Monkey Day is celebrated annually on December 14th. This is both a fun and serious holiday, popular in different countries of the world. The idea to celebrate Monkey Day came from American art student Casey Coppi from Michigan State University. In 2000, the guy jokingly wrote it into his friend Eric Millikin's calendar, choosing a random date - December 14th. The young people's bold monkey-themed works made them famous artists and comic book authors. The holiday has acquired international significance. At first, holiday lovers perceived it solely as an opportunity to temporarily transform into their closest biological relatives. They dressed up as monkeys, made sounds characteristic of animals, imitated their behavior: they looked for “parasites” from each other and threw excrement at those around them. Later, the environmental organization Greenpeace, the National Geographic Society, famous artists and scientists, including British primatologist Jane Goodall, became interested in the holiday. Through various actions they wanted to draw public attention to the problems of primates. The release of the 2005 remake of the cult film King Kong, directed by New Zealand director Peter Jackson, was timed to coincide with the important date. There are different ways to celebrate this fun holiday. First of all, the organizers strive to help animals, encouraging people to take care and protect them. A certain amount of humor is encouraged, but indecent behavior is frowned upon, according to the creators of the official Monkey Day website. To have a fun and useful December 14th, we recommend: • Start the day with King Louie's song from Disney's "The Jungle".• Dress as a monkey and act like an animal, without throwing excrement or humiliating others.• Watch the movie "King Kong" or "Planet of the Apes".• Visit the zoo , where primates live.• Make a donation to preserve animal habitats.• Play Donkey Kong with friends.• Read a book about monkeys. The holiday is celebrated on a large scale in Great Britain, Estonia, the United States, Germany, Pakistan, India, and Turkey. Thematic events are held in zoos, libraries, and museums. There are art exhibitions, fundraisers, parties with competitions for the best costume. Related holidays include International Orangutan Day on August 19 and World Lemur Day on the last Friday in October.

Our ancestors, the ancient Slavs, believed that birds nest in every soul. Light people need to be nurtured and cherished. But what to do with the dark ones? December 14th is Soul Birds Release Day. The metaphorical meaning of this holiday becomes clear after immersion in East Slavic mythology. Soul birds are the prophetic Sirin, who are depicted as a half-maiden, half-bird. Fairy-tale creatures are often found on Russian tiles, jewelry, painted spinning wheels and illustrations for ancient handwritten books. Sirin, Alkonost and Gamayun are birds from ancient legends and tales. They were considered the embodiment of the human soul, could control the elements and had the gift of prophecy. According to legends, on the morning of Apple Savior, a holiday dedicated to the harvest and the change of seasons, the bird Sirin flew into the garden, crying and sad. In the afternoon, the Alkonost bird appeared in the garden, laughing and rejoicing. She brushed living dew from her plumage and transformed the fruits, endowing them with amazing powers - from that moment on, apples became healing. Birds of paradise from ancient Russian legends are the prototype of sirens from Greek mythology - sea maidens of extraordinary beauty who enchanted sailors with their singing. Alkonost and Gamayun were considered symbols of goodness and happiness. Sirin brought melancholy and sadness to people. Like the maidens from Greek myths, she sang invitingly about the beautiful garden, describing it so enticingly that the person listening to her completely forgot about earthly life. “The bird of paradise Sirin, her voice is very powerful in her singing. She dwells in the Edenian paradise in the east, constantly sings beautifully, and announces future joy to the righteous,” reads the inscription on a 19th-century popular print. She really lived in sunny Irie - the Slavic paradise, where the gods feasted, the World Tree grew, and the Milk River flowed. According to legend, the souls of the dead went to this mythical country. People dreaming of going to heaven committed suicide, soldiers on the battlefield, hearing the song of a bird, committed reckless acts that cost them their lives. Artist V.M. Vasnetsov studied the culture and life of the ancient Slavs for many years. One of his most famous works is the painting “Sirin and Alkonost”. The image of the “soul bird” in the painting is full of drama: a pale and emaciated face, eyes full of tears and black plumage evoke the most depressing thoughts on the viewer. It is believed that Sirin mourns summer, symbolizing decay and sadness. In the soul of each of us there is an echo of this mournful bird. According to legend, Sirin could not stand noise and loud sounds: to drive her away, our ancestors blew trumpets, beat bells and drums. The Day of Release of the Birds of the Soul also calls for farewell to sadness and longing. On December 14, you need to try to part with everything that depresses, inspires gloomy thoughts and prevents you from enjoying life. Release the sorrowful birds from the depths of your soul and open it to joy and happiness!

For a long time in Rus' there was an analogue of the modern holiday of knowledge, which fell on December 1. They called it the day of Nahum or smart day. According to the new style, it falls on December 14. The minor prophet Nahum (consoled) in Rus' was called a literate man. Nahum (Nachum) is the author of a book included in the Holy Scriptures, in which he predicted speedy divine punishment for sinners. It was for this prediction, which later came true, that the prophet began to be considered the patron saint of smart and educated people. By this time, work in the field had already ended, supplies for the long winter had been prepared. It was time to think about spiritual food. On this day, children were brought to a respected teacher, asking him to teach them to read and write. The role of teachers was usually sextons or retired servicemen. Educational activities were highly respected in Rus'. In payment for learning to read and write, the teacher was given eggs, bread, cereals, and less often - money. A mother who brought her child to a teacher for the first time, as a rule, wailed or cried loudly, because she knew that teaching was necessarily accompanied by beating with rods or other punishments. She asked the mentor not to punish the child too much, but already on the first day, as a warning, he punished the newly made students with rods. The latter had to unquestioningly fulfill all the requirements of the teacher. From the very morning the whole family went to church. The children received a blessing from the priest for further studies. Parents turned to God with prayers, asking to give intelligence to their offspring. On this day, everyone could ask for resolution of complex cases. They also invoked good luck on Nahum by distributing alms to the needy and helping the suffering. The women baked cakes in the shape of coins and distributed them to the neighborhood children. There are signs for this day in the folk calendar. According to one of them, if the sky on Nahum is covered with stars, then the next day people expected severe frost.

The history of needlework in Rus' dates back to the early Middle Ages. Both women from peasant families and city dwellers were engaged in lace knitting and embroidery. Mastery of the basics of needlework, which was under the patronage of the goddess Mokosh, made it possible not only to produce fabric for home textiles, but also to decorate bedspreads, towels and tablecloths with fancy patterns. Russian lace, which was very popular in Europe, was called gold. Skilled craftswomen used shiny threads when weaving them, which were combined with precious stones and brocade fabric. When crocheting or knitting, the finest threads of wool, cotton, silk, flax and even nettle were used, which were made by hand by spinners. In the summer, during the time of agricultural work, women could not devote all their free time to needlework. Gatherings with knitting and embroidery accompanied by leisurely conversations and folk songs were most often held after the end of field work - in autumn and winter. A holiday has been established in honor of the ancient craft. December 14th is a cozy and warm Knitting Day in Russia. The date for the celebration was not chosen by chance. On December 14, 1887, the St. Petersburg publishing house of the Pantelev brothers “Fashion Bulletin” published a series of three books, “A Course in Women’s Handicrafts.” Thanks to this, a wide range of Russian women learned about the secrets of craftsmanship and knitting techniques, to which the second volume was dedicated. Leading experts in this field were involved in writing the book, which took three years. The result of the work was a real encyclopedia of needlework with original drawings and diagrams, which was republished in 1902 and later in Soviet times. Today knitting, which in the XV-XVI centuries. From an artisanal home craft it has grown into a profitable industry and is a hobby. Previously, craftswomen made blouses, sweaters, stockings, hats, socks and scarves for sale. Under Peter I, women were taught in schools how to use spinning wheels, knitting needles, frames and other devices. During his reign, at fairs it was possible to buy needlework kits made in Europe and China, which included needles, threads and canvas. Craftswomen knitted clothes on knitting needles and hooks that not only kept them warm, but also emphasized the individuality and beauty of women, for themselves and for sale. With the advent of weaving machines and the beginning of industrial production in the twentieth century. products made of wool, cotton and knitwear, the popularity of embroidery and other types of needlework has practically disappeared. A surge of interest in knitting and sewing at home occurred during the Soviet era. In conditions of total shortage, housewives created real masterpieces using hooks, knitting needles and machines “Severyanka”, “Ruta” and “Bukovinka”. Soviet craftswomen found diagrams and drawings in supplements to the magazines "Peasant" and "Rabotnitsa", and since 1986 - in the printed edition of Burda Moden. Today, knitting, one of the varieties of decorative and applied arts, is considered a hobby and an interesting way of spending leisure time. Unhurried and measured movements of the knitting needles make needlework similar to contemplative meditative techniques. Knitting as a traditional craft of the Slavs received attention during the Year of the Cultural Heritage of the Peoples of the Russian Federation in 2022. This is how the holiday appeared, which is celebrated annually by matrices who are in love with their work on December 14th.

This date was chosen for a reason. And the holiday itself went through a rather difficult path before becoming official. As you know, on April 26, 1986, the largest man-made disaster in human history occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which became a real tragedy for millions of people. Immediately after the fire was extinguished at the station, work began on constructing a shelter (sarcophagus) over the exploded reactor. To eliminate the consequences of the accident and build a shelter, tens, even hundreds of thousands of residents from different parts of the former USSR were involved. Most of them were citizens of modern Ukraine due to the fact that the station itself was located on its territory. According to various sources, a total of more than 650 thousand people were recruited for these purposes. As a result of such colossal efforts, already on November 30, 1986, the shelter was completed, and on December 14, 1984, a message was published in official publications that the state commission had commissioned a complex of protective structures above the reactor. Even then, on December 14, 1986, the participants in the liquidation of the accident gathered for the first time to celebrate their victory. Since then, every year in different places, liquidators have informally gathered throughout the country on this day. In 1994, public organizations on behalf of all liquidators appealed to the president with a request to establish an official holiday for liquidators. Then the decision was never made. Officially, they were allowed to celebrate, government officials on this day solemnly laid wreaths near the monuments to the Heroes of Chernobyl, various events were often held, foreign delegations were received, round tables and conferences were held, and a guard of honor was assigned for events. But, despite this, the holiday was not recognized at the state level. Most people believe that this holiday was not established then because April 26 was already celebrated as the International Day of Remembrance for Victims of Radiation Accidents and Disasters. Many thought that the second holiday would simply duplicate the first. But, as many already understood then, this is far from the same thing. For the participants in the liquidation, it was especially important that this holiday be recognized at the national level. For them in particular, and for the country as a whole, it was extremely important that their services were recognized and not forgotten. Only 20 years after the completion of the work, in November 2006, the President of Ukraine signed decree No. 945/2006, which recognized December 14 as the Day of Honoring the Participants in the Liquidation of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Accident. Although the holiday has been recognized at the official level, it is not a day off. On this day, as before, a ceremonial laying of flowers is held, memorable evenings, concerts, exhibitions, and extracurricular activities in schools are held. The main purpose of such events is to remind someone, to tell someone about what a heroic act the liquidators committed, and what significance this has for the modern generation.

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December 14 (December 1, old style) is the day of Nahum according to the folk calendar. The holiday is dedicated to Saint Naum - one of the 12 minor prophets who lived in the 7th century before the birth of Christ. He became famous for the book of prophecies he wrote that clearly described the fall of the city of Nineveh in Assyria. Nahum the mind, Nahum the Reader - this is how the people called the prophet. He was considered the patron of science and literacy, so it was customary to pray to the saint so that he would “instruct” and help to study. In addition, people turned to Naum for help to give practical advice in a difficult situation. It has long been a tradition to start sending your children to study from the day of Nahum. Since it cost money to send a child to study, not everyone could receive an education. The peasants understood that only a literate person could get out of poverty. Even dreams were interpreted symbolically: if an illiterate person sees the alphabet, problems await him, but for an educated person - good luck. According to custom, the transfer of a young student to study began with prayer in church and a blessing. Then the family returned home and waited for the teacher-deacon to arrive. At home he was greeted with honors. The future student was supposed to bow to the teacher three times, and the deacon was supposed to lightly spank his ward three times with a whip. The ceremony ended with the presentation of gifts to the deacon in the form of lard, butter or loaf, wrapped in a towel. And the next day the student already went to the teacher. Payments for training were most often made in products, less often in money. Nahum Day was previously celebrated as Teacher's Day. It was customary to give teachers various gifts. Students were prohibited from snacking during class so as not to eat away the knowledge they had learned. Children always closed the book after class so as not to forget the material they had learned. Based on signs on the day of Nahum, people learned the weather for the future. The moon in the sky with a clear halo foreshadowed frost, and if the horns of the month were turned upward, it meant that it was worth waiting for warmth. The crackling trees promised strong winds. Wind blowing from the north was noticed before severe frosts.

Orthodox holidays on December 14:

The Orthodox Church celebrates the Day of Remembrance of the Prophet Nahum on December 14 according to the new style or 1 according to the old style. Nahum is one of the 12 minor prophets - messengers of the divine will. Very little is known about the life of the prophet, there is no exact information about his place of residence, and his name, which can be literally translated as “consolation,” is more like a common noun. But the prophetic book written by Nahum belongs to a true believer and educated person, worried about the fate of his native land and promising retribution to the offenders mired in sins. The events described by Nahum took place in the 7th century BC, when the territories of Judea, Israel and many other states were under oppression by the Assyrians. The prophet calls the capital of the Assyrian Empire Nineveh the city of blood, indicating how the prosperity of its inhabitants was achieved. A century earlier, the prophet Jonah preached in the imperial capital; his messages spoke of the Lord's forgiveness of repentant sinners. Jonah still hopes for the salvation of Nineveh, but for Nahum the fall of the city is already obvious. The prophet mentions God's long-suffering, which was neglected by the Assyrian military power, and therefore the hour of its inevitable destruction is getting closer. The prophecy was fulfilled exactly. The Assyrian empire, weakened by the attacks of the Median and Babylonian kingdoms, was finally captured by warlike Syria. In 612 BC, retribution overtook the luxurious bloody capital of Nineveh, which caused justifiable rejoicing among the oppressed states. In folk tradition, quite a few signs and customs associated with Nahum have been preserved. They are based on the ending of the prophet’s name - mind. Hence the nickname of the prophet as a literate man and his relationship with learning, apprenticeship and mental abilities. Those born on this day were destined to go into teaching. And it was on December 14 that it was customary to give gifts to teachers and send children to learn to read and write. For success in studies, one should turn with prayers to Nahum all year round, who, according to the saying, brought to mind. There were also weather observations associated with the day of the ancient prophet: • large snow flakes on December 14 promised long-term bad weather; • the crackling of forest trees on Naumov’s day foreshadowed a strong wind; • if the clouds floating in the sky moved against the wind, they advised to prepare for a cold snap; • dully audible barking dogs were associated with the arrival of heavy snowfalls; • the north wind brought with it bitter frosts; • a clear sky with bright stars suggested an imminent blizzard; • the presence of morning frost indicated heavy dew in the summer.

Memorial Day of Righteous Philaret the Merciful