August 17th is Second Hand Store Day. Stores selling used items sell both luxury clothing with a wear rate of up to 5%, as well as consumer goods. People of different incomes and social groups shop at thrift stores - from connoisseurs of vintage items, regular visitors to flea markets, to students purchasing second-hand clothes and shoes. Second-hand stores sell both expensive exclusive goods and things that a buyer in a difficult financial situation can afford to purchase. According to statistics, about 70% of people have at least one item purchased in “second-hand” stores (as translated from English second-hand). Therefore, Thrift Shop Day is celebrated on August 17 by thrifty and thrifty residents of many countries around the world. In the Soviet Union, speculation, i.e. resale of items was prosecuted by law. Therefore, during times of shortages of goods, the New Economic Policy and the Iron Curtain, imported new or used clothing and shoes could be purchased at second-hand stores. They were a symbiosis of a flea market and a store that sold antique jewelry, furniture, cameras, fur coats, boots and much more. In the USSR by 1948 there were 552 commission shops. They sold trophies - German gramophones, sewing machines, carpets, bicycles, leather coats, Selza watches, razors, IMCO gasoline lighters and more. Despite the fact that goods brought from the war quickly ran out, thrift stores continued to operate. By 1975, 1,593 analogues of modern second-hand stores were opened on the territory of 15 republics. The owners of items, bringing them for sale, received a receipt from the store receptionist. For services, the commission shop charged the owner 7% of the price of the goods sold. If he doubted the value of an item, he turned to the services of an expert. The guideline was state prices for similar goods, which could not be exceeded. Most of the items in thrift stores were not used wardrobe items and equipment, but new clothes, shoes, perfumes, tape recorders, televisions and cameras. They were brought into the country from abroad and given for sale to seafarers, diplomats, artists and musicians. By 1988, in the wake of cooperation, the number of thrift stores in the country had grown to 3,430. In the early 90s. with the opening of borders, the range of goods was updated not due to representatives of the creative intelligentsia, who were allowed to travel abroad, but thanks to shuttles. After the legalization of trading cooperatives, the popularity of thrift stores gradually waned. Suppliers of modern second-hand goods are wholesale companies that bring from the USA and European countries items donated by local residents to collection points. Most of them were hardly worn, some are completely new because the color or style did not suit the owner. Buying used clothes and shoes has long been considered something shameful. Moreover, this approach, which gives a “second life” to things, demonstrates the fight against consumer society and concern for the ecology of the planet. Therefore, August 15 is widely celebrated throughout the world as Second Hand Store Day.

This national Slovenian holiday is celebrated annually, as on this day the civil governments of Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia defended their rights to own Serbian lands. The Treaty of Trianon was signed, which included an important clause on securing the modern border. A national holiday in Slovenia was officially recognized, but never received the status of a day off. The Prekmurje region gets its name from its geographical location near the Mura River. In modern times, this area is part of the Pomur region of the Slovenian region. The holiday of national significance dates back to 1526. It was then that part of Yugoslavia, after a brutal battle, found itself under the yoke of the Austro-Hungarian enslaver Habsburg and was called the Principality of Blaten. This ownership only ended in 1918, at the end of the First World War, when the Habsburg Monarchy was disbanded by the Hungarians. The new owners proclaimed the creation of their own state on this land and renamed this region into the Soviet Republic of Murska with the city of Sobota. After the Army of the United Kingdoms of Yugoslavia reconquered their rightfully owned lands from the Hungarians, the indigenous Protestant population finally received free status and joined the Slovenian state. This happened just a week into the short existence of the new Hungarian Republic: August 17, 1919, after the Paris Conference. Under her pressure, as well as with the participation of General Meister, all powers were given to Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian citizens. All these Yugoslav people were reunited, proving their national rights; despite the fact that a smaller part of Prekmurje remained under the ownership of the Hungarian people. Currently, the Pomurian Northeast region borders Austria, Croatia and Hungary. It so happened that this date began to be regularly and cordially celebrated by the entire population of Serbia. The celebration is fun and is accompanied by grandiose festivities not only in the Prekmurje city of Sobota (which is the capital of the Mur region to this day), but also in all the surrounding Yugoslav villages. Despite widespread recognition, this date was legalized only in 2005. Then Slovenia recognized this day and gave it the status of national importance. Serbian people still celebrate this holiday with joy. A wave of folk festivals takes place across the Yugoslav land, accompanied by chants, games and fairs, even though this is not a day off at all.

The quills of porcupines, echidnas and hedgehogs are armor with which rodents and mammals protect themselves from attacks by predators. Leather chain mail makes animals invulnerable, allowing them to passively resist aggressors. On average, each hedgehog has up to 5,000 spines in its armor, each of which is lifted upward by a skin muscle. Inside, the spines are hollow and saturated with air, so they weigh very little. At the base of each needle there is a flexible neck, which acts as a shock absorber when the animal falls, insuring it from damage. Without its spiky armor, the animal is very vulnerable. This applies to young individuals whose needles are not hard and sharp enough for the first time after birth. Therefore, hedgehogs must be treated with great care. As well as to nature, which is defenseless against human activity. On August 17, a funny holiday with serious overtones is celebrated - Bald Hedgehog Day. Few people know that representatives of the Erinaceidae family are born with needles that are hidden under the skin so as not to injure the mother. A few hours after the hedgehog is born, the spines are visualized, but are white. Two days later, pigmented needles appear on the baby’s body, and at one and a half months old he can already use chain mail to protect himself from enemies. The spiky shell does not protect 100% from predators. An eagle owl and other large birds from the owl family can grab a hedgehog without damaging their claws, and a badger can squeeze its snout into the barely noticeable hole that is formed by the animal curled up into a ball. The needles scare away other predators, reliably protecting them from aggressors. You have to pay for everything, including the presence of barbed chain mail. A hedgehog cannot clean fleas with its paws or gnaw out ticks with its teeth, as other mammals do. Therefore, needles are usually home to a host of parasites. This must be taken into account when bringing a hedgehog into the house. The animal loses its quills during natural molting or due to illness. The cause of spine loss in pets can be an incorrect diet, hypervitaminosis (excess of vitamins A and E) or mites that cause skin irritation. A hedgehog may become bald due to hormonal imbalances, stress (for example, when moving to a new home) or frequent bathing. Water procedures dry out the dermis, as does insufficient humidity in the room. This leads to peeling and peeling of the skin, and then to the loss of needles. The appearance of bald spots or baldness of a hedgehog is an alarming symptom. In this case, the animal should definitely be shown to a veterinarian. Bald Hedgehog Day encourages you to be attentive to your pets and to the nature of which these cute mammals are a part.

At the end of summer or at the beginning of autumn, according to the Muslim calendar, there comes a special time intended for godly deeds and prayerful appeals to Allah. The second month of the year according to the lunar calendar, called Safar (translated from Arabic as “yellow”), is considered a period of pilgrimage and good deeds. At this time, believers visit mosques, hold wedding ceremonies, financially support loved ones, and donate funds to the needy and sick. In ancient times, during the safar following Muharram, the inhabitants of Mecca left their city and went on trips. Among the faithful, despite the Prophet Muhammad's condemnation of superstition, there was a prejudice that the first 13 days of the month bring misfortune. Therefore, Safar did not make important decisions, avoided matchmaking, and refused to enter into major transactions. The arrival of the month in the minds of many believers was associated with the manifestation of evil spirits, curses, illnesses and other failures. The Prophet Muhammad changed the attitude of Muslims towards pagan beliefs. The religion of Allah welcomes optimistic interpretations of events and a positive outlook on life; there is no place for bad omens. Safar is no worse than other periods of the year. Postponing making decisions and carrying out important matters during his time, as well as not getting married on Shaual, relying on false prejudices and signs, is unacceptable. In the Koran, superstitions are addressed in chapter 24. It is believed that if the Almighty has predetermined something bad, then it will definitely happen to a person, just like mercy, which always comes with the knowledge of Allah. Modern Muslims are not so categorical about the month, the name of which translates as “the whistling breath of the wind,” unlike their ancestors. Today, during Safar they not only offer prayers to Allah, make dua to God and perform prayers, but also hold wedding ceremonies, because it was at this time that Muhammad’s daughter Fatima got married. It is believed that throughout the month, the Almighty closely monitors the actions of Muslims and encourages good deeds: giving alms, visiting the sick, and other assistance to the weak and needy. Therefore, special attention is paid to righteous behavior during Safar. At the beginning of the month, one should give praise to Allah so that this time of year will bring good news and joyful events. Safar is traditionally filled with prayers and good deeds. Believers keep their bodies and thoughts clean, read the Koran, and fast on Monday, Thursday and “white days.” During safar, it is customary to strengthen family ties and make donations, thus expressing one's respect for the second month of the year according to the Hijri calendar.

Gastropods with a rudimentary shell appeared on Earth about 600 million years ago. Along with jellyfish, snails are considered the most ancient inhabitants of the planet. Most representatives of the species are herbivores. But there are also predatory snails that eat invertebrate parasites, fish and crustaceans. Mollusks move along the ground by muscle contractions of the sole of their feet, secreting mucus to facilitate sliding along the surface. Snails do not part with their shells, so they act as an illustration to Cicero’s famous expression Omnia mea mecum porto (“I carry everything I have with me”). In Ancient Egypt and Babylon, gastropods symbolized fertility, in Christian Europe - laziness and sinfulness. In Islam they are associated with doubt, in Buddhism - patience and awakening people from ignorance. People have long consumed the meat of grape and mountain snails as food and made souvenirs from their shells. Shellfish farming is carried out by a branch of agriculture called heliceculture. Snails wake up after hibernation in early April with the arrival of warm weather. However, unknown jokers established a holiday on this occasion, which falls in the last month of summer. On August 17, a funny Day of Awakened Snails is celebrated. Mollusks live off the coast of northern seas and reservoirs located in the tropics and subtropics, and the species Helix lucorum lives in river valleys and deciduous forests growing on mountain slopes. Snails delight everyone, young and old. Observing them is an excellent means of combating worry, anxiety and stress of modern life. Therefore, people in many parts of the world celebrate this funny holiday on August 17th. Images of ammonite shells, cephalopods that became extinct during the Paleogene era, can be found on the coats of arms of cities and other municipalities. They got their name from the ancient Egyptian god Amun. The Egyptians painted it on frescoes with spiral-shaped horns. It is no coincidence that the Aztec deity of the moon and night Metztli was depicted with a snail shell in his hands. Her shell is a symbol of frozen time. People associate the shell with the spiral of life, death and resurrection, the cyclical nature of processes, and overcoming the barrier between the spiritual and physical world. Snails have long been attributed sacred significance. This is partly why the internal structure of the ancient Egyptian pyramids had the shape of a labyrinth, similar to a mollusk shell. Christians drew parallels between the annual spring awakening of snails and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The emergence of a child from the mother's womb resembles the process of a snail emerging from its shell. Thanks to this, in the culture of many nations it has become a symbol of rebirth and eternity. An awakened snail reminds a person of the cyclical nature of the processes of existence. Many of us, like mollusks, lock ourselves in shell houses and only occasionally emerge from there. The Day of Awakened Snails encourages people to leave their shells, open their souls to the world and become closer to each other.

Avdotya Malinovka, Ogurechnitsa, Senognoika is an annual holiday of the folk calendar, which is celebrated on August 17. On this day, Orthodox Christians commemorate Saint Eudokia, whose name, according to Russian tradition, sounds like Avdotya. This saint lived in the 4th century. Also on this day the 7 youths from Ephesus are mentioned. Another name for the holiday is Senognoika, due to the fact that it was from this day that “blind” rains began to fall, spoiling the hay that had already been mown and lying in the fields. The main tradition associated with the holiday is the raspberry harvest (hence its name). It was on this day that the peasants began to collect sweet berries. All the village people, young and old, not burdened with work in the field, went together to the forest to stock up on raspberries. That same evening, a special ritual delicacy was prepared for dinner in peasant houses - a rich sweet pie with raspberry filling, which was cut into large slices and distributed to each family member. All the remaining berries were used for homemade preparations - they were used to make jams and liqueurs, and also dried them to treat colds in winter. Some folk sayings are associated with the weather on the day of Avdotya celebration. One of them says: “Avdotya the Cucumber will bring 7 rains.” By this day, the peasants tried to collect and hide all the hay in piles to prevent it from getting wet and spoiling. Avdotya was also called the “Cucumber Girl” for a reason - it was believed that the last tasty cucumbers could be eaten only until August 17, and after that they become crooked, turn yellow, acquire bitterness and lose their flavor. There are many folk signs associated with the holiday of Avdotya Malinovka. Our ancestors sincerely believed that if we fervently prayed to the youths from Ephesus on this day, the children would be calm, and the adults would lose their insomnia. It was also believed that on August 17, you should under no circumstances borrow money from someone, or lend it yourself, otherwise you will soon go around the world with a bag. On the day of Avdotya Malinovka, peasants watched how birds and animals behaved. If rooks swarmed in the field all day, and by evening they rushed south in whole flocks, it means that the weather promised to be good - dry and warm. People also believed that the weather on that day could tell what November would be like. If Avdotya Malinovka pleased with a sunny and beautiful day, then the last month of autumn will be fine, without heavy rains. Cloudy weather on this holiday foreshadowed a rainy and cold mid-autumn for the peasants. A thunderstorm that day was a good omen - it promised growth of the harvest, but heavy dew threatened the flax harvest.

Orthodox holidays on August 17:

Memorial Day of the Venerable Martyr Ia of Persia

Memorial Day of the Holy Seven Youths of Ephesus

Feast of the Penza-Kazan Icon of the Mother of God