There are an abundance of unusual holidays in January that we can use to add a touch of something different to our stories. If you write thrillers, a crime could be centered around one of these lesser known holidays. Of if you write historical romance, a sizzling romance could center around one of these unusual days. In this article, I'll tell you about the unusual holidays from the twentieth day of January until the twenty-fourth day of January. Some days I will talk a bit about, others I won't. References to the mentioned holidays can easily be found on the internet if you want to know more about them.


January 20
National Buttercrunch Day - This one speaks for itself.
Penguin Awareness Day - Wear black and white today. Tell some penguin jokes. Read some books about penguins or look them up on the internet. Even better, write a story about penguins or a story that includes a penguin.

January 21
ARFMA Fancy Rat and Mouse Day - I'm not sure exactly what to think about a day to celebrate rats and mice, but I would celebrate it by writing a story that included rats and /or mice. I'm not scared of them, but these are rodents I don't want around me unless they are in a book!
Hugging Day - Give out some hugs today. Hugs are awesome and show you care.
Squirrel Appreciation Day - I'll be honest – I am not fond of squirrels. They are cute, but when I had bird feeders out years ago, they were a menace. But even squirrels need to eat. During this time of year when winter weather tends to be brutal, have pity on these rodents with big, bushy tails and put some nuts and birdseed out for them. Trust me, they love birdseed!

January 22
Answer Your Cat's Questions Day - Think about it. Your cat must have some questions that he or she would love for you to answer. Look deep into your cat's eyes and answer the questions that you believe your feline has.
Blonde Brownie Day - This is the day for those who prefer to eat blonde brownies. How does one make blonde brownies? Simply substitute light brown sugar for dark brown sugar in the recipe. Enjoy.

January 23
Measure Your Feet Day - This is a day to measure your feet. Why? I have no clue, but that is what you are supposed to do today. You can measure how long your feet are,It then measure their width. Then, just for fun, maybe you can measure someone else's feet. Then for some more fun, make up a story about the reason this holiday was invented.
National Handwriting Day - Handwriting seems to be going out of style these days. On this day, look at the importance of handwriting. This holiday was established by the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association  in 1977 to, of course, urge people to buy pens, pencils, and paper; all of these things are very important for writers to have. January 23 was chosen because it is the birthday of John Hancock, the famous signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Pie Day - It's not hard to figure out what this day is celebrating.
Snowplow Mailbox Hockey Day - You can probably guess what this holiday is all about. If you choose to celebrate it by driving a snowplow and playing hockey with mailboxes, it could en up getting you arrested, so why not celebrate it in a way that is legal? Write a story about someone playing snowplow hockey with mailboxes. Maybe even make the game a legal contest so no one is arrested in your tale.

January 24
Beer Can Appreciation Day - Did you know that there are people who collect beer cans? Yeah, surprised me a bit. Apparently, there is a big market out there for old, perfectly kept beer cans. And lots of ideas for stories. Anyway, this day celebrates the day in 1935 when beer was first sold in cans.
Belly Laugh Day - This is a day to laugh. At 2:14 p.m. local time, smile, throw your arms in the air and laugh out loud. You will be joining millions of others around the world doing just the same. Laughter is beneficial to your health, so let this be the start of a new habit.
Compliment Day - Today you need to compliment others. Your goal is sincerely compliment at least five different people. If you find something positive to say to even more people, then do it. Receiving compliments is great and the compliment you give a person may just be the highlight of their day.
Talk Like a Grizzled Prospector Day - Talking like a grizzled prospector is a fun way to commemorate an important nugget of California history. On this day in 1848, James Marshall discovered the few nuggets of gold that led to the Gold Rush. Exactly how does a grizzled prospector talk? I'm not sure, so just use your imagination.