Reasons to Stamp in January - High Days, Holidays and Just Plain Bizarre Days!

Ideas and Inspiration for Rubber Stamping Projects for Every Day of the Month

These are the dates in January with special occasions attached to them and rubber stamping ideas for each date:

1st - New Year's Day - As well as sending out New Year cards, don't forget to make some rubber stamping New Year Resolutions or even if you aren't making stamping specific resolutions, take a look and see how rubber stamping can help you achieve other popular New Year's goals
2nd - Go Green! - Recycle cards, gift wrap and other items for use in rubber stamping projects.
3rd - Fruitcake Toss Day - This tradition that started in Manitou Springs, Colorado, has been embraced by e-greeting card companies. This might add a 'strange but true' element to a greeting card...?
3rd - Festival of Sleep Day - This day of unknown origin has been set as a day to celebrate sleep. Add a few 'zzzzs' to a greeting card to give it a sleepy theme!
3rd - The birthday of J.R.R. Tolkien - A 'must' for all Lord of the Rings fans. Take a look at the Tolkien Society website for ideas and inspiration!
4th - Trivia Day - Another day of unknown origin! How about adding some trivia questions to a hand stamped card. Make this relevant to the recipient - take a look through some of these trivia pages here at About.com, you are bound to find something of interest!
4th - World Hypnotism Day - Lots of opportunity for creative puns used in greeting cards.
4th - National Spaghetti Day - Make a recipe card with your favorite spaghetti recipe and decorate this with appropriate themed stamps. If you are looking for some new recipe ideas - take a look at some of these About.com recipes.
5th - National Bird Day - Make and send a card to bird lovers or how about making a bird watching diary. This little rubber stamped birthday book is easy to adapt.
6th - Ephiphany - In Spain and much of the Hispanic world, the Reyes Magos (three kings) bring presents and gifts to children. Another opportunity for making cards and gifts perhaps...?
6th -Bean Day - Why not make an envelope, decorate it with stamps and pop a few bean seeds inside for an unusual gift.
6th - Cuddle Up Day - Give your romantic themed rubber stamps a practice run before using them in Valentine's Day rubber stamping projects.
6th - The Birthday of Sherlock Holmes - The game's afoot! Plenty of opportunities for making cards with Victorian England themes.
7th - International Programmers Day - If this isn't an excuse to make a card for the techie in your life, then I don't know what is!
7th - National Tempura Day - Rubber stamp some Japanese themed place settings and serve Deep Fried Tempura Ice Cream - yes really!
8th - Bubble Bath Day -Decorate some labels with rubber stamps and add these to a plain bottle before pouring in some bubble bath. These make pretty gifts.
8th - Elvis Presley's Birthday - Treat yourself to an Elvis themed rubber stamp!
8th - National English Toffee Day - Make some English Toffee and pack it in a cellophane bag. Make a gift tag and decorate this with rubber stamps for a pretty gift.
9th - National Apricot Month - Make or buy some apricot jam. Make a paper topper for the jar and decorate with rubber stamps.
10th - Peculiar People Day - Plenty of scope for card making!
10th - Bittersweet Chocolate Day - Take a bar of chocolate and make a custom wrapper decorated with rubber stamps for a pretty and quick gift.
11th - International Thank You Day - Make Thank You Cards and pick customized sentiments to make the cards a little extra special.
11th Full Moon (first of the year) - Use the moon as inspiration for card design.
12th - National Marzipan Day - Roll out some marzipan, place a piece of cling wrap on top of it and use a clean rubber stamp to impress the surface. Carefully remove the cling wrap.
12th - Clean Off Your Desk Day (second Monday of January) - Say no more...!
13th - Make Your Dream Come True Day - Another day of unknown origins! If you can't make your dream come true, perhaps today is another opportunity to look at your New Year's resolutions and goals.
13th - National Peach Melba Day - Decorate some table decorations with an Australian theme and enjoy a Peach Melba.
14th - Dress Up Your Pet Day - Take a picture and pop it in a frame decorated with pet themed stamps.
15th - National Hat Day - Adapt the Sewing Pin Head project to make hat pins.
16th - National Nothing Day - Use the day to make nothing! Instead practice some new rubber stamping techniques.
17th - Ditch New Years Resolutions Day ...or use rubber stamping to help you keep your general New Year's resolutions!
18th - Thesaurus Day - Use a Thesaurus to find alternative words to add to your stamping projects.
18th - Winnie the Pooh Day - Incorporate a quote from Winnie in a stamping project (for a bear of very little brain he has given us some great quotes to choose from!).
19th 2009 - Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday (celebrated on the third Monday of January) - Incorporate the I Have a Dream speech into your stamping and produce something truly inspirational.
19th - National Popcorn Day - Make some popcorn treats and pop these into a gift bag decorated with rubber stamps for a quick gift for family and friends.
20th - National Cheese Day - Cover a cheese triangle box with decorative paper, add some rubber stamped embellishments and use as a pretty keepsake box.
20th - Penguin Awareness Day - Keep a look out for a suitable penguin rubber stamp!
20th - The first day of astrological sign Aquarius - Make some zodiac themed cards for Aquarians.
21st - National Hugging Day - A great opportunity for some hugs and kisses stamping (OXOX) - get practicing for Valentine's Day! If you don't have an appropriate stamp, use the 'x' and 'o' from an alphabet stamp set.
21st - Squirrel Appreciation Day - Incorporate a squirrel or two into a project.

See more January stamping ideas on the next page. If you have any ideas to add for this or coming months, please send me an email.

Note: This list has been compiled from a number of websites and not from any official sources, therefore no guarantee can be given as to the accuracy or authenticity of some of these dates - particularly some of the more unusual or bizarre dates.