Wear Red Day, Bean Throwing Festival, more

February 3rd, 2012, is National Wear Red Day, Bean Throwing Festival, Bubble Gum Day, The Day the Music Died, Halfway Point of Winter, Give Kids a Smile Day, National Patient Recognition Day, Heroes' Day (Mozambique), Saint Blaise Day, Four Chaplains Memorial Day, and National Carrot Cake Day.

On National Wear Red Day, Americans are asked to wear red in a show of support for women's heart health.

Japan celebrates the Bean Throwing Festival on February 3rd. People who were born in the corresponding year - the Year of the Dragon in 2012 - throw beans to the crowd to ward off evil spirits. Afterward, everyone eats the same number of beans as their age, to promote good health in the coming year. I sure hope the older folks like beans!

Bubble Gum Day is a fun and creative way to raise funds for charity. Simply offer the privilege of chewing gum in class or at the office, in exchange for fifty cents. All money is donated to a worthy cause. Everybody wins - gum lovers, people in need, and gum producers.

On The Day the Music Died, in 1959, the world lost Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens, three respected musicians of their time. Don McLean wrote and performed what would become his biggest hit in tribute:

Never mind the groundhog, the hedgehog, or whatever other critters people watched yesterday for prognostications about spring. Today is the true Halfway Point of Winter.

The American Dental Association sponsors Give Kids a Smile Day. Their goal is the elimination of cavities in children's teeth by the year 2020.

As part of National Patient Recognition Week, February 3rd is National Patient Recognition Day. A great reward for many of us patients would be less time spent in waiting rooms. Am I right, fellow patients?

Mozambique observes Heroes' Day, remembering those who lost their lives fighting for their country's freedom in 1975.

Saint Blaise Day honors the patron saint of throat ailments.

Four Chaplains Memorial Day is a time to remember four brave chaplains - George Fox, Alexander Goode, Clark Poling, and John Washington - who gave their lives to save others after the S.S. Dorchester was torpedoed during World War II.

Is it a vegetable or a cake? Well, it's a sneaky way to smuggle some veggies into the reluctant eater's dessert. Happy smuggling on National Carrot Cake Day.

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