Beech Tree News Network

I didn’t realize April is filled with so many holidays and celebrations. Many of those celebrations are a bit unusual, but some are well known. For a detailed list of April holidays and celebrations, please visit http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/april.htm. This page provided links to information about each holiday or celebration listed. Seven celebrations are mentioned below.

April 1^st: April Fools’ Day – This day is celebrated by playing practical jokes and pranks. People who play April Fool jokes let others know about their joke by saying, “April fool!” Although popular since the 19th century, the day is not a public holiday in any country. For teachers, having this day fall on a weekend is a huge blessing.

April 1^st: Easter – This is a holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day after His burial following the crucifixion at Calvary (c. 30 AD). Many will attend church services this day. It is a time of remembrance and worship.

April 13^th: Friday the 13^th – Undoubtedly, superstitious individuals may dread this day. Friday the 13^th is supposedly an unlucky day – a time when bad things might happen. Some movies have encouraged this superstition. However, many people are more like me, taking little notice.

April 17^th: Personal Tax Filing Deadline – The official deadline to file a federal income tax return each year is usually April 15. However, when a tax deadline falls on a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday, the deadline is typically moved to the next business day.So, this year the filing deadline is April 17. April 15 is a Sunday, and April 16 is Emancipation Day - a legal holiday in the District of Columbia. Consequently, individuals have an extra day to file. 

April 22^nd: Earth Day – On the first Earth Day (April 22, 1970), about 20 million Americans protested harmful environmental practices. This effort produced a lasting impact and brought greater awareness to our planet’s limited resources and our eco-system’s self-contained nature. Those things we put into the air, water and/or earth impact us. This day is often used by teachers to focus on healthy environmental practices.

April 25th: Administrative Professionals Day – National Secretary's Day was created in 1952 because Harry F. Klemfuss recognized the importance of the secretarial position to business. Although the name of this special day has changed over time, it provides the opportunity to recognize the contributions of individuals with more varied roles and responsibilities than the original "secretary" role. These individuals are certainly front-line assets.

April 27^th: Arbor Day – This day is always the last Friday in April and has been celebrated since 1872. National Arbor Day is the tree planter's holiday. It began in Nebraska, a largely treeless plain back in the 1800's. It is a day to plant and dedicate a tree to help nature and the environment. The National Arbor Day Foundation provides millions of trees for planting. It is estimated that 18 million trees are planted each year on Arbor Day.

April is filled with holidays and celebrations, including those mentioned above. Amanda Bradley said, “Make every day a holiday and celebrate just living!” (http://www.searchquotes.com/search/Holiday_Celebration/). I’ve heard others say that waking up is cause for celebration. So maybe the more celebrations, the better.