February 2

 Holidays and Observances
(Alphabetical Order)

2023 Daily Holidays that fall on February 2, include:

• Ayn Rand Day 
  
• Bonza Bottler Day 
• California Kiwi Fruit Day 
• Candlemas 
• Crepe Day 
• Groundhog Day 
• Groundhog Job Shadow Day 
• Heavenly Hash Day 
• Hedgehog Day 
• Imbolic  
• Lung Leavin' Day 
• Marmot Day (Alaska) 
• National Sweater Day (In Canada) - February 2, 2023 (First Thursday in February)
• Rheumatoid Awareness Day 
• Self Renewal Day 
• Sled Dog Day 
• Tater Tot Day 
• The Record of a Sneeze Day 
• World Play Your Ukulele Day 
• World Wetlands Day 

2023 Weekly Holidays that include February 2, are:

• African Heritage & Health Week - February 1-7
• Catholic Schools Week - January 29, 2023 - February 4, 2023 (Begins on the last Sunday in January)
• Cordova Ice Worm Days - January 28 - February 4, 2023
  
• National Cowboy Poetry Gathering Week - January 30 - February 4, 2023
• National Meat Week - January 29 - February 4, 2023 (8 Days starting on the fourth Sunday)
• National Patient Recognition Week - February 1-7
• Publicity for Profit Week - February 2-8
  
• Solo Diners Eat Out Week - February 1-7
• Take a New Year's Resolution to Stop Smoking Month (TANYRSS) - December 17, 2022 - February 5, 2023; December 17, 2023 - February 5, 2024
• Tax Identity Theft Week - January 30, 2023 - February 3, 2023 (5 Days Starting the Last Monday in January)
• U.S. Snow Sculpting Week - February 1-5, 2023
• Women's Heart Week - February 1-7 (Annually for 7 days starting February 1)
• World Interfaith Harmony Week - February 1-7 (First Week of February)

2023 Monthly Holidays that include February 2, are:

There are too many monthly holidays to include here, so please check out our February Holidays page to see all of the holidays that are celebrated the entire month of February.

NOTE:

1. A page on each holiday will be coming soon and linked above.
2. If a date is a movable holiday, that is different every year, I'll include the year as well as the date rule above. Otherwise, the holiday falls on the same date each year.

World Festivals and Events
(Date Order)

• Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival - Usually starts annually on January 5, and typically runs for a month or more, in Harbin, China and is the largest ice and snow festival in the world! 2023 dates are December 23, 2022 - February 28, 2023
• Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show - January 13 - February 4, 2023 (Fort Worth, TX)
  
• Chinese New Year Festival and Parade - (San Francisco) - January 14 - March 5, 2023, Parade on February 4, 2023
• Saint Paul Winter Carnival - January 26 - February 5, 2023 (St. Paul, MN)

Astrological Sign

The Astrological Sign for February 2 is an Aquarius.

Birth Flower of the Month

The Birth Flower(s) for the Month for February are:

• Violet - symbolizes faithfulness, loyalty, humility, wisdom, and hope
  
• Primrose - Modesty, distinction, and virtue
  
  

Birthstone

The Birthstone for February is Amethyst.

Famous Birthdays

• 1887 – Pat Sullivan, Australian cartoonist, pioneer animator and film producer (Felix the Cat) (d. 1933)
• 1895 – George Halas, American NFL co-founder (d. 1983)
• 1897 – Howard Johnson, American hotelier (d. 1972)
• 1937 – Tom Smothers, American musician and comedian (The Smothers Brothers)
• 1942 – Graham Nash, English-American musician (The Hollies and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young)
• 1947 – Farrah Fawcett, American actress (d. 2009)
• 1954 – Christie Brinkley, American model
• 1977 – Shakira, Colombian singer

Famous Deaths

• 1804 – George Walton, Signer of the Declaration of Independence (b. 1749-50)
• 1987 – Alistair MacLean, Scottish novelist (b. 1922)  Three of his books were made into successful films - The Guns of Navarone, Ice Station Zebra and Where Eagles Dare.
• 1992 – Bert Parks, American television host, best known for hosting the annual Miss America telecast from 1955 to 1979 (b. 1914)
• 1996 – Gene Kelly, American dancer, actor, and director (b. 1912)
• 2013 – Chris Kyle, former Navy SEAL, deadliest sniper in United States military history, with 160 confirmed kills (out of 255 claimed kills) (b. 1974)
  
  

R.I.P. - Chris Kyle - True Hero!

Famous Weddings and Divorces

• 1870 - American writer, Samuel Langhorne Clemens who went by the pen name of Mark Twain, marries Olivia Langdon
• 1957 - Liz Taylor's 3rd marriage to Mike Todd
• 2008 - Singer-actress Katharine McPhee, weds producer Nick Cokas

Quote of the Day

While it may never be possible for Peace on this Earth, each of us can work towards more Love and Peace in our own lives.  Stop the negativity, be positive, be kind to those around you, take time for your family, hang out with people who encourage you and lift you up, rather than those who drag you down.  There are lots of ways that we can work to create more harmony in our lives! Practice the Golden Rule daily! Be an example to others!

Recipe of the Day or a
Healthy Diet Habit Tip of the Day

February 2, is Heavenly Hash Day, which is actually a desert with marshmallows that you can make into ice cream, brownies and add fruit if you choose.  Unfortunately, Kerry hasn't made that recipe yet, so I've chosen her Simple Hash Recipe as the Holidays and Observances February 2, Recipe of the Day. (link opens a new browser in her Healthy Diet Habits website) Hash is a one-pan meal that has all ingredients chopped into small pieces, and then stir-fried together in a bit of oil. It is a great recipe to modify, and include ingredients that you love!

This Day in History

• 1811 - Russian settlers establish the Ft Ross trading post, north of San Francisco
• 1848 – During the California Gold Rush, the first ship with Chinese immigrants arrives in San Francisco, California.
• 1863 - Samuel Clemens takes up the pen name of Mark Twain for the 1st time
• 1887 – In Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania the first Groundhog Day is observed
• 1892 - Bottle cap with cork seal patented by William Painter (Baltimore)
• 1899 – The Australian Premiers' Conference held in Melbourne decides to locate Australia's capital city, Canberra, between Sydney and Melbourne. (Kerry and I actually lived in Canberra, Australia when we were growing up and our Dad who was in the Army was stationed there!)
• 1901 - Female Army Nurse Corps established as a permanent organization
• 1913 – Grand Central Terminal is opened in New York City.
• 1922 - It was 2:22:22 on 2/2/22
• 1926 - 3 men dance Charleston for 22 hours
• 1932 - Al Capone is sent to prison in Atlanta, Georgia
• 1933 - 2 days after becoming Chancellor, Adolf Hitler dissolves Parliament
• 1935 - Lie detector is 1st used in court in Portage, Wisconsin
• 1943 - Battle of Stalingrad ends with final surrender of the German army, the turning point in WW II
• 1962 - 8 of 9 planets align for 1st time in 400 years
• 1964 - GI Joe, debuts as a popular American boy's toy
• 1974 – The F-16 Fighting Falcon flies for the first time.
• 1980 - FBI releases details of Abscam, a sting operation that targeted 31 elected & public officials for bribes for political favors

This Day in Music

• 1940 - Frank Sinatra's singing debut in Indianapolis with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
  
• 1959 - Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper play their last show as part of the "Winter Dance Party" tour
  
• 1974 - Barbra Streisand's The Way We Were hits #1
• 1991 - Sting scores his second UK #1 album with The Soul Cages
• 1999 - Freddy Fender is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• 2003 - Jennifer Lopez starts a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart with All I Have
• 2011 - The White Stripes break up - reason given was, "mostly to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band and have it stay that way".

This Day in Sports

• 1876 - Baseball's National League forms with teams in Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Hartford, Louisville, New York, Philadelphia, St Louis
• 1892 - Longest boxing match under modern rules; 77 rounds in Nameoki, Illinois between Harry Sharpe & Frank Crosby
• 1913 - NY football Giants sign Jim Thorpe
• 1964 - Red Faber, Burleigh Grimes, Tim Keefe, Heinie Manush, John Montgomery Ward, & Miller Huggins are selected to Hall of Fame
• 1967 - Formation of American Basketball Association is announced
• 1972 - Lefty Gomez, Ross Youngs & William Harridge selected for Hall of Fame
• 1975 - US female Figure Skating championship won by Dorothy Hamill
• 1975 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Gordon McKellen Jr
• 1985 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Brian Boitano

Word of the Day from Wiktionary

Wishing You a Great Day Today!