Ostrich Weekly Forecast: Dec 2

As I write this, we're enjoying the first frost of the season here at Ostrich Central. We've also had a few days of sunshine, which shines almost sideways this time of year. When you go a few weeks without seeing the sun, you don't mind it stooping to peek in your windows. If you want an uplifting thought, you can contemplate that it's only three weeks until the winter solstice, and the days will start getting longer again. Or, if you want a depressing thought, contemplate that it won't be this light again until mid-January.

Turning to the calendar, I'll note first a couple of real-life concerts by our vocal nonet, Fifth Sunday, coming up December 7th at the Grotto Festival of Lights, 7 pm, and a free concert December 10th at St. Ignatius Church, 7:30 pm.

Then I see a glut of holidays too obvious to note, so I won't bother telling you which dates claim National Cookie Day, National Pastry Day, National Gingerbread House Day, National Eggnog Day, or National Pumpkin Pie Day. I can lend some hype to National Cocoa Day, December 13th, since that sounds nice, as does the 16th, National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day.

Also in December:

• National Mutt Day, July 31 and Dec 2 (a fitting conjugation of two dissimilar dates)
• Bathtub Party Day, Dec 5
• National Microwave Oven Day, Dec 6, which feels right for the date
• National Gazpacho Day, also the 6th, which—sorry, cold soup, get lost until June
• Pretend to be a Time Traveler Day, Dec 8
• National Day of the Horse, Dec 13
• Also the 13th, Pick a Pathologist Day, which is, like Yule, the vestige of an ancient rite that now seems quaint
• National Monkey Day, Dec 14
• Cat Herders' Day, Dec 15
• National Underdog Day, the third Friday in December
• Phileas Fogg Win a Wager Day, Dec 21 (there's still time for a last-minute circumnavigation, if you're quick)
• A'phabet Day (an actually listed holiday), Dec 25, which is also the first day of Hanukkah
• National Whiners' Day, Dec 26
• Finishing out the year, National Bicarbonate of Soda Day, Dec 30, in honor of the real Christmas hero. Thanks for all the heavy lifting!