We are all familiar by now with that famous play on a date at the start of this month: ‘May the 4th be with you.’ But that’s not the only crazy thing that’s happening in May. Here is a list of our favourites – join in and celebrate the bizarre and the unique days of this a-may-zing month at home.

Intl tuba dayFirst Friday in May: International Tuba Day applauds all those musicians who struggle with the size and weight of their instrument. The day was founded in 1979 by Joel Day, a tuba player in a band in Philadelphia, as he felt he and his fellow tuba players were not given due respect by other musicians. Fun fact: tubas can weigh anything from 5 to 22 kilos with three to six valves. That’s heavy.

8 May: on No Socks Day let those toes free! It is a copyrighted holiday from Ruth and Tom RoyNo socks day at http://www.wellcat.com/, who have more than 70 ‘holidays’ on their website. And on 9 May you can then celebrate Lost Sock Day to find out where you put them. Got a load of single socks hanging around? Use today to celebrate saying goodbye to them, once and for all. Fun fact: feet have about 250,000 sweat glands, capable of producing 250ml sweat a day. No wonder they need airing once in a while.

11 May: now here’s one we can really get behind – Eat What You Want Day! Whether it’s Chinese food for breakfast or cereal and doughnuts for dinner, this is the one day of the year where you are absolutely permitted to go bananas for what you want to eat and forget the diet. Interesting to see that 12 May is Fatigue Syndrome Day – is this after eaten too much? (On a serious note though, if you are always tired or fatigued, use today as a reminder to make an appointment at your health centre.)

Dance like a chicken day14 May: Dance Like a Chicken Day is one way of getting rid of those excess pounds you may have acquired on the 11th. If you’re not already familiar with this wedding dance classic, the Chicken Dance (also known as the Birdie Song) was written in the 1950s by accordion player Werner Thomas of Davos, Switzerland and was originally called ‘Der Ententanz’ (The Duck Dance). Fun fact: there are more chickens than humans in the world, and they were often used by Romans to divine the outcome of events; they were starved for a period of time, released and watched as to whether they ate the grain. 

16 May: Wear Purple for Peace Day is not about protesting wars and conflict. Rather, it is a day to celebrate peace between ourselves on Earth and aliens from space. Naturally we don’t want ET and his friends to be hostile when meeting us for the first time, or maybe they are just shy and need some coaxing. So wear something purple, and let’s encourage our space pals to make contact with us Earthlings. Fun fact: our fascination with aliens allegedly began with Galileo’s new telescope in the early 17th century, which allowed us a closer look at the heavens.

18 May: No Dirty Dishes Day celebrates having a break from the drudgery of washing and drying dishes, cutlery, pots and pans. Even loading the dishwasher can be such a chore. Today, you are allowed to relax and order takeout (for inspiration, see our listing of delivery services during Ramadan). Do whatever you can to reduce the workload and keep a clean and clear kitchen.

beamillionaireday20 May: Be a Millionaire Day is still a luxury that’s way off for most of us, but there is no harm in dreaming! So, today, think about what being a millionaire would mean to you – it could be the ability to buy whatever you want, to travel the world, or simply be rid of debt. Make a list, learn more about investment and saving strategies, set some goals and take it one day at a time. Top the day off by doing something that makes you feel like a millionaire. Then think big and make plans to be a billionaire!

21 May: I Need a Patch For That Day comes courtesy of Ruth and Tom Roy again (see above) and celebrates all those things that can be used as a quick fix and help us get on with life. The more you think about it, the more you realise how much we use patches – from items of clothing with holes in them to coding for computer programs and small pieces of ground in the garden to grow herbs. Trying to quit smoking? Use a nicotine patch. Spending too much money? Patch a hole in your bank account.

25 May: Towel Day is a tribute to British author Douglas Adams (1952–2011), also a well known scriptwriter, essayist, satirist and dramatist. The day was established by his loyal legion of fans just two weeks after Adams passed away following a heart attack. Adams wrote about the importance of towels as being the most helpful item for an interstellar traveller in sci-fi classic ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’. Celebrate by carrying a towel everywhere with you for the day, and be careful not to drink more than two Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters unless you’re a 30 ton mega elephant with bronchial pneumonia. Fun fact: astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti signalled a Towel Day greeting and read from ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ from the International Space Station in 2015.

29 May: the origins of Put a Pillow on Your Fridge Day are unknown, but probably stem from Put a Pillow on Your Fridge Daythe early 20th century when families would place their linens or a torn piece of clothing in their larders for good luck and prosperity. Families especially believed placing a piece of cloth from their bedroom into the place where their food was kept brought about plentiful food and rich fertility to their household. Larders are no longer used so much, therefore this ritual has evolved into Put a Pillow on your Fridge Day. Fun fact: due to the increasing popularity of this ‘holiday’, you can even buy a special Put a Pillow on Your Fridge Day pillow.

31 May: Save Your Hearing Day is a yearly reminder that our hearing is vital to our everyday lives, and we should protect it where necessary. Most cases of hearing impairments and deafness are preventable, coming from repeated long term exposure to loud, high decibel noise. So for today, at least, adopt the ’60:60’ rule – listen to music or watch TV at 60% volume for 60 minutes less. You’ll be grateful when you’re older. Fun fact: On 31 May 1976, The Who made the Guinness Book of World Records as the loudest rock band ever, with a musical performance measuring 76,000 watts and 120 decibels at the Charlton Athletic Grounds in the UK.


Author: Sarah Palmer

Copyright © Marhaba Information Guide. Reproduction of material from Marhaba Information Guide’s book or website without written permission is strictly prohibited. Using Marhaba Information Guide’s material without authorisation constitutes as plagiarism as well as copyright infringement.