JAN      FEB      MAR      APR      MAY      JUN      JUL     AUG      SEP      OCT      NOV      DEC
JANUARY FACTS

  • January in the Northern Hemisphere is
    the seasonal equivalent to July in the
    Southern Hemisphere and vise versa.
  • Leap years exempted, January always
    begins on the same day as October.
  • January's birthstone is garnet.
  • January's flower is the carnation or
    snowdrop.
  • The Chinese floral emblem of January is
    the plum blossom
OBSERVANCES
& IDEA NUGGETS

Business and Reference Books
Month
  • Take the opportunity to invite someone
    from the reference section of the library to
    talk about reference books.  Perhaps a
    demonstration of some references
    regarding a subject of general interest to
    the residents would be interesting.

Chilly Month
  • This chilly means cold (not soup).  [Chili
    Month is in October] How about sharing
    some icy season events or activities with
    the residents?  Maybe you can share
    remembrances of snow storms, frozen
    rivers, childhood memories, traditions,
    snowman building, ice skating, skiing,
    snow sledding, warming foods and
    drinks (share some hot chocolate).

Crime Stoppers Month
  • E-mail Submission:  Have the police
    Crime Stoppers person come in and give
    a presentation on safety and security for
    both residents and staff. Have them bring
    pamphlets and giveaways. Do they have
    a video presentation suitable for
    residents? Make sure they are aware of
    the ages and are sensitive to their
    abilities and needs.

Human Resources Month

January Diet Month
  • Start a weight watchers club or a walking
    club.  Have weigh-ins, talk about nutrition
    and choices residents can make
    regarding their diet.  Talk about eating
    disorders, diabetes, heart disease, etc.  
    Encourage new year's resolutions.

March of Dimes Birth Defects
Prevention Month
  • Discuss the March of Dimes and birth
    defects.  Let the residents recall birth
    defect experiences.  Set up a collection or
    a means to raise awareness and make a
    donation to the March of Dimes in the
    name of the residents of your facility.  
    Invite a speaker who is knowledgeable
    about the subject.

National Book Blitz Mont
  • Get your residents an a book reading
    spree.  Have a contest to see who can
    read the most books during the month.  
    Have rewards for first place, second
    place, third place and participation.  Bring
    in a librarian to discuss new books at the
    library.

National Candy Month
  • Here is the chance for your residents to
    make candy and share it with the staff,
    family and other residents.  Perhaps you
    can encourage your volunteers to make
    candy and have the residents sample it
    and award prizes.  Maybe you have a
    candy store or candy manufacturer near
    your facility who can supply you with
    seconds (usually they consist of several
    pounds of candy...all free).  Maybe a
    candy expert can come in and talk about
    the history of candy, how different candy
    is made, etc.  (My theory:  You will never
    go wrong with chocolate.)

National Egg Month
  • Have an omelet night.  Mix up the batter.  
    Let the residents choose their own
    ingredients (bacon bits, ham chunks,
    green pepper, onion, tomato, cheese,
    spices, etc.) and cook to order.  Get
    volunteers to bring in lots of electric fry
    pans.  How about a breakfast for supper
    meal and serve fried eggs to order?  
    Also, you can look for someone in your
    area who makes eggshell art.  Invite
    them in for show and tell.  How about
    sampling eggs other than chicken eggs
    (e.g.:  duck eggs, ostrich eggs, quail
    eggs etc.)

National Eye Care Month
  • This is an opportune time to schedule
    eye exams for residents and staff.  Bring
    in someone to discuss proper eye care
    and the importance of safety measures
    and nutrition.

National Hobby Month
  • Open season on hobbies.  Have
    volunteers come in and talk about their
    hobbies and if possible give
    demonstrations to the residents.  This
    could be a good opportunity for the
    residents to touch, examine and talk
    about a wide variety of different items
    from sculpture to sewing projects to
    collecting rocks or arrow heads.  The
    possibilities are endless.

National Hot Tea Month
  • Tea Time!  How about tasting a wide
    variety of tea flavors.  Of course one must
    also provide crumpets.  Also, how about
    the ladies wearing old hats to make the
    occasion special.

National Meat Month

National Oatmeal Month
  • Oatmeal cookies, hot oatmeal...try many
    different oatmeal recipes.

National Prune the Fat Month

National Retail Bakers Month
  • Breads, donuts, cookies, cakes, rolls...
    yummy!  How about inviting a specialty
    bread store in to talk about their products
    and pass out samples.  (I love that
    specialty bread with pumpkin seeds and
    herbs.)  Perhaps your facility bread man
    could work out a deal with you for
    samples (Check with your dietary
    manager).

National Soup Month
  • How about a Sample the Soup day?  A
    variety of home made soups would be
    great...but a dozen different Campbell
    soups will work.  Each resident gets a
    sample of each soup (maybe an ounce of
    each soup...you work out the math).  After
    everyone has a chance to sample the
    soups, open up the remainder for first
    come first served.  Also, you can discuss
    various recipes used at home.  Most
    everyone has made soup from scratch at
    one time or another.

National Volunteer Blood Donor
Month
  • Have a facility blood drive.  Call your local
    blood donor agency and schedule a time
    for staff, volunteer, and family members
    to donate blood.

National Wheat Bread Month
  • Maybe you can work this in with National
    Retail Baker's Month activities.

National Yours Mine and Ours
Month

Prune Breakfast Month

Thyroid Disease Awareness
Month

Whale Watching Month
  • Share a film about whales like "Free
    Willie", "Moby Dick", etc.  If you are
    fortunate enough to have a salt water
    aquarium nearby, invite an expert in to
    discuss whales.

FAMOUS WEEKS

Week 1

Braille Literacy Week

Diet Resolution Week

National Law Enforcement
Training Week

Silent Record Week

Universal Letter Writing Week

Universal Week of Prayer

Week 2

Cuckoo Dancing Week

Healthy Weight Week

International Printing Week

International Toy Fair

Manwatcher's Appreciation Week

National Book Week

National Bowling Week

National Pizza Week

National Word Processing
Transcriptionist Week

Printers Ink Week

Someday We'll Laugh About This
Week

Week 3

International Printing Week

Jaycee Week

National Thrift Week

Worldwide Kiwanis Week

Week 4

Celebrity Read A Book Week

International Green Week
Mozart Week (Austria)

National Activity Professionals
Week  SEE:  30 Ways To Honor Your Staff
During National Activity Professionals Week

National Cross Country Skiing
Week

National Glaucoma Week

National Handwriting Analysis
Week

National Meat Week
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

January 1st

  • Dana Andrews, 1909
  • Barry Goldwater, 1909
  • J. Edgar Hoover, 1895
  • Betsy Ross, 1752
  • J. D. Salinger, 1919  

January 2nd:  

  • Alan Beckwith, 1952 (Actor and
    aerospace engineer, born in Tyrone PA
    and a graduate of Penn State University.)
  • Roger Miller, 1936
  • Sally Rand, 1903  

January 3rd:  

  • Victor Borge, 1909
  • Dabney Coleman, 1932
  • Jean Dixon - born January 3, 1918 (Died
    January 25, 1997)
  • Jean Dixon Museum: www.waysideofva.
    com/jdml
  • Mel Gibson, 1956
  • Ray Milland, 1907
  • Victoria Principal, 1958
  • Steven Stills, 1945  

January 4th:  

  • Louis Braille
  • Dyan Cannon, 1937
  • Maureen Reagan, 1947 (Speaker,
    Activist, daughter of former President
    Ronald Reagan.) Born January 4, 1941.
    Died August 7, 2001 from Melanoma.
  • Tom Thumb
  • Jane Wyman, 1914  

January 5th:  

  • Robert Duvall, 1931
  • Diane Keaton, 1946
  • Pamela Sue Martin, 1953
  • Walter F. Mondale US Vice President and
    Minnesota Senator - Born January 5,
    1928 in Ceylon, Minnesota. Served as
    Vice President under President Jimmy
    Carter 1977-1981.

January 6th:  

  • John Zachary DeLorean (auto industry),
    born January 6, 1925 in Detroit, Michigan.
    He died March 19, 2005 at the age of 80
    of complications from a stroke.  www.
    delorean.com
  • Bonnie Franklin, 1944 (Actress, well-
    known for TV sitcom: One Day At A Time.)
  • Gabrielle Reece, 1970
  • Carl Sandburg, 1878
  • Joan of Arc, 1412-1431
  • John Singleton, 1968
  • Vic Tabak, 1930 (The owner of the Mel’s
    Diner in the TV sitcom, Alice.)
  • Danny Thomas, 1914
  • Loretta Young, 1913

January 7th:

  • Nicolas Cage, 1964 (Actor)
  • David Caruso, 1956 (Actor)
  • Katie Couric, 1957 (TV Personality)
  • Millard Fillmore, 1800 (12th US Vice
    President; 13th US President 1850-53.)
    Died March 8, 1874 at the age of 74.)
  • Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, 1966 (Died
    July 16, 1999 at the age of 33) - John
    Kennedy Jr.'s wife
  • Kenny Loggins, 1948 (Musician)
  • Terry Moore, 1929 (Actress)
  • Paul Revere (of Paul Revere & The
    Raiders), 1938 (Musician)

January 8th:  

  • Don Bendell, Author - born January 8,
    1947. www.donbendell.com
  • David Bowie, 1947
  • Bob Eubanks, 1937
  • Sarah Polley, 1979
  • Elvis Presley - Singer, Musician - Born
    Elvis Aaron Presley on January 8, 1935 in
    Tupelo, Mississippi. Moved to Memphis,
    Tennessee in 1948. Died at Graceland in
    Memphis, TN on August 16, 1977. Official
    Web site: www.elvis.com
  • Larry Storch (TV actor - "F Troop)
  • Soupy Sales, (real name:  Milton
    Soupman)  

January 9th:  

  • Joan Baez (singer)
  • Bob Denver, 1935 (actor, Gilligan of
    Gilligan's Island)
  • Crystal Gale, 1951 (singer)
  • Dave Matthews, 1967

January 10th:  

  • Stephen Ambrose, 1936
  • Pat Benetar, 1953
  • Ray Bolger, 1904
  • Jim Croce, 1942
  • George Foreman, 1949
  • Frank Sinatra, Jr., 1944
  • Rod Stewart, 1945

January 11th:  

  • Naomi Judd, 1946  

January 12th:  

  • John Hancock, 1737 (died October 8,
    1793)
  • Rush Limbaugh, 1951  

January 13th:  

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus, 1961 - Actress and
    Comedian - Various films and TV shows
    including cast member of Saturday Night
    Live from 1982 to 1985 and the role of
    Elaine on the TV sitcom, Seinfeld.
  • Richard Moll, 1943 (Actor)
  • Charles Nelson Reilly, 1931 (Actor, TV
    Personality - The Match Game and more)
    Born January 13, 1931.
  • Robert Stack, 1919 (Actor - 40 films and
    well-known for his role as Elliot Ness in
    the TV series The Untouchables and as
    host