Lord Byron once said of July it is the month when English winter ends, only to recommence in August – but to hell with Lord Byron! On average the warmest month in the UK, July is known as both Picnic Month and Ice Cream Month! Named after famed Roman Emperor Julius Caesar by decision of the Roman Senate in 44 BC, this month was originally the fifth month of the old calendar and because of this it was previously known as Quintilis, meaning fifth.

Until the 18^th Century, the word’s English pronunciation focused heavily on the first syllable, making it rhyme with words like ‘truly’ or ‘duly’. July is a pretty unique month, being known for the month in which a grand total of seven US Presidents have died in – more than any other month – and also known for being the midway point of the year. However, July the 3^rd is the year’s midway point, not July the 1^st. There are many and more interesting days in July, most of them encouraging us to get our fair share of the good weather! So let’s jump straight in with…

1^st July – Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day. There’s nothing more refreshing on a glorious summers day than an ice cream. But today isn’t just about ice cream, oh no, today is about getting creative with your ice cream flavors. For a lot of people that could just be getting an ice cream they wouldn’t usually eat, like a mint choc-chip or something. But some people will get downright weird with their creative flavors – in the Philippines some people have crocodile egg ice cream, or in Tokyo you can get raw horse flesh flavored ice cream!

2^nd July – I Forgot Day. Not quite sure I can remember what this one’s about… no, wait! Founded in 1999 by Gaye Anderson, today is a day about making up for all the things you’ve forgotten this year so far: birthdays, anniversaries, gatherings – today’s the day to clear your conscience and make it all right. Just make sure you don’t forget!

3^rd July – International Plastic Bag Free Day. In the U.K. you recently had to start paying 5p for a plastic bag pretty much everywhere, which means this day is now a lot easier to observe for the Brits! Today is about making the most minor change in your daily routine, like taking a plastic bag to the shop with you or just not getting one at all, and making a big change to the world at large.

4^th July – Independence from Meat Day. Now it’s not the most well-known Independence Day, that being the other day synonymous with July 4^th. Although a day created give people the challenge of going meat-free for a day, to me this day is about honoring every vegetarian out there who has ever sworn a solemn vow to never again eat a tasty bacon sandwich. In a world of mass production those people who choose to go meat free aren’t really helping less animals die, so on this day I will take it upon myself to dispose of some of the meat that goes to waste, in the form of a tasty bacon sandwich.

5^th July – Bikini Day. This day is celebrated on the anniversary of the bikini’s invention way back in 1946 by Parisian fashion designer Louis Reard. A great excuse getting to the nearest beach and making the most of the sun!

6^th July – Kissing Day. Did you know that kissing for one minute burns three calories? It’s true, and it just might be the line to help you celebrate this joyous day!

7^th July – Tell The Truth Day. Today is about trying to create a more truthful world, even just for a day. So today just cut out the lies, but try not be brutal with your truths as you very well could end up offending somebody!

8^th July – SCUD Day. I know what you’re thinking, but no, this isn’t a day for honoring the series of Russian ballistic missiles known as Scud Missiles. The SCUD in this day stands for ‘Savor the Comic, Unplug the Drama’, and it’s a day all about taking a step back from the dramas in our lives and learning to see the humor in a situation. Laughter is good for you, body and mind, so have a laugh at the drama today instead of getting drawn into it.

9^th July – Sugar Cookie Day. In the 1700’s a group of Germanic settles arrived in Pennsylvania, and combined sugar, butter, eggs, baking soda and vanilla to create the humble sugar cookie. A delicious treat, sugar cookies are notoriously easy to cook and a great dish to make with children – give them a cookie cutter, some dough and watch them go!

10^th July – Don’t Step On A Bee Day. Today is a day that exists to help raise awareness of the fate of bees and the incredibly huge part they play in our global ecosystem. Something that may help you celebrate this day is the knowledge that when you see a still bee most of the time it is just too exhausted to fly back to its hive, rather than dying. Scoop it up in a cup, mix some water and sugar together then put a drop of the syrup next to the bee. The bee will feed on the syrup, become energized, and fly away to its hive to continue its good work!

11^th July – World Population Day. Created in 1989 by the UN Development Programme, this day is about raising awareness of population growth and the issues that come with it such as hunger, disease, welfare and warfare, as well as the need for universal access to global reproductive healthcare.

12^th July – Etch A Sketch Day. There’s nothing like an Etch a Sketch to take us all on a trip down nostalgia lane… Originally created by French electrician Andre Cassagnes in the 1950’s, this toy became a staple of Western popular culture and to this day is still considered one of the greatest toys ever made by many. Anybody can use an Etch a Sketch, regardless of skill. Some people, like me, struggle to sling together some rudimentary lines, whereas others can reproduce even the most elegant pieces of art like the Mona Lisa!

13^th July – Embrace Your Geekness Day. Nowadays everybody is a bit of a geek. Comic books are cool, so is animé, computer games too. There’s many a nerdy thing that is now the norm. But today don’t just be a little bit of a geek, go full geek. Embrace it and own it!

14^th July – Shark Awareness Day. Researchers estimate that roughly 100 million sharks are killed by humans every year. Sharks themselves are older than the dinosaurs; they are the perfect culmination of over 420 million years of evolution. In all the time sharks have existed they have been an incredibly vital cornerstone of our whole global ecology, so today is about raising awareness that sharks are more friend than foe, more happy-go-lucky Australian than merciless killing machine.

15^th July – Gummi Worm Day. Originally created by German sweet company Trolli (pioneers of many a great gummy-sweet) in 1981, Gummi Worms are traditionally used to catch gummy fish with. Nah, just kidding. They’re tasty delicious treats and you should have no trouble figuring out how to celebrate this day.

16^th July – World Snake Day. Although snakes have gotten a bad rep over the years, most of them truly are harmless. With roughly 3,458 species of snake in the world, only about 600 are venomous – and not all of those are venomous enough to kill a person. Some people, me included, would say that snakes make the greatest pets around. They’re hardy, some are very easy and cheap to keep, and if you treat them kindly they can be more loyal than a dog. Take today to learn a bit more than you already know about these majestic creatures.

17^th July – Yellow Pig Day. In the 1960’s two Princeton math students become obsessed with the number 17, eventually going a little crazy over analysing it. So in their numerical delirium they created the concept of a yellow pig with 17 toes, 17 teeth and 17… well, everything. So today celebrate these crazy academics by being your eccentric yellow pig self!

18^th July – Caviar Day. Caviar is instantly linked to the upper class. So to me, this day celebrates the idea of laughing at our stinking rich counterparts for thinking eating Sturgeon eggs makes them superior!

19^th July – Daiquiri Day. Supposedly invented by American mining engineer Jennings Cox during his time in Cuba at the turn of the 20^th Century, this drink has since become one of the most well-known cocktails out there. So celebrate in style with a nice refreshing daiquiri!

20^th July – Space Exploration Day. It’s no coincidence that today is also Moon Day, as the date itself celebrates man first walking on the Moon. However, that was the first small step in a very long journey of exploration, one that will continue for generations to come. Take today to expand your knowledge about space, after all there’s just as much knowledge to learn as there is space to explore.

21^st July – Junk Food Day. Today is a day about making up for all those celery pieces and carrot sticks you’ve been eating. Live today by the old Italian saying of “Live to eat, not eat to live”. To hell with a slim figure, give me that double cheeseburger and some extra fries too!

22^nd July – Hammock Day. The hammock was first invented by the Mayan thousands of years ago in Mesoamerica, and introduced to Europe by Christopher Columbus. Hammocks are still hugely popular today and with good reason! They’re proven to give you a deeper and more relaxed sleep than just a regular bed. So if you’re lucky enough to have somewhere to string up a hammock then do so and hang loose!

23^rd July – Gorgeous Grandma Day. Today is a day about celebrating your grandma and just how gorgeous she is! My own grandma is a gorgeous lady, and I’m going to take this opportunity to tell her, and you should tell your grandma too!

24^th July – Tell An Old Joke Day. This is a day about cranking out the old-man humor and having a good laugh over it. Be it a chicken crossing the road, three lords walking into a tavern, or somebody knock-knocking at your door, make sure you tell an old joke today and make sure you laugh at it!

25^th July – Thread The Needle Day. Although this day is traditionally about the literal first step in sewing, it can be taken on a more metaphorical level. To thread a needle effortlessly is something that takes lots of practice, skill, and patience. These are all virtues to be cultivated so take today to reflect on where a little patience and practice will get you in life – whether it’s threading a needle or something completely different.

26^th July – All or Nothing Day. Today is a day to push yourself to exceed your best expectations. Today is all about death or glory, victory or defeat. Today you push yourself to succeed and settle for nothing less than perfection. Be it a last minute assignment hand-in or a job application; just make sure you win in style.

27^th July – Take Your Houseplants For A Walk Day. If you’re proud about your plants today is the day to show it. Take them out for stroll around the neighborhood to get some fresh air!

28^th July – Milk Chocolate Day. Not to be confused with just Chocolate Day, celebrates the staple of the chocolate world. Invented in 1887 by Daniel Peter in Vevey, Switzerland, it was originally named ‘Gala’ from the Greek, meaning ‘from the milk’. Celebrate today with ease as milk chocolate is now the most common type of chocolate around.

29^th July – Rain Day. Rain holds a lot of meaning both environmentally and metaphorically. In some countries it brings the end of droughts, whereas in others it brings life to crops. And in the UK you can bet it will rain just as much in summer as it does in winter so you can count on it raining today!

30^th July – Cheesecake Day. The modest cheesecake is believed to have been first created on the Greek island of Samos. In fact, there is evidence to suggest that Ancient Greeks would eat cheesecake before the Olympics as early as 776 BC in order to energize themselves. Today is a great day to celebrate, because in my humble opinion, the cheesecake is the king of all cakes.

31^st July – Talk In an Elevator Day. Everybody is guilty of standindaysg in awkward silence in an elevator – we all do it. So today break the habit and replace the awkward silence with some old fashioned awkward small talk!

Please check back next month for the special days in August!