days our employer actually pays us to stay home. We all know the big ones: New Year's, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas. And yes, some employers are a little more generous but most likely you'll have no more than 7 days a year that you consider a holiday. Depending on your religious beliefs you may add a few more to that annual list, and find that you're up to a dozen or so.
For a day to be considered a "National Holiday" it needs to be declared so by Congress. And then of course we have the "commercial holidays" that we all love, which in effect are simply days that have become popular over the years. We all love them, but for some of us that just isn't enough. Organizations, corporation, and even loosely connected groups of people can "declare" a day for any reason they choose. Some of these days catch on and become popular with the general population, some remain only recognized by their creator, and some fizzle out and become a mere memory after only a year or two.
The point is - Every day, somewhere someone is celebrating something.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

September 22, 2010 ~ Elephant Appreciation Day

Created in 1996 by Wayne Hepburn of Mission Media Inc., this holiday is a favorite of many who love elephants.  I have a personal favorite elephant story, one which many think I've fabricated, but for a while my parents had an elephant living in their backyard in Jackson, NJ.  It's not a story with a happy ending because Ned (the elephant) died while he lived with my parents, but the events and turmoil that it caused does have it's humorous points as you can imagine.  Ned was an Asian elephant as opposed to the more recognized African elephant...what's the difference you ask...
The Asian or sometimes called Indian elephant is smaller than it's African cousin.  Proportionately the Asian's ears are also smaller.  The skin tone of the African elephant is predominately grayish while the Asian elephant appear brown or reddish in color.  African elephants rarely lie down unless they are sick or wounded. Indian elephants, in contrast, lie down frequently.  African elephants have three nails on each hind foot, and four on each front foot. Indian elephants have four nails on each hind foot and five on each front foot.  Normally, the skin of an Asian is covered with more hair than its African counterpart.
If you love elephants you might want to check out an assortment of elephant items available at my Zazzle shop...

Browse other personalized gifts from Zazzle.
And, if you're just in the mood for some elephant jokes....
Q: How do you stop a charging elephant?
    A: Take away his credit card.
Q: How can you tell if an elephant has been in the refrigerator?
    A: Footprints in the butter
Q: What do you call an elephant that rides a bus?
    A: A passenger.
Q: Why do elephants wear sandals?
    A: So that they don’t sink in the sand.
Q: Why did the elephant stand on the marshmallow?
    A: So he wouldn’t fall into the hot chocolate.
Q: Why did the elephant wear red sneakers?
    A: So he could hide in the apple tree.
Q: How do elephants talk to each other?
    A: By ‘elephone.
Q: Where do elephants with skin problems go?
    A: Pachydermatologists.
AND MY ALL TIME FAVORITE ELEPHANT JOKE...
Q: What time is it when an elephant sits on your fence?
    A: Time to get a new fence.
Posted by Rita Ballantyne at 8:00 AM
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