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

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.