Happy Frog Jumping Day

Frog Jumping Day, which always occurs on May 13th, got a bad deal this year.  Completely eclipsed by Mother’s Day in the United States and other countries, Frog Jumping Day has received absolutely none of the publicity it deserves.  Even Hallmark, generally more than willing to leverage any holiday into a commercial money-making machine, seems to be determined to thumb its nose at Frog Jumping Day, which I think is a serious error.  I mean, think about it.  Not everyone has a mom to honor, unfortunately, but anyone can get involved in frog jumping.  It is truly a non-partisan holiday.  Inspired by author Mark Twain’s entertaining short story, “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”, Frog Jumping Day is feted every year at the Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee in California.  But, there’s nothing stopping you from making a day of it in your own hometown.

While you’re busy coaxing frogs to jump, be on the lookout for leprechauns.  It’s Leprechaun Day today, too.  The uninformed might believe that this is celebrated on St. Patrick’s Day in March or on National Limerick Day (which was yesterday).  Based on what I know about them, the leprechauns would probably prefer that you keep thinking that.  They aren’t too fond of extra attention, I hear.  Which kind of begs the question of who lobbied for a day in their honor to begin with.  But the fact remains that today is their day, too.

photo credit: http://www.theultimateholidaysite.com

It seems to me that all of this overlap is poor planning on the part of the members of the Official Ridiculous Holiday Committee.  If you take a look at other days in this month, you can see that a little rearranging would create a better flow in the month of May.  I mean, clearly, Mother’s Day, Visit Your Relatives Day, and No Dirty Dishes Day are just meant to be celebrated simultaneously.  And why you wouldn’t put World Turtle Day and Frog Jumping Day on the same calendar block is beyond me.  I can see the logic, however, in not grouping National Escargot Day or National Sea Monkey Day in that bunch.

Since you asked, yes, I am having a great Frog Jumping/Leprechaun Hunting/Mother’s Day.  I’m a little busy rehearsing, though.  Tomorrow is Dance Like a Chicken Day, and I want to be prepared.  According to my daughter, I dance more like a frog on a hot frying pan.  Which was a pretty callous remark when you think about it.  After all, it’s Frog Jumping Day.

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