National Jan Day, celebrated on June 17, commemorates the distinguished European name, Jan, used for boys and girls. Jan is a popular choice in Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Germany, as a first and middle name. There’s no shortage of famous men and women who have shared this name, including politicians, scientists, musicians, and actors. ‘Jan’ is the anglicized version of ‘John’ and may also serve as the short form of Janice or Janet. The name’s versatility is its strongest suit. Aside from Europe, the name appears in Afrikaans and Kazakh dialects proving its long history and widespread popularity.
European Neighbors’ Day
European Neighbors’ Day is celebrated annually on the last Friday of May and this year will be marked on May 29. The day aims to promote interaction and camaraderie amongst community members. Individualization, loneliness, and withdrawal seemed to be on the rise. Communities and neighborhoods were not interacting socially and people weren’t networking. European Neighbors’ Day encourages people to get together and get to know each other to deepen bonds within communities. Despite the name, European Neighbors’ Day is celebrated around the world. With its growing success, it has even crossed European borders. 1,450 partner cities are involved, housing organizations & associations are participating in over 49 countries, and there have been more than 30 million participants.
National George Day
National George Day is observed on May 25 annually. The day is designed to express our appreciation for everyone named George, so if you’re named George or know someone named George, use this day to honor them (or yourself). ‘George is a masculine name derived from the Greek word ‘Georgios,’ which means ‘farmer.’ It is a fairly common name for children and is typically masculine. Read on to learn more about the origins of this much-loved name.