7 Strange Holidays You Didn’t Even Know To Celebrate On May 29

1. Put A Pillow On Your Fridge Day. This tradition began in the 1900s. Before refrigerators were invented, people would take a strip of cloth that had been torn from their clothing or from their blanket and then place it atop their cupboard for good luck. They believed it would bring them plenty of food with a good harvest.

2. Paper Clip Day. The first official patent for a paper clip came in 1867 by Samuel B. Fay. It was originally intended to keep tickets to fabric, even though our primary use today is to keep papers bound together. Over the years, paper clips have also become a symbol for unity. During World War II Norwegians wore paperclips to silently show they were sticking together until the Nazis found out they were a symbol of resistance and banned them.

3. International Rooster With Wine Day. This is officially known as “International Coq Au Vin Day” which originated in France. Rooster and wine is a dish that grew in popularity when Julia Child included it in one of her cookbooks. It is made by taking a chicken and cooking it slowly with red wine, pork fat, mushrooms, and additional spices.

4. Learn About Composting Day. In case you weren’t aware, composting is when you take certain items of trash and turn them into nutrients for your garden. You can create a compost pile out of most things you stuff in your trash like egg shells, branches, wood, food scraps, and lawn clippings. It encourages your plants to grow in a safe, natural way. Plus, it cuts down on waste, which means you are helping the environment in more ways than one.

5. National Biscuit Day. Biscuits became popular before the Civil War since they were inexpensive and easy to make. They could expand without yeast, they could be cooked quickly, and they were good at absorbing the gravy that would be eaten with them at meals. Plus, they are delicious.

6. World Digestive Health Day. This is a “public health, advocacy and awareness campaign.” It’s meant to teach about preventing certain digestive disorders, how to diagnose them, how to manage them, and how to treat them. If you believe you are suffering from a digestive disorder, don’t let yourself wait any longer to get checked out by a doctor.

7. End of Middle Ages Day. The middle ages ended on this day in 1453. This was the day when “the city of Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Empire after being under siege for almost two months.” The collapse encouraged scholars to flee from Constantinople. Most of them ended up in Italy where they would learn from classical Greek sources and begin the Renaissance period.