On Candlemas Day, February 2, followers of Jesus celebrate his Presentation at the Temple and the Virgin Mary being purified, with many of the faithful bringing candles to their churches to be blessed. Thereafter (in Poland, for example, where they’re lit and placed in windows to ward off storms), the candles represent Jesus and the day of his induction into Judaism, and they go toward explaining the name of the holy day, Candlemas.
National Sickie Day
Known as National Sickie Day in the U.K., the first Monday of every February is statistically the day when most workers are likely to call in sick, according to research first conducted by British law firm ELAS in 2011. Experts attribute this to a combination of gloomy weather, post-holiday blues, and seasonal illnesses. Unsurprisingly, depression and anxiety run high during the winter months. Although the term ‘sickie’ implies false pretenses, labor and mental-health advocates argue that the stigma around mental-health issues leads many people to use other, more ‘legitimate’ illnesses as their stated reasons for staying home.
National Lame Duck Day
National Lame Duck Day, celebrated every February 6, observes the day the 20th Amendment was passed, reducing what’s known as the congressional lame-duck period or the weeks between the congressional elections and their inauguration day. During this time, elected officials on their way out of office tend to have less clout and are just waiting for their term to end, thus, they are considered lame ducks. There are other types of political lame ducks that also deserve our attention today so read on to learn more about celebrating National Lame Duck Day!