CELEBRATION SPOTLIGHT – Wesley Miller Smith

One of National Day Calendar’s newest ambassadors visited with me for the Celebration Spotlight — Wesley Miller Smith. New to the San Diego area, Wesley shared his experiences exploring his new home and what it’s like to Celebrate Every Day.

Calling San Diego Home

Michele: Tell me a little bit about yourself.

Wesley: As you said, Wesley Miller Smith, I am a newer resident to the San Diego area, a first-time Californian as well. I originally grew up in the Midwest went to school at Northwest Missouri State – Go Bearcats! And shortly thereafter, moved to Omaha, Nebraska, and then Chicago and then Atlanta. That’s where I was fortunate enough to meet my husband, well, boyfriend, fiancé, now husband. We were together for a while, and then we got married, went on our honeymoon, and moved to California all in a month. So we’re pretty tired still. It’s only been a few months. Things are great. Life’s good.

We have two dogs, Barkley and Stella. I love animals. For fun, I am a part of an app where you can go walk dogs or dog sit dogs. Which I love, because going to a very new state, very new city and not getting to know a lot of people or places it’s been fun going around to meet people, meet cool dogs.

Michele: I have a question about that, so I’m going to interject. Is that like rideshare for dogs?

Take a Walk

Wesley: Well, yeah. Similarly. So, people can download the app, and if they want their dog walked or sat or boarded, or even training, because you know there are some dogs out there that need a little bit of training, you can request that and go from there.

Michele: It sounds like a lot of fun. I’m a dog lover, so I love hearing about those types of tools and resources out there. There are a lot of animal holidays on the website, too. Dog holidays are real popular.

Wesley: I know they are. Anytime that there is a dog holiday, my dogs benefit from it. The latest one was Dog Biscuit Day. My husband Shawn and I made our own organic dog treats to celebrate the day. It was kind of fun.

Michele: What a great way to incorporate the day into your lifestyle and treat your dogs simultaneously. Of course, that’s what the day is all about. You’ve also shared the national days with your customers at work.

Customer Appreciation

Wesley: It was National Customer Recognition Day. We wanted to thank our customers who are loyal to us every single day, every single month, quarter. I work in automotive. I’m a director of marketing for an automotive group. There are 57 dealerships across the nation, and I oversee 7 of those. So working with my team, I said, “Let’s go ahead and surprise our customers. If they come in, let our service advisor write a little note saying, “Thank you, Michele.” “Thank you, Joanie.” “Thank you, whoever, for coming in today.” And putting a coffee card into their cupholder and just making their day a little brighter.

Then also, celebrating at work has been huge for us and just something to stand us apart from the other competition or dealerships – creating that good morale in the workplace. So we celebrated Fat Tuesday. We got king cakes and beads for everyone. It was really fun. But what I love the most celebrating at work is when we get to celebrate the national holidays like American Heart Month was huge for us this past February. We picked an amazing organization where a family went through a really hard time having a child who had a heart defect, and unfortunately, he passed away but to live on with his legacy, we created this foundation for him. We took that organization in under our wing in February. For every car sold, we donated to the organization.

” …just something to stand us apart from the other competition or dealerships – creating that good morale in the workplace.” Wesley Miller Smith

Michele: Can you share the name of the organization?

Wesley: The organization is the Ollie Hinkle Foundation. Last year we raised almost $6,000, and even though there is a car shortage out there, we were still able to raise close to four grand this past month. So it’s been really awesome. Another one is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

We have sponsored an organization called Pink Ribbon Girls, which is nationally based out of Ohio. Pink Ribbon Girls is very near and dear to our hearts because those women and volunteers help families going through someone in their family having breast cancer. They will take them to their appointments; they’ll make meals for them clean their homes. Anything they can do to make the person who is going through breast cancer, anything they can do to make them more comfortable, their families more comfortable they do. So we raise funds with them. We’re always looking for new opportunities to raise money and really just take a national month or a national holiday and make the best out of it.

Michele: That’s a fantastic way to incorporate it with your customers and employees. I love the way you’ve used the calendar and the national days to spread the spirit and make things better for others. As a marketing person, you must have a lot of ideas for other businesses, your own business to incorporate the national days. Do you have some tips or recommendations that you can make?

Partnerships

Wesley: One of the easiest ways to really celebrate is…just take National Pizza Day. What we have looked at is every month, my team and I will come together and say, “Alright. Let’s look at the next month and let’s see what we can do to just one promote another business but at the same time also promote us as well.” So one recommendation I would definitely give to a business that wants to have a larger social media following would be to take a couple of those national holidays and, let’s say, National Pizza Day.

Go find a pizza place that everyone loves. Buy a $50 or $100 gift card. And then do a quick video. Do a like and share event. And say, “Hey, we’re at XYZ Pizza Place, and we all know you guys love it. Like and share this post. Like our page. And we’ll randomly pick a winner. And that person gets to have the gift card.” We’ve seen some phenomenal results promoting local business as well as having a larger following on our social media pages.

Michele: That’s a fantastic way to create a partnership, too.

Ok, so this is a little fun moment. I’m going to read off three words. And I want you to pick one. And then my question will follow.

Kindergarten
Picnic
Superhero

Back to School

Wesley: Let’s do kindergarten.

Michele: National Kindergarten Day is April 21st. What do you remember about kindergarten?

Wesley: Well, it’s actually a crazy fun fact no one really knows, but I was actually held back in kindergarten so my brother and I could be in the same grade together. I basically had kindergarten twice growing up. And I still remember my teacher, Miss Kessler. I don’t know why I still remember that name. Back in the day, we only had half days back in kindergarten.

I think one of my favorite moments is one of my favorite dolls was a doll my aunt gave me, a little Bart Simpson doll. I still actually have it. So I remember this day vividly because I was so proud of finally having this Bart Simpson doll that I wanted forever and ever, and I took it to my kindergarten show and tell and showed everybody. And then, Bart Simpson even got a sticker for the day. So, that’s what I remember from kindergarten.

Michele: That’s so fun! Thank you for sharing that with me. It’s interesting. You had Bart Simpson. I had a Raggedy Ann doll.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start celebrating every day?

Celebrate Every Day

Wesley: Take it slow. Find those days you can kind of hold on to and just really enjoy. Whether it be doing something for the community or cooking. If it’s National Gumbo Day and gumbo sounds good to you. Why not share a recipe online and share how you made it. Or find something different you haven’t celebrated before or didn’t even know it was a holiday like Random Acts of Kindness Day. That’s a big one for me and how I started looking at those ones where I could help and give back to the community.

And then I was like, “Well, it’s National Bourbon Day. Why not take part in that.” I think just starting off slow and finding what is your passion and what you love. Whether it be food or drink or giving back or just those random holidays that are out there that you’re like, “Oh! Celebrate everything!” Or even animals as well. There are a lot of national holidays out there. Or if you’re a proud Oklahoman and you want to celebrate National Oklahoma Day, go out and celebrate National Oklahoma Day and enjoy it.

Michele: There’s something for everyone.

Wesley: There is. There really is. I just say find your niche and have fun with it.

Michele: When you tell someone that you celebrate every day, how do they respond?

Wesley: I think first they look kind of puzzled. And then they’re like, “Are you drunk?” Everyone has their own connotation of what Celebrate Every Day is. So, when I tell people that I’m a National Day Calendar ambassador or that I just love to celebrate every day, I have to explain it to them. But after that, you kind of see that spark almost that yearning that they want to do the same thing. Telling them here’s what I love to do and so many different ways that they can get involved and just enjoy it. I think that’s you know… People have all different types of reactions but once you tell a friend or family member that you’re an ambassador for a phenomenal program, then start getting texts and phone calls and messages every other day asking, “What are we celebrating today?”

Fondue Party

Michele: Another fun question, a little goofy. National Cheese Fondue Day is April 11th. If you were to host a fondue party and could invite three historical or famous people, who would they be and why?

Wesley: Ooh. That’s a good one. You picked a good day because I love cheese. And if it was National Charcuterie Day, it would be even better. But National Fondue Day… I definitely think that there are some historical figures out there that have touched my life. And have had phenomenal stories. Definitely, one would be Harvey Milk. I know Harvey Milk Day [California] is coming up sooner than later. Just because of being a phenomenal advocate for so many communities and people out there. So that’s someone I would invite. Abraham Lincoln would be another. Another strong individual who stuck up for multiple people. And then someone who has always fascinated me, and her stories have fascinated me. You just never know in life. But probably Marilyn Monroe.

Michele: Three great choices. Why Marilyn?

Wesley: Just because she was the epitome of class and sass. I just think she’s always been admirable. She seems like the kind of person who would celebrate every day. No matter what people said about her, she rocked whatever she wanted to, and she was just her true self. I truly think that’s one person I would always want to surround myself with is someone who’s accepting and loving of themselves first, and she definitely would be that person.

Michele: Well, that’s a cheese fondue party I’d want to go to for sure.

What does Celebrate Every Day mean to you?

Wesley: It’s a plethora of things. You always hear different phrases out there like, “Live, laugh, love,” but I think one of my favorite phrases in life is “Love to live and live to love.” One of my friends who unfortunately passed away in an accident years ago— that was her favorite phrase in life. I think it means not taking life for granted. We never know when we’re going to be here when we’re not going to be here anymore. It’s one of those things where stress and everything else will come to play. Finding that one thing to hold on to and making your day or even your week a little bit better, I think that is what we can do as individuals.

Celebrating in the Future

Michele: How will we be celebrating in 50 years?

Wesley: I was talking to one of my friends and vendor partners, and she says, “Wouldn’t we just be celebrating in a nursing home.” And I said, “National Oatmeal day!!”

Michele: What is your favorite National Day?

Wesley: I was born on one of the best days to celebrate, and that is Cinco De Mayo.

Michele: What are you going to do this year for your birthday and celebrating Cinco De Mayo?

Wesley: I don’t know. It’s such a cultural influence here in San Diego. One of the really cool areas that we love to go to is Old Town. It has a lot of Hispanic influence. You can walk by and see the awesome gals making the tortillas. Believe me. We went down there for National Margarita Day, and it was popping. There was not a dry hand…they were enjoying those margaritas. So I think this year, we’ll just head to Old Town and just celebrate with everyone. I’m sure it will be a big party. It will be our first time celebrating Cinco De Mayo in San Diego.

Michele: You’re new to the area. What types of restaurants, businesses, festivals have you come across that really strike you as something or a place to go to represent the day?

Wesley: I think it’s all about neighborhoods. We’re so close to Tijuana and Mexico, so not just celebrating here but celebrating abroad. Thinking about the businesses or what’s around us, one would be anything to do with the military. San Diego and this part of California are so saturated with our armed services. Everywhere you go, you see someone in uniform. Your heart melts every time. They’re going out and fighting the good fight for us. Thank them for their service, and we’re going to go for a burger, and they’re behind me, I’m going to pay for their food. I say that being around the armed services is one thing that I’m going to be more cognoscente of and looking at those national days.

“San Diego and this part of California are so saturated with our armed services. Everywhere you go, you see someone in uniform.
Your heart melts every time.” ~ Wesley Miller Smith

Also, I would say the neighborhoods like Old Town, Little Italy. I can’t wait for National Pasta Day because I’m going to go down to Little Italy and eat plates and plates of pasta. I think just taking advantage of the surroundings and the wonderful people we have around us.

There are wonderful people who protect our country every single day and really cool neighborhoods you wouldn’t get in growing up in southwest Missouri or living in the Midwest sometimes. We’re finally settling in a being able to really enjoy ourselves and find things to do. That’s what we did on Margarita Day. We went and tried a patio at a restaurant in Old Town. Café Coyote, and we fell in love with it. It was really cool. There was a tortilla station right in front of us. So we got to see the woman making tortillas. As soon as one got up, she would flip it and grab it. It was really cool.

There are over 1,500 national days. Don’t miss a single one. Celebrate Every Day® with National Day Calendar®!

National Day Calendar® is protected under the copyright laws of the United States. All information on this page, including design, audio, video, text, photographs, and graphics, is owned and controlled by National Day Calendar. Duplicating, plagiarizing, or falsely claiming creative ownership, printed or digital, without consent of National Day Calendar, is considered a violation of United States copyright laws. See full description of National Day Calendar copyright rules.

CELEBRATION SPOTLIGHT – Jennifer Monroe

In the Celebration Spotlight, this week one of National Day Calendar’s first ambassadors joins us. Jennifer Monroe is a Texan with a love for life as big as the state where she lives. This week she shares stories of celebration and how she turns strangers into friends.

National Days

Jennifer: I’m so excited to be here. I originally reached out to National Day Calendar because I was a speech pathologist in a school system and my speech pathology friends were like, “Do they have a speech pathology day?” And I said, “Let me check. Well, there isn’t a day specifically dedicated to it. Let me ask them.” And they asked, “You can do that?” My response was, “Why couldn’t you?” So I did, and they got back to me and said that it was wrapped up in Better Speech and Hearing Month.

That’s what speech pathologists celebrate, and while I was talking to them, they said, “You seem rather enthusiastic about celebrating all these National Days.” And I am. I used to use them, I’m retired now, but I used to use them a lot with my students. It’s such a fun thing to talk about every day. It’s just a fun little quirky thing to throw in there. They said, “We’re starting an ambassador program, and we think you’d be perfect.” I said, “Sign me up!” I’m not sure if I was the first ambassador, but I know I was close to being the first one.

Michele: You were very close to being the first one, if not the first. I don’t remember for sure. But I do remember this conversation, and you are so enthusiastic. It’s not a was thing at all; it’s present tense. You live a Celebrate Every Day lifestyle.

Living Celebrate Every Day

Jennifer: I really do. I am a champion of that motto. It’s internal. And life circumstances led me to fully embrace it even more. For example, in my ambassador profile, it talks about my dad. And he is one of the reasons…I get teary-eyed every time. It has been years that my family has dealt with this, but it’s such a beautiful story because it highlights why celebrating every day is personally important.

So, my dad was a doctor in Dallas and contracted hepatitis through one of his patients. And that was back in the 80s when people didn’t double glove or use a lot of precautions. It was a very scary time for us, and he was going to die unless he had a liver transplant. He got on the liver transplant list, and he had no preferential treatment just because he was a doctor. That transplant list is the way it is. If you’re lucky to get a match, then you are. Really in the nick of time, his doctor told us he probably would have lived three more weeks if the surgery did not happen. So he received a liver from this woman who lived in Brazoria, Texas. We got to meet her family, and they are our heroes to this day.

“If you’re lucky to get a match, then you are. Really in the nick of time, his doctor told us he probably
would have lived three more weeks if the surgery did not happen.” ~Jennifer Monroe

But my dad has always been an enthusiastic and optimistic person, and that quadrupled to a million times over for his appreciation for life. And why every moment is precious and why every day you deserve to celebrate. And celebrate doesn’t have to be some huge elaborate party with confetti. It can just be an attitude. And that’s what I think of it. Just so grateful. Waking up and thinking, “We’re here on this planet. We’ve got family; we’re safe.” Just talking about this going on in Russia and Ukraine and how rough that is right now. I’m just thankful for the little tiny things we have to be grateful for. And I’m sure you’re grateful for, too, in these moments of tragedy. Even when things are the toughest and hardest, I think you don’t have to look too far to find one little thing to be grateful for.

Michele: It can be just a micro-moment that can change the day. That’s why we celebrate every day around here. It’s a lifestyle, a mindset. Sometimes it takes some adjustment for some. I’ve heard stories of people saying this changed their life. So we hear those stories, and that’s what we’re doing, trying to get those stories out there, and you’re one of them. I’m so glad you shared that about your dad. I’m familiar with the transplant process. A family member of ours has gone through it’s like. At that last moment – you said three weeks – that desperation that you almost feel, and then afterward, you feel extremely grateful. It’s powerful.

Shifting gears just a little bit- back in November, you had some exciting stuff going on. Tell me about what you were doing right before Thanksgiving.

And the Host of Our Show

Jennifer: The story starts even before November. Back in April, I saw a casting call for people who are outgoing (check) and who like to tell stories, and as you know, that’s a check. Those were the only two things I knew about it, so I applied. And what it was for was a new game show that was coming out. And when you answer a call like that, it’s very vague because I guess they don’t want you to reveal things too early. So I didn’t know quite what I was getting myself into, and they requested a two-minute recording of me telling my best story—and then telling some quirky fact about myself.

Well, the National Day Calendar…well, it’s kind of quirky, but it’s also super fun. So that, to me, is always fun to tell people about because it is so different and unique. So, I led with that, and I think to this day is the reason that I got to have the experience I had. So, for the Jay Leno show, You Bet Your Life. It’s a revamp of an old Groucho Marx show. And they chose me, and I got to go on and compete.

The actual taping was in July, but we had to keep quiet about it until our own show aired. They told us at the time, “We’re not going to be able to tell you when it’s going to air. Be patient.” So, like I said, it started in April and went all the way to the week before Thanksgiving, and then surprise, they emailed me. Your show is coming on tomorrow. I was so excited to finally tell people about it. They loved the National Day Calendar.

“Your show is coming on tomorrow. I was so excited to finally tell people about it. Jay…they loved the National Day Calendar.” Jennifer Monroe

Michele: They did! I’ve seen it. He was hilarious, too. He had some fun with it. If you want to watch that episode, it’s episode 73. You can find it on Tubi. That’s where I found it anyway. It’s so fun to watch. He and Kevin Eubanks are on the show, too. It’s really fun to watch. Jay’s humor is on there, but it’s also a game show. And you did pretty well.

Jennifer: Thank you, thank you. The whole twist of it, and I don’t know that they highlight it so much, but we didn’t know who our partner was going to be until literally five minutes before we walked on that stage. I met the guy as we were walking down the hall. So you don’t know who you’re with, what kind of strengths they have, what kind of trivia knowledge. It’s all such a huge risk, so it’s a lot of fun. They do have a YouTube channel specifically for the show. On that, I think it said it was episode 70. I think it’s called “Bus Racing.” I’m not a bus driver, but…

Michele: They have two contestants at the beginning of the show, and another set on the second half is another pair, right?

Jennifer: Yeah, but Jay even said on there, let’s make this National Risk-Taking Day or something like that because there is a big point where we take a risk. It was a lot, a lot of fun. I don’t think I would have been chosen without the National Day Calendar.

Michele: I love that bit of notation there. It might have been the oomph to get you select.

Calendar Girl

Jennifer: I think it was. They kept calling me the calendar girl when I got there. They’d say, “Oh, there’s the calendar girl.” I’m like, “Okay, I’ll take it!”

Michele: I would, too! Sure, why not. Jay Leno isn’t the only talk show host you have a little bit of experience with, is it?

Jennifer: I’ve done some crazy things in my life. That’s another Celebrate Every Day philosophy and attitude I have. I always think, “Why not try. Why not ask.”

Michele: In your profile on our website, you talk about backstage with David Letterman and striking up a conversation with a stranger.

Jennifer: Yes! So there’s that, and I was on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire with Regis Philbin. The David Letterman story is my sisters, and I went to that show, and Lance Armstrong happened to be a guest on there. It was after his first Tour de France victory. He’s from Texas, and we are. I kind of paid attention to that. I used to do scrapbooks professionally. So, I was a professional archivist. I started thinking, “I bet he has a ton of really cool things he would like to have archived.” After the show, I worked my way backstage and met him and his wife and said, “I think maybe I can help you.” They said, “Sure!” And that turned into a whole other opportunity by making scrapbooks for them. It was a lot of fun. It was a great experience.

Seize the Day

Michele: Seizing the moment. That’s what you were doing.

Jennifer: Seizing the moment for sure.

Michele: I think you do that a lot. It’s a fun way to live and approach life. You’ve probably met a lot of strangers in your life. Is there anything unique or unusual that you’ve experienced because of that?

Jennifer: Well, I use it as a jumping-off point to start a conversation. Sometimes people are scared to do things because they’re not sure what to say. But, my life took a whole turn after I retired from being a speech pathologist. It was a wonderful 25-year career I had. I embraced it and loved it. Loved my students; loved my parents; everybody I worked with was wonderful. But my husband and I were sitting around during Covid like everybody else. He’s still working and has a few more months left before he retires.

And I thought, “What am I going to with glorious, luxurious gift of time?” So, I started answering more of those casting calls. Now I’ve been doing background work, they call us background artists, doing some commercials and things like that. It’s been so much fun. So when I’ve been on set, I use that (national days) to talk to people. “Hey, did you know it’s National Banana Bread Day? Did you know it was National whatever…” I’ve talked to Sam Eliot and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill and…

Making Magic

Michele: Oh, wow!

Jennifer: National Day Calendar is a great conversation starter.

Michele: So when you start conversations with the name dropping you just did here with Tim McGraw…What days did you celebrate with them or talk to them about?

Jennifer: I get very star-struck, and even though I never run out of words, I was whatever day that was being celebrated. So, I was so lucky that I got to be on 1883, the Yellowstone prequel. They filmed it in Fort Worth, which is really close to my home. I loved it, and we were there for three weeks, so whatever day it was, I would look at that day and mention it.

Michele: That must have been an exciting time. The show was a hit first off.

Jennifer: The show was amazing. The detail, let me tell you. I was walking around in the background by the train by Faith Hill. We had to go fitted for all those 1800s costumes. Every single person is meticulously fitted. And when you walked out on the set, it was like magic, magic! Everywhere there are horses and carriages, and it just took you to a whole other world. It was just easy to imagine you were part of that time.

Michele: So you were an extra or…

Jennifer: Yes. In the first episode, I think I’m in there about 11 different times.

“Everywhere there are horses and carriages, and it just took you to a whole other world.
It was just easy to imagine you were part of that time.” Jennifer Monroe

Michele: I’m going to have to go back and watch it again.

Jennifer: Let me tell you when I say it’s like a split second. There’s one time where you can probably see my face the most. Now, remember, my hair’s all slicked back, bonnet on, no makeup, I look very different. Even my family didn’t recognize me. When Tim McGraw first comes into the town and he’s driving the wagon, and he looks to his right, and he sees the place of ill repute. Across the street from that, he turns the corner, and he looks left, and a friend of mine named Delilah and I are there, and he looks at us for a minute, and so that was my big moment.

Michele: That had to be so fun. You’ll never forget that, that’s for sure.

Jennifer: Never. I read they are renewing it for a second season, but there’s a little bit of talk about it being called 1932, and they’re going to progress the timeline a little bit. Anybody listening, if you have any interest at all, it’s not hard to do. Listen to your local news, and they’ll say, “Hey, if you want to do this, sign up.” It’s a blast. It’s really, really cool to see behind the scenes and how much goes on. I have so much respect for how hard they work.

Michele: I have a friend in Ohio who, when they were filming A League of Their Own in Indiana, and he was an extra. His bit got cut, but he was an extra in of the stand scenes where you see all the fans in the background, and he said it was a fabulous experience. I can’t imagine it being any different for you. And then working with such a popular show, too.

Jennifer: It was fun. There is one coming up next week with Renee Zellweger. She has a new series out called The Thing About Pam. It’s a murder mystery. It was on NBC’s Dateline, and it got so much response that they did a script about it. And she listened to it, and she said that she wanted to play that main character. And she filmed it in Louisiana.

I convinced my sister to seize the day. My sister and my daughter went with me, drove down to New Orleans just for the day, just to do this because it’s so much fun, and I told them, I promise them. We got chosen to do the hokey pokey in a wedding scene with Rene Zellweger. So, she was the sweetest, nicest, most genuine human being. So precious. And that’s always nice when your heroes and these people you have these ideas about live up to your expectations. It comes on March 8th. And super-duper excited about that. We’ll be in that first scene with the hokey pokey with her.

Pick One

Michele: So many fun stories for you to tell. No wonder you’re such a storyteller. I’m going to switch gears again, just a little bit. I’m going to give you a choice of three things. First contact. Name yourself. Or look alike.

Jennifer: Hmmm. Let’s do look alike.

Michele: April 20th is National Look Alike Day. Who do you look like?

Jennifer: Oh my goodness. It would be hard for me to pick, but the two I get the most are Giada De Laurentiis, who is a beautiful celebrity chef. It’s a very big compliment to me, but the irony is I don’t cook at all. And I’m trying to think. There are others people have said before, but Giada De Laurentiis, I would say I’m happy to look like her.

Celebrate Every Day

Michele: Very simply, what does Celebrate Every Day mean to you?

Jennifer: So, what it means to mean is a way of life. It’s an attitude, a philosophy. It’s how you’re going to choose each day. Because you can choose. Every morning you get up, you have a choice. Is this going to be a positive kind of day, or is it going to be a negative kind of day? I’m always going to err on the side of positive.

I’m not saying it’s easy because it’s not. I mean, you’re not naturally always going to have a…things go wrong. Things happen all the time, but there’s always a silver lining in that. And if you can just make that little switch and look around, there has to be something I’m grateful for today. And that’s it. That’s one reason National Day Calendar is so much fun. Because they have a gamut of really little fun quirky things and these huge serious things. I think it’s so wonderful that the National Day Calendar includes serious topics. They deserve so much recognition and so much thought. And it’s kind of hard to go, “Happy National…” and then have a hard topic attached to it. It’s so much more meaningful, and I love that the National Day Calendar does not shy away from very big important issues.

“Every morning you get up, you have a choice. Is this going to be a positive kind of day, or is it going to be a negative kind of day? I’m always going to err on the side of positive.” ~ Jennifer Monroe

Michele: We provide educational information and links to find support, and I think that’s very valuable. It’s a strong part of our mission, and I’m glad you pointed that out.

What advice would you give to somebody who wanted to start Celebrating Every Day?

Jennifer: Gosh. It’s not hard to do. Just jump in and do it. You don’t have to overthink any of it. Look around. Find something you’re excited about and just celebrate it. It doesn’t even have to be the official national day of that, but it is fun. You just take a minute and go to the National Day Calendar website. I love clicking on Today’s National Day. What’s coming up. I’m a person who likes to plan ahead. Always be excited about the future. If you feel a national day is a bit too much, there are national weeks national months. You can pick one thing for the whole month and celebrate that. I promise you there is something for everyone.

Michele: There is something for everyone on the website. You don’t have to be a foodie or somebody who cooks a lot. You could be somebody with an outdoor interest and find something that will be worthy of celebrating.

More locally, you’re a Texan. Are there festivals or something you’d recommend people check out?

McKinney, Texas

Jennifer: Oh my gosh, yes. I live in this darling, charming historic town called McKinney, Texas. It’s a little bit north of Dallas with an idyllic town square. Anyone who comes to visit says this is like you’re living in a Hallmark movie. People are so kind, so nice. And they are very active in all their celebrations. They just did; it’s so cute. They called it Krewe of Barkus. It’s a dog parade.

And then they have Arts in Bloom which is a really neat celebration of all our local artists, but it’s tied into spring. They do a St. Patrick’s Day walk, and they do a Valentine’s Walk where they do chocolates and wine. It’s a very active, vibrant community.

They do Home for the Holidays, a huge Christmas theme, and our home was chosen to be on the Home Tour this past Christmas, which was wonderful in theory. I was so excited about it, and then it dawned on me, “Oh my gosh, we have to get this house ready for people to walk through it.” But it was fun. We upped our decorating game. Our community is really big on celebrating, which makes it really fun.

Michele: It sounds like a great place to visit and explore. Is there anything I haven’t asked you that you wished I had?

Meeting Strangers

Jennifer: No, but I think there is something I’d like to share. This goes back to one of my storytelling things, and I’ll try to be listener-friendly. I read a book called Unbroken back when it came out. And it was a national bestseller. I’m a huge reader, but this isn’t a normal genre I’d read, but because there was so much buzz about it, I read it. It was about this wonderful, amazing man. He was a veteran of World War II. There were just so many things about him that I was inspired by, and I thought, “Man, I’d love to meet him.” And so I called him. He was a 94-year-old man at the time, and he was so gracious and kind.

I told him I was so amazed by his story, amazed by his philosophy, by his attitude in life. And he said, “Thank you.” Before we hung up, I said, “You know, our birthdays are one day apart. I think we should celebrate our birthdays together.” He said, “Yes.” So I flew out to Los Angeles to meet him in person. And we spent a whole afternoon together. He was also an Olympic champion as well, so he had carried the torch in the Olympics. At his home, he has all of these torches.

So I got to hold all those, take pictures with them. His story is amazing. Angelina Jolie did a movie about him. And he lived to be 96 years old. And we became really good friends. Every week we’d talk on the phone. That’s the best example of why you should not overthink things. He could have not answered the phone. He could have told me no, which would have been fine, and I would have respected it. But look what happened? He said yes.

Michele: It’s a way of making connections, making friendships where you wouldn’t expect to. I expect that’s something you do a lot. You’ve enriched your life with new friends everywhere you go by talking to strangers Celebrating Every Day, and telling your story as well.

Jennifer: It’s a natural thing for me and my family. Life’s precious. Enjoy it. Embrace it. And share that joy with other people.

There are over 1,500 national days. Don’t miss a single one. Celebrate Every Day® with National Day Calendar®!

CELEBRATION SPOTLIGHT – Gia Reynolds

Interviewing Gia Reynolds for the Celebration Spotlight is like interviewing a good friend or a beloved family member. Maybe that’s why her friends call her Mama Gia; we can always turn to her and count on a good meal in the process. Gia is the founder of The Houseshoe Hostess. She and I visited in February about food, family, friendship, and how she loves to keep things positive.

Learning to be a Hostess

Michele: Can you tell everybody the story of The Houseshoe Hostess?

Gia: I’d be more than happy to. I was raised to be a hostess. My grandmother was the best hostess, and she raised me. I helped her set up Yahtzee parties and Tupperware parties. I was young when I was helping her set those up, so I think that’s where I got the hostess bug. So, she would cook and invite everyone over on Friday and Saturdays and have a big girlfriends’ party every weekend.

Michele: What kind of things did your grandmother cook?

Gia: Comfort food. And that’s where my love for comfort food came from. Back then, it wasn’t as healthy, so I try to create comfort food so you can still indulge but a little bit on the healthier side.

Michele: You take away a little bit of the guilt.

Gia: Yes. But then you feel guilty because you want to eat more.

Soirees and House Shoes

Michele: So your story about the Houseshoe Hostess – how did that come about, and what is that story?

Gia: I have been in banking for 23 years, and I had a back injury. I headed to work one day, and I slipped and fell. I had disc issues. At that time, I was catering and doing banking. And when I fell and during my recovery, all I could think about…I wasn’t thinking about banking…all I could think about was, “I’m not going to be able to throw parties anymore. I’m not going to be able to stand and cook. It’s nothing like having a roast in the oven and perfuming the whole home.

And that’s all I kept thinking about. It was a three or four-month recovery period. I just wrote recipes and planned parties and all of that. A few years before that I started to do a blog. But I was working too many hours, and it never really took off. It was called Soirees and Slippers. Well, no one could pronounce “soiree,” and so it just didn’t stick.

Michele: I could pronounce it, but I’m not sure I could spell it.

“I just wrote recipes and planned parties and all of that.” ~Gia Reynolds

Gia: Yeah. So it didn’t stick with me. I always keep my house a little chillier than most, so when friends would come over they would say my house is cold. So I would always have house shoes and blankets and snuggies for friends that visited often. So that’s where the name Houseshoe Hostess came from. At first, they would come over and be dressed up for a party and I’m like, “This isn’t me. When you come over, wear some yoga pants or sweats.

Michele: Come as you are.

Gia: Yes. And we eat good food and watch TV and just talk and socialize. My friends say, “You’re the best hostess,” and the house shoe just came along with it.

Michele: It fits together, and there’s a story behind it. It makes people ask you, “Where did you get this idea?”

Gia: A lot of people are drawn to the name. And I’ve gotten a lot of followers just by people asking, “Where did this name come from?”

Michele: It makes people curious. I know it did me. I love hearing you tell the story both on your social media channels and in person, too.

Connections

Gia: I love it. It’s one of those things…you know how you start out, and you want something to connect you to other people? I think everybody can connect to good food and relaxing. Especially nowadays. Stress-free.

Michele: I’ve talked to a few people about how it’s their love language to cook good food for people and I think you fit that description quite well. What are some of your favorite things to make?

Gia: I love a good roast. Roast chicken, beef roast, pork roast, anything like that. Like I mentioned before, something you just put together, and when people come in, they’re like, “What is that you’re cooking?” Recently someone delivered something to me and he stuck his whole head in my apartment and said, “What is that you’re making?” You want people to start eating with their eyes and their nose first. I love that. You can’t get past a good steak and potato and stuff like that, too.

“You want people to start eating with their eyes and their nose first. I love that.” ~ Gia Reynolds

Michele: On Instagram, you make beautiful arrangements of your food and just an amazing colorful setting. So, yes, I’m sure people are eating with their eyes when they’re sitting down as well as their nose because you’ve made it beautiful.

Gia: Thank you. And you know, for a long time…I have a lot of friends who are bakers, and I’ve always said, “Bakers just create the most beautiful things.” I just put salt and pepper on stuff. It’s not like making a creation. Just recently, I’ve kind of accepted that people…you know how you get a compliment and like, “Do I deserve that?” So now, with a lot of people complimenting me like you did, I think, “Maybe it is more than salt and pepper.”

Michele: And a little bit of love. You know, I know how you feel when you think you didn’t do much or you don’t think you did. Just say, “Thank you.” That’s what my momma always said. If you get a compliment, just say thank you. And then you know you’ve acknowledged their compliment.

I know, too, that you’re trying new things. What advice would you give someone who wants to try new things?

Life Happens

Gia: Actually. Life. Life happened. The pandemic happened. I have just seen so many changes and not all great changes. And I just thought, what better time to do it than now. I kind of hesitated a little because you think, “What if this doesn’t go right,” and “What if this…” But now I’m to the point where everyone started out new at some point. And everyone always tells me that I give the best advice, but I don’t take my own advice.

Michele: I do that.

Gia: And so this year, I decided I’m going to treat myself like I would treat a friend. I would encourage a friend and no limits! You need to do that for yourself, and that’s what started me getting out of my comfort zone.

Michele: You’ve been baking, too, right?

“And so this year, I decided I’m going to treat myself like I would treat a friend.” Gia Reynolds

Gia: I have.

Michele: Is that not your normal thing to do?

Gia: I bake easy stuff. I should say, easy to me. My grandmother liked pound cakes, zucchini bread, banana bread, and stuff like that. But I’m challenging myself to start baking more.

Make Mistakes

Michele: I’ve seen some posts on your social media where it seems like you’re not afraid to put your mistakes out there; let everyone see where you messed up and try again. And that’s one thing that I really take from your posts as inspiring and shows you’re not afraid. “Yep, this is where I went wrong. But here’s my success.”

Gia: I actually have a whole highlight reel on my Instagram. I don’t want people to look at this and think, “Ooh, she’s perfect.” Because it’s not that way at all, but I also don’t want someone new into cooking or baking to get discouraged if things don’t turn out right. So, I do show all of them.

Michele: She does, people. She really does. Your mouth will water, even the bad stuff she posts where she made a mistake.

Gia: When we were catering, one of my all-time favorite mistakes was…I remember one summer we had a person who wanted like 50 or 60 crème brûlées. And I’m like, “That’s a lot!” So, I tried to make crème brûlée bars. It’s easier to turn everything into a bar when you have to make large quantities. So, it didn’t turn out right. I went back and had to try something else, and my family had devoured it. And they wanted to know, “What is this?” We didn’t even have a name for it because it was a mistake.

“It’s easier to turn everything into a bar when you had to make large quantities.” ~ Gia Reynolds

That’s one recipe I kind of keep to myself. You won’t see that on my blog or Instagram or anything like that. However, if I talk to you and you and I are having a good day, I will definitely bring you some of those. I share them with love. I just don’t share that recipe online.

Michele: Gia’s little secret treat.

Gia: At first, I made them so much because everyone loved them that I was just, “Ok. I’m done.” I boycotted them for years. I was literally making them no stop. I always forget how delicious they are because I made them so often.

Celebration Ambassador

Michele: You’re a Celebration Nation Ambassador for National Day Calendar, and you’ve been at this for a year.

Gia: I have been even before I met you guys.

Michele: Right. A lot of ambassadors are before they become ambassadors. How did you find us? What do you enjoy about being an ambassador?

Gia: I love it! I think that it’s what everyone needs. It’s a selfless act, and it makes you feel good, and it makes other people feel good. Even if I’m not having a great day, I can look through the calendar of what’s coming up and instantly feel better.

Michele: That’s that ripple effect right there.

Gia: Exactly. I don’t know how I stumbled across your calendar, but I’ve been looking at it for quite some time. I always look on the calendar, and at work, people are always asking me, “What’s coming up?” And I give the calendars out as gifts. I call it the feel-good ambassador because you can’t be unhappy by looking at the days. And some of the days are not as fun as other ones. There are some serious days out there.

Michele: Awareness days and things like that that make you think.

Gia: You appreciate those even more.

Michele: Everyone can learn something from one of the days. There’s always something there to learn.

Awareness & Heroes

Gia: I had a girlfriend whose mom passed away several years ago from scleroderma. And at that time, we had no idea what it was. Even the doctors didn’t know. We’re talking 18 years ago or so. It’s on the calendar, and I told her about that. We had a moment. It’s good that it’s bringing awareness because, for months, the doctors didn’t know what it was.

Michele: There’s a lot of those rare conditions to bring awareness. What are some of your favorite holidays?

Gia: I am all about girlfriends. National Girlfriends Day is one of my favorites. Galentine’s Day is another. Ninety percent of the food holidays. All the superhero days.

Michele: Those are fun, too. Do your grandchildren like those days, too?

Gia: Yes. We’ve always celebrated those days. When new superhero movies come out and things like that. I was never into superhero movies until I had boys, and now when a new superhero movie comes out, I want to know if we’re going to see it.

And we’ll go out as a family to see if we can. Luckily we’re in the same area. My son was in the military, but now he’s back home.

Michele: My son was in the military, too, and he’s back home now, too. So I know the feeling about having him back.

Gia: Thank him for his service.

Michele: You do the same for your son.

Gia: My son, when he was in the 8th grade, four or five of his friends, they all decided – they were in ROTC – and they all decided they were going into the military. All of them went except one because he got a football scholarship.

Celebrate Every Day

Michele: What does Celebrate Every Day mean to do?

Gia: That no matter what you’re going through, you can find something to be happy about and celebrate. That was just recently brought to my attention. I was thinking about something in a negative way, and I was surprised because I will cut a negative thought off in a second. I recently just lost my mom.

I made mistake and played a voicemail she had left on my phone. I was very sad, and it took me back. So, I was telling a friend about it, and he said, “You know, I wish I had a message from my grandmother, that way, I could hear her voice because I don’t have anything.” And I realized I should be happy about that. So, you celebrate even when you don’t want to celebrate. Just by him mentioning that, it turned my whole thoughts around, and Celebrate Every Day is like that. A lot of people now are struggling to even put a smile on their face. Covid has touched everyone. And so, I think if you can think about a celebration, it might not replace it, but lighten it a little bit and put a smile on your face.

Michele: That’s a wonderful perspective. What are you celebrating this week?

Black History Month

Gia: For Black History Month…I was able to find a copy of Rosa Parks‘ Peanut Butter Pancakes. It was handwritten on an envelope. I became emotional making them. I just remember my grandma; when a recipe came to her, she wrote it down on whatever. So, the HuffPost posted it a few years ago. And I made it for Black History Month. Her birthday was February 4th. It was pretty important to me. I like my own recipes but honoring other people because I know how hard it is to formulate a recipe.

Michele: What a fun and unique way to honor her and also to connect with her through food.

Gia: So I asked other foodies to join in the collaboration, and we all made food that was special for Black History Month. It was very nice. And when you’re talking about good food…there was very good food there.

“I just remember my grandma, when a recipe came to her, she wrote it down on whatever.” ~ Gia Reynolds

Michele: What else was made?

Gia: A lot of smothered food. Smother chicken, smothered pork chops. Someone made some cheddar biscuits with a sausage gravy. It was just really good food. Sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes soufflés and sweet potato buttered biscuits. Pot roast. It was a little bit of everything. It was just nice that we could all come together and honor her on her birthday and Black History Month.

Michele: Have you done collaborations like this before?

Gia: All last year, it was one collab one after another.

You know, I’ve met so many people who’ve touched my heart that I’ve never met in person. I’ve made lifelong friends that I have never even given a hug to. I’ve also met foodie friends where we’ve connected, whether it be through National Day Calendar or through food or just anything, and we’ve traveled to meet each other. I went to Chicago this summer and met up with a foodie friend. And another foodie friend from Maryland who flew out for my birthday. So It’s good to just step outside the box and meet people you’ve never known through a platform like this.

“I’ve made lifelong friends that I have never even given a hug to.” ~ Gia Reynolds

Michele: It’s a common theme. You’re meeting people you wouldn’t normally meet and talking about subjects you might not normally talk about. Or things you both have an interest in. It’s a way to expand your horizons. What’s wrong with that?

Gia: That’s one thing we all have in common is food. We’re all connected that way.

Michele: When we gather, there’s always some food element to it.

Gia: No matter what the nationality is.

Michele: That’s right. Where ever you go, somebody is going to be putting food on the table when people come together. Even when we’re mourning someone we’ve lost. We bring food to the table; we feed our souls. It’s no surprise to me that there are more food days on the calendar than any other holidays.

I always enjoy our conversations, Gia. You always brighten my day when we talk and make me feel my day was worth it.

Gia: It’s not often that we have a connection with somebody right off, and I felt that with you.