January marks the annual arrival of several major Holidays that warrant time off work, including New Year's Day and Martin Luther King Day. However, the month is also filled with several non-traditional, and even strange holidays that just don't get the recognition they deserve. Weaving around Marzipan Day, Tin Can Day, and Buffet Day are these oft-forgotten days to celebrate.

January 18: Thesaurus Day

The Roget's Thesaurus was first published in 1852, marking the first modern compilation of word synonyms. It is widely thought that Peter Mark Roget had completed the reference book in 1805 as a means to combat the depression he had struggled with for most of his life.

Use this day to combat your languishing vocabulary by learning some impactful words to impress your friends and colleagues with.

January 20: Penguin Awareness Day

Not to be confused with World Penguin Day on April 25 -- yes, these beautiful, flightless birds have two days celebrating how fabulous they are -- today is a day to brush up on your penguin trivia, as well as to learn a fun fact or two about these adorable creatures:

Did you know there is a species called the Macaroni penguin? While they were named for the impressive yellow crest on their heads, it had nothing to do with the popular pasta dish -- a "macaroni" was an 18th-century man who was especially well-dressed and flamboyant about his fashion.

Apparently, these Penguins really impressed those Antarctic explorers!

January 22: Hot Sauce Day

With hundreds of hot sauces on the market today, from dozens of countries around the world, it would be impossible to try them all in one day.

However, Hot Sauce Day is an excellent time to drop some knowledge on your friends -- at your favorite spicy restaurant, perhaps?

While most people probably think chipotle or jalapeño peppers are the main sources of hot sauces, that is actually only true of the bottles produced in Mexico. If you were on vacation in Jamaica, you would be far more likely to sample sauces made with scotch bonnet peppers which are about 1000x hotter than jalapeños!

As for how peppers, and as such hot sauce, "hotness" is determined -- Wilbur L. Scoville developed a test way back in 1912 while working for a pharmaceutical company that is still in use today.

  • Jalapeño peppers rate between 2,500 - 5,000 Scoville Units
  • Red Savina Habanero peppers rate between 350,000–570,000 Scoville Units
  • Dragon's Breath chili pepper is the world's hottest at 2.48 million Scoville Units

January 28: Data Privacy and Protection Day

With the repeal of net neutrality laws, there may be a reason to be concerned about personal data privacy as the FCC has been urged in the past to investigate internet and phone providers for disclosing customer record information to the NSA and other government organizations.

Data Privacy Day was established in 2007 by the Council of Europe, before being unanimously passed by the US House of Representatives in 2009, first as a way for businesses to become more aware of data security issues and eventually evolving into a consumer-focused education platform. Individuals are encouraged to use the #PrivacyAware hashtag to find and share tips for staying safe in an increasingly connected world.
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