New year, birthdays, anniversaries - at any moment, someone, somewhere in the world is having a party. So we have put together a whole year of excuses for you to get out the glad rags and celebrate. In fact, we were spoiled for possibilities. And let’s not forget that this is the year that Britain’s favourite coffee turns 70. We couldn’t have got this far without you, so we hope you’ll be celebrating with us. What a great excuse to invite friends round for coffee!
June
Father’s Day on June 20 may be an invention of the greetings card industry but what’s wrong with throwing a party for the old man? The Queen has her official birthday on June 16 with her very own birthday honours list. And there’s the Summer Solstice on June 21. If you can’t join the druids at Stonehenge, find yourself an east facing garden (or window) invite some friends around and welcome in the dawn with a cup of NESCAFÉ.
July
Keep an eye on the sky on July 15. If it rains, you may not feel in party mood. This is St Swithin’s Day and a wet one means a further 40 days of dampness. Still, there’s always American independence to celebrate on July 4. In fact, there’s a whole clutch of July independence days – Burundi (1st), Algeria, Venezuela and the Cape Verde Islands (5th), Malawi (6th), Argentina (9th), Bahamas (10th), Slovakia (17th), Belgium (21st), Liberia and the Maldives (26th) and Peru (28th).
August
The month starts with Lammas Day – marking the start of the wheat harvest. It would be great to celebrate the start of the coffee picking season but it varies from country to country. No matter, this is festival month with pretty much something for everyone from Cheltenham and Edinburgh to Reading and the Notting Hill Carnival if you fancy a samba with a policeman.
September
World Maritime Day in the last week of the month would be great day for a party on the water, even if it’s only a picnic with a couple of pedaloes in the local boating park. Why not get a happy few together on the 15th to celebrate the plucky heroes of the Battle of Britain? And if you can’t wait for New Year to come round, Jewish New Year is on the 7th.
October
Beer, battles and things that go bump in the night this month. Have your own Oktoberfest just like Munich. It’s a great excuse to eat sausages and sample lots of different beers. If you like a party with a military theme, this is your month, with the anniversaries of the Battle of Hastings (14th), Trafalgar (21st) and Agincourt (25th). Then treat yourself to a Halloween party on the 31st.
November
Remember, remember but who could ever forget Guy Fawkes Night? Fireworks displays seem to go on all year, nowadays, but there’s nothing like the original bonfire party. And Scots won’t be allowing St Andrew’s Day to go unmarked. It’s on November 30.
December
With the season of office shindigs and Christmas indulgence nearly upon us, followed swiftly by New Year or Hogmanay, December is paradise for party-goers. Spare a thought though for those with birthdays this month and maybe raise a glass to Jane Austen on December 16.
January 09
You may feel like a break by now but there’s no reason for the dedicated party-thrower to chuck in the towel. Make Christmas last a little longer by celebrating Epiphany or Three Kings Day on January 6. The Mexicans bake special crown cakes for the occasion. And talking of kings, how about a karaoke evening for Elvis’ birthday on January 8? Then there’s Chinese New Year on January 26 (if you’ve recovered from Burns’ Night, the night before).
February 09
Valentine’s Day, of course, is more for a tête-à -tête than a shindig but February has no shortage of party excuses. Best of all has to be Carnival, the celebration which ends with Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday on February 24. This has always been an excuse for a great celebration before Lent in Catholic countries. Sounds good to us.
March 09
Why not follow the Japanese and visit the first cherry blossom in your local park? ‘Hanami’ is what they call it in Japan and it’s an opportunity to pack a picnic and party while admiring nature at her finest. If you’d rather celebrate indoors, of course, there’s always St David’s Day on March 1, St Patrick’s on the 17th and Mothering Sunday on the 22nd, bless her.
April
It’s St George’s Day on April 23. The English are always a little reticent about making a big thing of it but surely we can manage more than a red rose in the buttonhole? And if ‘to party or not to party’ is the question, remember it’s Shakespeare’s birthday too.
May
May Day celebrations date back centuries, so here’s your chance to welcome in the summer in time-honoured style. If you don’t have a maypole to dance around, you could always join in one of the day’s local festivals, from Padstow’s ‘Obby ‘Oss to Rochester’s dancing chimney sweeps. Those folk certainly knew how to party.
Have a great year!