Tell a Fairy Tale Day is February 26th

Fairy tales are a beloved and meaningful part of the lives of many people, across many languages and cultures, and so surely it comes as no surprise that there's a Little Known Holiday dedicated entirely to those time-honored tales:

Tell a Fairy Tale Day

Celebrated annually on February 26th, it's a day to have some fun and tell some fairy tales in whatever way suits your fancy. And just in case you're stuck for ideas, we've collected a few suggestions to get you started:

Make Up Your Own Fairy Tale to Write or Tell or Act Out

You can have a ton of fun creating your very own original fairy tale. Need help getting started? No problem. Here are a few basic guidelines on what makes a fairy tale...a fairy tale:

• The story begins at a non-specific point (such as: "Once upon a time..." or "A long, long time ago, in a kingdom far away..."). 
• Things tend to happen in threes.
• There is usually some type of royalty involved.
• Some sort of good vs evil theme is always a good bet.
• Some sort of magic is typically included (say, a talking animal, perhaps, or a magic sword).
• Often, there is some type of quest to be embarked upon, or a difficult task to be completed, before the hero/heroine can accomplish their goal.
• A lesson is usually found at the end.
• Most endings are of the "Happily Ever After" sort...but not always. There could instead be a "cautionary tale" aspect to the ending.

Find Some Ready-Made Fairy Tales to Share

• Visit your local library and check out some of your fave fairy tales to share with your loved ones, no matter their ages. Or look for fairy tales that are new-to-you. Children, or adults, or preteens...even teens* love a good fairy tale. (*Yes, you do. You know you do - especially if that fairy tale is of the Fractured Fairy Tale type, or maybe even a picture book with some really awesome illustrations.) 
• Wander the aisles of your local bookstore, browsing their fairy tale collections, until you find a couple of fairy tale books that you just have to have. Stories so powerful that they've stayed in people's hearts and minds over so many, many years must certainly be worth adding to your own collection of books, right?

Go Online

• Visit this Pinterest Tell a Fairy Tale page for a fun, informal game of "Guess the Fairy Tale."
• The World of Tales web page has a large collection of fairy tales you can read online for free. The tales are from a variety of cultures, and also include folktales and fables.

Watch Some Videos

• Older kiddos and teens will enjoy these videos based on Roald Dahl's book, Revolting Rhymes, where Dahl gives traditional fairy tales some darkly funny twists, in verse form, no less, that will have the older kids (and kids-at-heart) giggling.
• The little guys will find these videos a bit more to their liking - more on the lines of the traditional, happy tales they know and love.

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However you choose to celebrate Tell a Fairy Tale Day, we hope the fairy tales you enjoy today live on in your heart...happily ever after.

Umbrella Day is February 10th

Bumbershoot.

Brolly.

Gamp.

Parapluie.

Paraguas.

Regenschirm.

Umbrella.

Whatever you call your rain protection device, have a very happy Umbrella Day!

But make sure the one you choose to use is up to the task:

National Read in the Bathtub Day is February 9th

National Read in the Bathtub Day is observed annually on February 9th, but we here at Bugs and Bunnies have no idea why. We couldn't find even the tiniest morsel of information as to Who-What-Where-When-Why this holiday came into being. We did, however, find several other bathtub-related revelries, with varying levels of backstory:

• First, there's plain ol' Bathtub Day, celebrated every October 7th. We found a whole lotta very interesting info on this one – so much that it'll be needing its own dedicated post come October. (So be sure to come back and check it out.)

• Then, there's National Bathtub Party Day. This one is simple and straightforward: Created by Thomas and Ruth Roy, it's an excuse to have a party in the tub, and is celebrated every December 5th.

• And finally, there's Bubble Bath Day, the annual January 8th celebration which seems to have come about due to a greeting card company creation. 

Back to the holiday at hand, even though there seems to be no official origin or backstory for National Read in the Bathtub Day, that doesn't mean we can't celebrate it, with snacks and perhaps a similarly-minded rubber duckie:

But before you head off for a water-filled read-n-soak in the tub (or a pillow-filled read-n-snuggle in the tub, for those who'd rather not risk ending up with soggy books), you'll be needing some reading material. And so, for your consideration, here are a few books for kids – in which a bath or a tub or both feature prominently – that we here at Chez Wheedleton just love:

King Bidgood's in the Bathtub
Written by Audrey Wood
Illustrated by Don Wood
Ages 4 and up

King Bidgood has his own ideas about how to rule his kingdom, and much to his faithful Page's chagrin, he has gleefully decided to do it all from his tub. The members of his court, at the Page's frantic requests, try all manner of strategies to lure the king out of the bath. He cheerfully obliges each suggestion, with one caveat: they must join him - fully clothed, in all their courtly finery - in the tub. They battle in the tub. They lunch in the tub. They fish in the tub. They even dance in the tub. But the only ones to leave that tub are some very soggy, frustrated courtiers. Is there anyone who can convince the king to leave his bath?

The Dirty Cowboy
Written by Amy Timberlake
Illustrated by Adam Rex
Ages 4 and up

Ah, the life of a cowboy: roundin' up cattle, cookin' up some vittles, singin' songs around the campfire, with only his trusty steed and loyal dog for company. Yessir, life sure is perfect for a cowboy...until he gets it in his head that he oughta prob'ly have hisself a bath. The cowboy in this story sets out to do just that. Just gettin' to the river takes some doin,' but he gets there alright, and charges his dog with guardin' his duds. An' then he heads to the river, nearly-new bar of lye soap in hand, an' he gets good and clean. But, once he fixes t' go git his duds back? Well, that's when things get interestin.'

The House on East 88th Street
Written and illustrated by Bernard Waber
Ages 5 and up

The day Mr. and Mrs. Joseph F. Primm and their young son Joshua move into the house on East 88th street, they hear an unusual sound coming from somewhere in the house: SWISH, SWASH, SPLASH, SWOOSH. So Mrs. Primm goes to investigate. When she takes a peek in the bathroom, she finds the source of that sound: A crocodile! In their bathtub!

Then, an oddly dressed man arrives at the door, hands Joshua Primm a note, and leaves. Hector P. Valenti's note explains that the crocodile's name is Lyle, that he will only eat Turkish caviar, and that he can perform tricks. Will the Primms welcome Lyle into their family?

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When February 9th rolls around, grab a couple of books, and then off to the tub with you. And whether you fill that tub with warm relaxing water, or soft fluffy pillows, have a very happy National Read in the Bathtub Day!