Every month, we hear about various observances, holidays, and important happenings around the world. We’re never really given much early notice; we’re usually instructed to slap on a red ribbon for AIDS, a pink ribbon for breast cancer, or whatever color there is for whatever campaign is happening! Here are some of the monthly observances happening in April, along with a unique idea for each. What new, unique ideas can you come up with for celebrating or commemorating these events? Feel free to post your responses in the comments.

Jazz Appreciation Month: If you’ve never gone to a jazz club, visit one this month. If you simply can’t, check out a CD from the library and give it a whirl.

Emotional Overeating Awareness Month: Try refraining from judging yourself and your eating habits and simply being aware of them. Do you eat when you are upset? When you are tired, bored, angry? Keep a food journal and log what you ate, when, and how you were feeling. If what you discover is something you want to change, gently start making some small changes. When you do get emotional, try eating an apple or other piece of fruit and see what happens.

Alcohol Awareness Month: Look at the alcohol use not only in your own life, but in the lives of those around you. Can you see anything requiring change? Does it all seem healthy and responsible? Pledge to be the designated driver once.

Frog Month: Start a frog pond in your yard this month. Kits are available at various home improvement stores. Children will get a kick out of watching tadpoles become frogs.

Holy Humor Month: Come up with the most ludicrous church jokes you can. How many clean ones can you come up with? How many not-so-clean? Tell a joke to your priest and see if he likes it (one of the clean ones, of course).

Car Care Month: Check over your car and see what it needs. A tune up? New breaks? Maybe just a nice washing at the local car wash? Detail it with your family if you feel like it and it will feel like a brand new car. Grab your favorite scented oil and treat it to a fresh aroma that will please you while driving.

Celebrate Diversity Month: Pledge to read a book every week about someone a different sex, color, sexual orientation, ability, or religion than you. Introduce your children to lots of different people and places this way.

Keep America Beautiful Month: Volunteer to do a litter pick up, educate a class about recycling, or simply teach your own children how to be responsible stewards of the earth. Watch Ferngully and discuss what happened with children. Start a compost bin.