When I lived in Germany for five years, I never really became accustomed to the number of holidays they celebrate. It seemed like every week had a day when they celebrated something (usually with beer and a day off work). Imagine my surprise when I found out Americans celebrate even more “holidays.” We just don’t take a day off from work to do it.

Besides the obvious celebrations in June like D-Day (June 6), National Flag Day (June 14), Father’s Day (June 15) and the first day of summer (June 21), there are dozens of other “holidays” to celebrate. Let’s start with a few of the things we celebrate for the entire month.

June is Aquarium Month, Candy Month, Dairy Month, Gay Pride Month, National Accordion Awareness Month, National Adopt a Cat Month and Rose Month. Candy Month? That’s a celebration I could support!

Besides the monthly celebrations, Americans also have some special days in June. The most obvious one, of course, is the first day of summer, which is June 21 this year. It’s also the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. But then there are some others you’ve probably never heard of.

The wacky month of June celebrates Repeat Day (yes, I said “Repeat Day”), Hot Air Balloon Day, Best Friends Day and National Peanut Butter Cookie Day. That too is a celebration I could get behind! There’s even a National Ice Cream Soda Day and a National Chocolate Eclair Day (Yes, please!).

For the more active among us, there’s National Weed Your Garden Day, National Hollerin’ Contest Day (perhaps because the kids are out of school?), National Nature Photography Day and National Splurge Day. While you’re doing some of those things, don’t forget to include time for the Take a Road Trip Day, which is the third Friday in June.

As much fun and amusing as all these celebrations are, my favorites are Smile Power Day, Hug Holiday and Forgiveness Day. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we celebrated those three things all month long? We might even make up our own “special day” and call it Be Kind to Everyone Day.

Why don’t you join me in celebrating my favorite days in June? If we see someone without a smile, we can give them one of ours. If we’re hurt or angry, we can choose to forgive the person and let it go. We can hug the people we love and save a few hugs for people who need them.

Not only would those things make the month of June even better, it would also make our little circle of the world a better place.