“It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold

over the grassy hillside.”

—Maud Hart Lovelace

“No price is set on the lavish summer;

June may be had by the poorest comer.”

—James Russell Lowell, “The Vision of Sir Launfal”

When I turned my wall calendar page to June this morning, I found a list of 2012 international holidays stapled inside. I was about to toss it, when I stopped to take a look. Along with the more traditional holidays like Christmas, New Year’s and various independence days, other countries celebrate some memorable and colorful holidays such as:

Picnic Day (Australia—Aug. 6) 

Tomb-Sweeping Day (China and Hong Kong—Apr. 4) 

Day of Goodwill (South Africa—Dec. 26) 

Waitangi Day (New Zealand—Feb. 6) 

Coming of Age Day, Children’s Day, Respect for the Aged Day (Japan—Jan. 9, May 5 and Sept. 1, respectively)    

Not to brag or anything, but we here in the U.S. have quite the array of holidays and  “National Month/Day of” designations ourselves. For example, in addition to the well-known Father’s Day and Flag Day, June contains some of most lighthearted and silly of these.  How about Chimborazo Day (June 3)—celebrating an inactive volcano that is supposedly the point on Earth that is closest to the Moon and farthest from the Earth’s center? Food lovers celebrate National Cheese Day (June 4), National Chocolate Ice Cream Day (June 7), Iced Tea Day (June 10), Corn on the Cob Day (June 11), National Fudge Day (June 16) and National Bomb Pop Day (June 28)—among others!

To work off all that ice cream and cheese, you can get outside for National Trails Day (June 2), National Running Day (June 6—also National Yo-Yo Day) or Go Fly a Kite Day (June 5).

Other days of note: Weed your Garden Day (June 13), World Juggling Day (June 16), Eat Your Vegetables Day (June 17), Take Your Dog to Work Day (June 22), Camera Day (June 29), and Meteor Day (June 30).

And, of course, there’s always Donald Duck’s birthday. Mr. Duck made his first appearance in the cartoon “The Wise Little Hen” on June 9, 1934. Happy 78^th birthday, D.D.!

Believe it or not, these are just a few of the days in June with official celebrations! Click here for a more complete listing.

What do you want to celebrate today? Me, I’m celebrating National Doughnut Day—meet me at Krispy Kreme for a free doughnut!