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Mark Your Calendars | Top Quirky Business Holidays to Celebrate in June


What do etiquette, ballpoint pens, recess, gas, dogs, and kids all have in common? They’re the cause for holidays in the month of June.  Yes, believe it or not, there is a holiday for ballpoint pens. So mark your calendars and be sure to partake in a few of our favorite office holidays. National Business Etiquette Week (June 6-12) Be on the look out for business etiquette webinars during this week. No time to sit through a webinar? Here are a few of our own business etiquette tips:
  • Don’t chime in to conversations you hear over the wall. Whether it’s a work question you can answer or a private conversation you’d rather not hear, ignore comments that aren’t directed at you.
  • Business letters: State why you’re writing in a straightforward manner in the subject line.
  • International business: If you’re travelling on business to a foreign country, or have visitors here, it’s a good idea to learn as much as you can about the culture they are coming from and make appropriate allowances.
  • Meetings: Communicate beforehand- the objective, estimated duration, and Items that will be discussed.
National Ballpoint Pen Day (June 10) A Hungarian journalist, Laszlo Biro, developed the ballpoint pen. In June 1943, Biro and his brother, a chemist, took out a patent with the European Patent Office and made the first commercial models of the Biro pens. The British government bought the rights to the patented pen so the Royal Air Force could use them. The pens wrote without a problem at high altitudes with reduced pressure, while fountain pens flooded. The ball served for two functions: it acted as a cap to keep the ink from drying and it would let ink flow out of the pen at a controlled rate. Celebrate the holiday by giving your keyboard a break and making notes with a ballpoint pen. Recess at Work Day (June 16) That’s right, recess is a sanctioned work activity on June 16.  Employers are using this day as an opportunity to create team spirit, increase morale, improve health and share a fun side with the people you spend a majority of your day with. It gives employers a chance to start thinking about new and innovative products and services by offering employees a fun experience during the workday. Dump the Pump Day (June 17) With gas averaging $4.17, this day will come as a relief to many. National Dump the Pump Day encourages people to ride public transportation instead of driving themselves and saving some money. Utilizing public transit is the quickest way to beat high gas prices. The latest APTA Transit Savings Report showed that a two-person household that downsizes to one car can save an average of $10,000 a year! National Take Your Dog to Work Day (June 24) Water coolers will be joined by water dishes and the blue-plate special will be kibble with gravy on June 24, National Take Your Dog to Work Day. This annual event encourages pet lovers to celebrate the human-canine bond and promote pet adoption by encouraging their employers to support Take Your Dog to Work Day by opening their workplace to employee’s four-legged friends on this dog day of a summer. Make sure any furry guests are appropriately trained and tolerant of other dogs and new people! Please Take my Children to Work Day (June 27) Part-time and full-time mothers, pull out your Rolodex and book a babysitter. This is all about encouraging mothers around the world to find a sitter and take all or part of the day off. Being a part/full-time parent is hard work. Take this day to:
  • Watch a movie that isn’t animated
  • Go to a restaurant that doesn’t provide crayons with your menu
  • Have long uninterrupted conversations with adults
  • Read a book that doesn’t rhyme
  • Eat a meal that doesn’t come with a free toy
  • Get a manicure or pedicure
June 2nd was National Leave Work Early Day. We hope you all took advantage of this and skipped out of work early – after your work was done, of course!  If you forgot to partake in this holiday, enjoy a belated celebration when your schedule permits. Take a half-day and drive somewhere for the weekend, do some yard work or play with the kids outside. We hope these lively holidays brighten up the office space and make-work a little more enjoyable this June. Do you plan to partake in any of the above-mentioned holidays? Sound off in the comments, and let us know what your plans you have!