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NAMING OF DAYS OF THE WEEK
The Babylonians named each of the days after one of the planetary bodies known to them,
a custom later adopted by the Romans, which continued with the Julian and Gregorian Calendars.
- Sunday (Sun's-day) - First day of the week, named for the Sun, Sun's-day
- Monday (Moon's-day) - Second day of the week, named for the Moon, Moon's-day
- Tuesday (Mars's-day) - From the Roman warrior god Mars, the Anglo-Saxon word for the warrior god of the Teutonic mythology Tiu or Tiw, Tiw's-day
- Wednesday (Mercury's-day) - From the Roman god of peace and prosperity, the Teutonic god Wotan, Wotan's-day
- Thursday (Jupiter's-day) - From the Roman god of lightning, thunder and the husband of Juno. The Scandinavian god Thor, known as the thunder-god, Thor's-day
- Friday (Venus'-day) - Roman goddess of the spring seasons, Greek goddess of love. The name Frigg, the Scandianavian goddess of Love, Frigg's-day
- Saturday (Saturn's-day) - From the planet Saturn, a Roman god of planting and harvest, Saturn's-day
NUMBER OF DAYS IN THE MONTHS
The number of days in each month has remained unchanged for 2000 years (since 45 B.C., when Julius Caesar introduced the Julian Calendar). This well-known mnemonic rhyme has been around for over 400 years, to indicate the exact number of days in each different month:
30 days hath September,
April, June and November,
All the rest have 31,
Excepting February alone
(And that has 28 days clear,
with 29 in each leap year).
The number of days in each month can also be found by counting across the knuckles and valleys on the back of each clenched fist (from left to right):
Each "knuckle" month has 31 days, while each "valley" month has 30 days (except February which has either 28 or 29 due to leap year).
Did you know that months that start with a Sunday always have a Friday the 13th?
NAMING THE MONTHS
The names of the months originated from the Roman calendar. Mostly from the pre-Julian (or "Nunian") calendar where September was Septilis (Latin for seventh month) and is still the seventh month counting from March. Similarly October, November and December mean eighth, ninth, and tenth month. The fifth month was Quinctilis until it was renamed Julius July) in honour of Julius Caesar. His successor the emperor Augustus then renamed Sextilis after himself too August). Augustus also added a day to August (making 31) to match that of Julius.
The remaining months are either named after Roman gods (Janus, Mars, Maia, Juno) or have a religious significance (Februarius meaning ‘purification month before the new year cycle, and Aprilis being connected to well-being and prosperity).
DAYS OF THE YEAR
Years are classified as normal years of 365 days and leap years of 366 days. Leap years occur in years that are evenly divisible by 4. For this purpose, year 0 (or 1 B.C.) is considered evenly divisible by 4. The year is divided into twelve formalized months that were eventually adopted for the Gregorian calendar.
There are 365 days in one year
EQUINOX AND SOLSTICE
- Daylight Savings Time Starts, April 4, 2004 - set clocks ahead one hour
- Daylight Savings Time Ends, October 31, 2004 - set clocks back one hour
- First Day of Spring, March 20 (Vernal Equinox - day and night are equal length)
- First day of Summer, June 20 (Summer Solstice - longest day of the year)
- First day of Fall, September 22 (Autumnal Equinox - day and night are equal length)
- First day of Winter, December 21 (Winter Solstice - shortest day of the year)
FEDERAL HOLIDAYS
Many Federal, State, City, Postal, and Banks are closed in observance of the holiday. When a holiday falls on a Sunday the following Monday is observed. When a holiday falls on a Saturday the preceding Friday is observed. Work schedules may or may not be affected by these holidays.
- New Year's Day, January 1st
- Martin Luther King's Birthday, third Monday in January
- Inauguration Day, January 20th every four years
- Washington's Birthday, third Monday in February
- Inauguration Day, March 4th every four years
- Armed Forces Day, third Saturday in May
- Memorial Day, last Monday in May (formerly known as Decoration Day)
- Flag Day, June 14th
- Independence Day, July 4
- Labor Day, first Monday in September
- Columbus Day, second Monday in October
- Election Day, Tuesday on or after November 2
- Veterans Day, November 11th (formerly known as Armistice)
- Thanksgiving Day, fourth Thursday in November
- Christmas Day, December 25th
OTHER CELEBRATED OBSERVANCES
The term observed refers to the day a holiday is celebrated. These are widely recognized and celebrated dates that don't normally affect work schedules.
- Groundhog Day, February 2
- Lincoln's Birthday, February 12
- Valentine's Day, February 14
- Washington's Birthday, February 22
- St. Patrick's Day, March 17
- April Fools's Day, April 1
- Easter Sunday, April 11
- Earth Day, April 22 (since 1970)
- Administrative Assistants' Day, Wednesday of the last full week of April (formerly known as Secretaries' Day)
- Arbor Day, last Friday in April, (varies with planting conditions, may occur from September to May)
- Cinco de Mayo, May 5
- Mothers' Day, second Sunday in May
- Fathers' Day, third Sunday in June
- Parents' Day, fourth Sunday in July
- Grandparents' Day, Sunday after Labor Day
- Stepfamily Day, September 16
- Citizenship Day, September 17
- Columbus Day (traditional), October 12
- United Nations Day, October 24
- Halloween, October 31
- Election Day, first tuesday after first Monday in Nov
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