Sure, you’re accustomed to promoting books in tune with Presidents’ Day (Feb. 15th this year), and National Poetry Month in April. But when was the last time you tied titles to National Bird-Feeding Month (January) or brought out your manners-themed stock for International Civility Month (May)?
With the help of Chase’s Calendar of Events and the McGraw-Hill website, I’ve included a few "Special Month" designations below that seemed like they might lend themselves to some unique and/or entertaining in-store displays, library events, and/or publisher/author marketing opportunities. You should read over the complete list of 2010 Special Months yourselves, though, to see if others strike your fancy. National Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month (February), perhaps?
If you want ideas for week-long celebrations and noteworthy days, take a look at the listings on BrownieLocks.
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January is National Hot Tea Month
January is Oatmeal Month (Promote your Goldilocks books here.)
January is National Bird-Feeding Month
January is International Creativity Month
January is Get Organized Month
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February is Black History Month
February is Library Lovers’ Month
February is Spunky Old Broads Month (I think a great event series could be tied to this one!)
February is National Weddings Month
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March is Women’s History Month
March is National Craft Month
March is Expanding Girls’ Horizons in Science and Engineering Month
March is National March into Literacy Month
March is Music in Our Schools Month
March is National Peanut Month
March is National Umbrella Month
March is Youth Art Month
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April is National Poetry Month
April is National Card and Letter Writing Month (No, this one wasn’t coined by Hallmark. It was the U.S.P.S. who started this written correspondance initiative.)
April is International Customer Loyalty Month
April is National Humor Month
April is Jazz Appreciation Month
April is National Kite Month
April is Physical Wellness Month
April is School Library Media Month
April is Straw Hat Month (I love picturing the covers of the books on this display…)
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May is National Barbecue Month
May is International Civility Month
May is National Egg Month (Hold onto some of those books from your Easter display in April!)
May is Get Caught Reading Month
May is Gifts from the Garden Month
May is National Moving Month
May is National Salad Month
May is Teen Self-Esteem Month (Think of all the YA novels that would be a good fit here…)
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June is National Candy Month
June is National GLBT Book Month
June is Great Outdoors Month
June is Dairy Month
June is National Rivers Month
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July is National Blueberries Month (Blueberries for Sal goes here.)
July is Family Reunion Month
July is National Hot Dog Month (I see lots of dachshund books…)
July is National Ice Cream Month
July is International Zine Month
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August is Audio Appreciation Month
August is Get Ready for Kindergarten Month
August is National Inventors’ Month
August is National What Will Be Your Legacy? Month (put Miss Rumphius on display)
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September is Be Kind to Writers and Editors Month
September is National Chicken Month
September is National Coupon Month
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month
September is National Piano Month
September is Shameless Promotion Month (I can already see the mailings I’ll be receiving: "In honor of Shameless Promotion Month I am writing to shamelessly promote X…")
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October is National Bake and Decorate Month
October is Children’s Magazine Month
October is Eat Better, Eat Together Month
October is National Go on a Field Trip Month
October is Photographer Appreciation Month
October is National Reading Group Month
October is National Squirrel Awareness Month (We have done squirrel-specific displays in the past but were’t aware we could be increasing people’s "Squirrel Awareness" in the process… Must make a new sign for that display.)
October is National Vegetarian Month
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November is National Adoption Month
November is Family Stories Month
November is National Inspirational Role Models Month
November is National Lifewriting Month
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December is National Tie Month
December is National Spiritual Literacy Month
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Do you have a favorite odd or lesser-known occasion you like to celebrate or promote in your store/library/home/office? If so, please share it with the rest of us so that we can celebrate too!
And January is National Skating Month, according to the US Figure Skating Association. (says Kate, who swears she did not just make that up because she has a figure skating novel coming out in December)
I love this list! We have ‘celebrated’ National Squirrel Awareness month before and it was a hoot. The Salad Awareness month is new though. Wonder what we can toss together for that. (Sorry, couldn’t resist)
March is also Small Press Month. Small Press Month is a nationwide celebration highlighting the valuable work produced by independent publishers. Held annually in March, Small Press Month raises awareness about the need for broader venues of literary expression.