Black Cat Day, Unfriend Day, Baklava Day, more

November 17th, 2012, is National Black Cat Day (Italy), Surin Elephant Round-Up, Electronic Greeting Card Day, Family Volunteer Day, National Survivors of Suicide Day, National Adoption Day, National Unfriend Day, Take a Hike Day, International Day of Students, World Prematurity Day, World Peace Day, National Baklava Day, and Homemade Bread Day.

The Italian Association for the Protection of Animals and the Environment promotes National Black Cat Day, to stop the inhumane killing of black cats in Italy. Many believe black cats bring bad luck or are associated with witchcraft. National Black Cat Day is held on the 17th because many Italians believe the number 17 is also unlucky.

Thailand hosts the Surin Elephant Round-Up on November 17th and 18th this year, featuring the world's largest elephant feeding, known as the elephant breakfast, along with a parade, elephant tug-of-war, and elephant football.

November 17th is Electronic Greeting Card Day. Here are several great sites to get you started: 123Greetings; Blue Mountain; Rattlebox; Someecards; and WrongCards.

The Saturday before Thanksgiving is Family Volunteer Day, encouraging families to do good works as a unit, spreading good will and fostering family unity.

The Saturday before Thanksgiving is also National Survivors of Suicide Day, a "day of healing for bereavement after suicide in English, Spanish & French."

National Adoption Day, again always the Saturday before Thanksgiving, is a time to celebrate and support adoptive families.

Jimmy Kimmel, of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on ABC, is promoting National Unfriend Day. Use the opportunity to prune your friend list on Facebook if you want, but nobody actually equates online friending with real face-to-face, I'll-be-there-if-you're-in-trouble friendship anymore, do they?

Now that the weather is cooling (on my half of the planet, at least), some of us are becoming couch potatoes. If you're in that category, take a cue from today's holiday, Take a Hike Day. Conquer a mountain or walk your dog around the block. It's all good.

International Day of Students is a commemoration of student activism. In 1939 on this date, Nazis stormed the University of Prague.

To commemorate World Prematurity Day, the Global Alliance asks Facebook users to post the following as their status: "I honor the million babies born too soon worldwide who died this year and 12 million more struggling to survive. Join me on World Prematurity Day at http://on.fb.me/nartrr."

Don Morris, who goes by the moniker "Peaceguy," encourages everyone to spread the word about his cause on World Peace Day.

National Baklava Day honors one of my favorite sweet treats. Triangular layers of flaky pastry are laced with honey and nuts. Travel to the Mediterranean via its cuisine.

Nothing makes a house homier than the smell of bread baking in the oven. Celebrate Homemade Bread Day!

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