Key themes for November 2023
It's November, and we're heading into one of the most festive months of the year. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, crisp days and nights of Autumn await us. In the Southern Hemisphere, the days are getting longer and warmer as Spring comes into its own.
Food, family, homelessness, charity, diabetes, shopping, and entrepreneurship are key themes heading into the holiday season. Hindus, Buddhists, and Sikhs celebrate their big festival, Diwali (covered below), on November 12. The United Kingdom gets its prankster on with Guy Fawkes Day, November 5. The United States celebrates Thanksgiving on November 23, while much of the world marks the end of the First World War on November 11. Daylight Savings ends in Canada and the United States, while it begins in Tongo and Fiji on November 5.
EXPERIMENT IN PROGRESS—Can you help?
You are the first to see, and I need your input. I'm nervously holding my breath, but I'm going to try something here. We're testing LEEPCalendar.com; you can see what I've been building for 12 years (that is not a typo. I'm either stubborn, dogged, insane, or just really annoyingly persistent).
In the pictured events below, I've included links to their pages on the calendar so you can access the videos and other information available. It will take another month or so to work out the kinks. The subscription and event submission consoles still need to be put up, and the site search is under construction (we're indexing over 68,000 pages). Click away the LEEP Frog that greets you on each page if you subscribe to this newsletter. It's there to ensure people know we're still getting ready for prime time.
My pride and joy is the calendar in the header that lets you see everything occurring the day you visit the site. Each listing is clickable in the header calendar. Please let me know what you think, good or bad.
I want to shout out to my development team led by Muzammal Rahim at Creative Tech Solutions in Islamabad. They've put up with a lot and have been wonderful. Thanks all!
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November National Holidays include:
INDEPENDENCE DAY
Antigua and Barbuda (November 1, 1981)
Albania (November 28, 1912)
Angola (November 11, 1975)
Barbados (November 30, 1966)
Colombia (November 11, 1811)
Micronesia (November 3, 1980)
Cambodia (November 9, 1949)
Lebanon (November 22, 1943)
Latvia (November 18, 1918)
Mauritania (November 28, 1960)
Panama (November 28, 1821)
Panama (November 3, 1903)
Poland (November 11, 1918)
Suriname (November 25, 1975)
NATIONAL DAY
Micronesia (November 3, 1978)
Timor-Leste (November 28, 1975)
Estonia (November 16, 1991)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (November 25, 1943)
Dominica (November 3, 1978)
Monaco (November 3, 1949/2005)
Oman (November 18-19, 1940)
REPUBLIC DAY
Brazil (November 15, 1889)
Mongolia (November 26, 1924)
Maldives (November 11, 1968)
Chad (November 28, 1958)
REVOLUTION DAY
Bangladesh (November 7, 1975)
Mexico (November 20, 1910)
Russia (November 7, 1917)
Algeria (November 1, 1954)
We'll kick off November with smiles and laughs via the Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards.
COMEDY WILDLIFE PHOTO AWARDS
Date: November 23, 2023
Location: Worldwide
Champion: Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards Limited
Fundraiser for the Born Free Foundation and Other Causes
Founded in 2015 by professional photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam, The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards spotlights the lighter side of the animal kingdom by celebrating wild animals captured in amusing, spontaneous poses; the competition emphasizes the importance of wildlife conservation while providing a humorous respite from the world's challenges. Beyond evoking laughter, the awards aim to raise awareness about wildlife conservation.
In partnership with the Born Free Foundation, the competition underscores the message that safeguarding wildlife can be fun. The awards feature multiple categories, including "On the Land," "Under the Sea," and "In the Air," to name a few. Each category encourages photographers to submit candid shots of animals in humorous situations or poses. Entrants come from around the world; the competition has grown in popularity since its inception. Winning images have been featured in international media, emphasizing both the photographers' talent and the animal subjects' charm.
The competition concludes with an annual awards ceremony. In addition to category winners, an overall winner receives the title of "Comedy Wildlife Photographer of the Year."
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, with its unique blend of humor and conservation messaging, has become a favorite among both professional and amateur photographers globally. It serves as a reminder of nature's joyful moments and our responsibility to protect their habitat.
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS
Dates: November 1-2, 2023
Location: Mexico, Central America, South America
Champion: Tradition, International Heritage Event. See UNESCO
Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, is a Latino celebration highlighting the closeness of family and friends. The holiday celebrates a willingness to pray, remember dead loved ones, and support their spiritual journey through the combination of Catholicism blending elements of the Aztec festival dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl. Celebrations coincide with the Christian observances of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.
Skulls and skeletons, known as "calaveras" and "calacas," respectively, are common motifs during Día de los Muertos, often depicted humorously or whimsically, dressed in clothes, and participating in everyday activities to mock and trivialize death.
The core belief behind Día de los Muertos is that the spirits of the deceased return to the world of the living during this time to be with their families and loved ones. Families prepare altars or "ofrendas" next to graves when possible and gather for a picnic. These include offerings for the spirits of food, drinks, mementos, and other items that the deceased enjoyed during their lifetime.
Each ofrenda includes multiple layers, each with a specific significance. Typical items on the altar include:
Candles—to light the way for the spirits.
Marigolds (Cempasúchil)—orange and yellow flowers to guide the spirits with their vibrant color and scent.
Photographs—of those celebrated.
Favorite Food and Drinks—of the deceased, including traditional foods like "pan de muerto" (bread of the dead).
Sugar Skulls—decorative and colorful skulls made of sugar, symbolizing death and rebirth.
Papel Picado—perforated paper with intricate designs that represent the fragility of life.
As represented in the many layers of the ofrenda, food is a significant part of Día de los Muertos celebrations. Traditional foods include:
Pan de Muerto—sweet bread often decorated with shapes resembling bones.
Tamales—cornmeal dough filled with meats, cheeses, or other fillings, wrapped in a corn husk, and steamed.
Atole—a warm beverage made from masa (corn dough), water, and additional flavors like vanilla or chocolate.
While Día de los Muertos originated in Mexico, it is celebrated throughout Latin America and among Latino communities in the diaspora. In addition to private family celebrations, public events often feature parades, music, dancing, and art installations.
The holiday has been recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
THE GAY GAMES
Dates: November 3-11, 2023
Location: China, Mexico
Champion: Federation of Gay Games
The Gay Games is an international sporting and cultural event that promotes acceptance, inclusion, and the celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. Founded by Dr. Tom Waddell, an Olympic decathlete, the first Gay Games took place in San Francisco in 1982. The event was initially called the Gay Olympics, but due to a legal dispute with the International Olympic Committee, the name changed to the Gay Games.
Held every four years, the Gay Games brings together athletes, artists, and activists worldwide to participate in various sporting and cultural events. The event's primary goals are to foster understanding, respect, and acceptance for LGBTQ+ individuals, encourage personal growth and self-discovery, and promote unity and camaraderie among participants.
The Gay Games features a wide range of sports, from traditional ones like athletics, swimming, and basketball, to more niche sports such as roller derby and dance. There are also cultural events, such as visual and performing arts, which showcase the talents of LGBTQ+ artists.
One of the unique aspects of the Gay Games is its emphasis on inclusivity. The event is open to all individuals, including transgender athletes in their chosen gender, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or athletic ability. It encourages participation from people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds, creating a diverse competitive environment.
AMERICAN DIABETES MONTH
Dates: November 1-30, [1920] 2023
Location: United States
Champion: American Diabetes Association
November is all about diabetes, whether in animals, people, or its impact on various body parts. We're using American Diabetes Month as the sigil, but it is observed worldwide in multiple forms with different champion organizations. American Diabetes Month aims to educate the public about the risk factors and signs of diabetes, which include frequent urination, excessive thirst, and unexplained weight loss.
Diabetes is a chronic health condition affecting millions globally and has increased in prevalence over the past few decades. Marked by elevated blood sugar levels, diabetes typically falls into Type 1 or Type 2 classifications.
Type 1 diabetes, often diagnosed in children and young adults, occurs when the body cannot produce insulin, a hormone crucial for regulating blood sugar.
Type 2 diabetes, the more common form, arises when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces or can't make enough, typically diagnosed in adults.
The origins of diabetes can be traced back to ancient times, with mentions in Egyptian manuscripts dating back to 1552 BC. However, the term "diabetes," derived from the Greek word "to siphon," was coined in the by Aretaeus of Cappadocia (129-199 AD). Over time, medical understanding of the condition has evolved significantly. Still, it was in the 1921 discovery of insulin, through the work of Frederick Banting, Charles Best, James Collip, and John Macleod, that treatment became available. Their work began in November 1920—thus the reason for November being a focus for diabetes.
Various factors contribute to the onset of diabetes, ranging from genetics to lifestyle choices. Type 1, generally considered an autoimmune disease, currently has no definitive preventive measures. For Type 2, however, a diet high in sugar and fats, lack of physical activity, and obesity are major risk factors. Diabetes affects all genders, ages, and ethnicities.
According to the World Health Organization, by 2020, approximately 422 million people worldwide have diabetes, a fourfold increase from the estimates in 1980. One hundred thirty million adults are living with diabetes or prediabetes in the United States, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest 2022 figures. The International Diabetes Federation projects that approximately 783 million globally will be living with diabetes by 2045.
While diabetes affects people of all backgrounds, it disproportionately impacts minority communities and those with lower socioeconomic status, exacerbating health inequalities.
Diabetes is often dubbed a "silent killer" due to its long-term complications if not managed effectively. It can lead to serious conditions like heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and lower limb amputation. However, through regular monitoring, medication, and lifestyle changes, it can be managed effectively, allowing patients to lead fulfilling lives.
November is also Pet Diabetes Month and Diabetic Eye Disease Month.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DAY
Date: November 30, [2022] 2023
Location: Worldwide
Champion: Historical Anniversary
It's only been a year. Do you remember when you first heard about ChatGPT?
It took me less than two weeks to start experimenting with it. I had already been using Wombo to generate images when I couldn't find an appropriate representation for an event on LEEP. Then there is Grammarly. I fought using Grammarly for years. In retrospect, I wish I hadn't. It really does help when you write, on average, 3,000 words a day. It cut my editing time down by 70%.
ChatGPT, though, is a whole different animal. It is equal parts savior and curse; learning to use it without letting it replace or minimize you is key. It's terrific for outlining, summarizing, and simplifying copy, a strategy I often use in teaching English as an additional language. How good is it? Except for some context, tone, fact verification, and grammatical editing, I had ChatGPT write the following about ChatGPT.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) Day marks the anniversary of the premiere of ChatGPT on November 30, 2022. Artificial intelligence played a significant role in the birth of ChatGPT, which stands for "Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3."
ChatGPT is a natural language processing (NLP) model developed by OpenAI, an artificial intelligence research organization based in San Francisco. The application trained on a massive amount of text data using unsupervised learning, meaning it was not explicitly programmed or trained to complete any particular task. Instead, the model was trained on a large corpus of text data from the internet, such as articles, books, and websites, using a neural network architecture called the Transformer, which allowed the model to learn the underlying patterns and relationships in language, enabling it to generate human-like responses to text-based prompts. This training results in a language model that generates coherent, grammatically correct, and contextually appropriate responses to text-based prompts, including questions, statements, and conversations.
ChatGPT is adept at generating fluent, natural-sounding responses and sometimes even humor or creativity. ChatGPT and similar language models have various potential applications in multiple industries, including customer service, language translation, content generation, and more. However, there are also concerns about the possible misuse of these models, such as in generating fake news or manipulating public opinion.
Overall, the development of ChatGPT and other AI-powered language models represents a significant advancement in artificial intelligence and has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with machines and process information.
LOI KRATHONG
Date: November 27, 2023
Location: Worldwide
Champion: Buddhist Observance
Loi Krathong Day is a holiday that honors Buddha and focuses on releasing negative thoughts and feelings. It is also a day of thanksgiving to the water goddess Phra Mae. People of Thailand, Laos, and other Buddhist-majority countries place a krathong, a decorated boat made of bread or styrofoam, into a river, pond, or lake. This action symbolizes the release of negativity.
The boat's decor includes banana leaves, incense sticks, and a candle. It's a beautiful spectacle, especially for those unfamiliar with the custom.
THANKSGIVING
Date: November 23, 2023
Location: United States
Champion: United States Government
Thanksgiving in the United States falls on the fourth Thursday of November, and it is a national holiday, often spreading over the entire weekend. It is the official kick-off to the American holiday season, which goes through New Year's Day. In other words, if you're overseas, don't expect much business to get done in America in the last five weeks of the year.
Thanksgiving celebrations occur in most American households, where the focus is a large feast shared with friends and family. Roast turkey is a traditional meat dish with mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce. Each family usually has unique dishes served only for this feast. If you're invited to share Thanksgiving, it is a big deal!
Several traditions surround Thanksgiving Day. In New York City, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade occurs annually, and it is customary to play it in the background as the meal is prepared. At the White House, the President of the United States pardons a turkey, assuring it can freely roam farmland for the rest of its life: family-focused games and activities and American football games on television round out the standard fare.
For Americans without friends or family to feast with, volunteering at local soup kitchens or hosting free dinners for the homeless is an everyday activity. Overseas, Americans tend to find each other and celebrate with people from their host countries. Many global restaurants serve Thanksgiving meals as well.
HISTORY
A Day of Thanksgiving in the United States was first proclaimed in 1789 by President George Washington. However, it would wait until 1863 to become a national holiday. At the time, President Abraham Lincoln decreed a National Day of Thanksgiving to unite the nation during the Civil War.
Lincoln's objective in making the day national and secular was to create a holiday focused on what bound Americans to their families, communities, and as a nation rather than the politics, grievances, and agendas tearing them apart at the time. Each successive President continued to proclaim Thanksgiving annually until 1939. That year, President Franklin D. Roosevelt fixed Thanksgiving Day as the fourth Thursday in November. It has been celebrated as a national holiday on that day ever since.
The theme for Thanksgiving commemorates the first harvest feast in North America between Europeans and Native Americans, which occurred over three days in October 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Without the help of Native Americans, the small cohort of ill-equipped European pilgrims would not have survived their first winter.
CONTROVERSY
Unfortunately, the two peoples' shared respect and assistance did not last. Between 1600 and 1900, Native Americans lost 90% of their population to various hazards directly attributable to the arrival of Europeans on their lands.
In recent decades, advocates for and within the Native American community have taken issue with Thanksgiving, renaming it National Indigenous Peoples Day of Mourning and abdicating from participation. Additional awareness efforts include declaring November National American Indian Heritage Month to educate Americans of the harm and destruction wrought on indigenous people, beginning with the arrival of Columbus in October 1492.
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I've spoken with many parents with children born between 1997 and 2012 (Gen Z) whose children refuse to celebrate Thanksgiving due to its theme, which includes Native Americans and the first European settlers to the United States. It's a pity. Their children conflate the theme with meaning and miss the point and the real reason it is a national holiday. It's not about colonialism. It's about the Constitution, democracy, and the values that unite us as a nation, families, and communities.
American history has some really bad parts to it, that is true, and there are plenty of awareness months, days, weeks, and events throughout the year that shine a light on those issues. However, Thanksgiving is the single day of the year when we as a nation pause to celebrate what unites us rather than divides us. That is the purpose of the holiday. Given the current state of American politics, Thanksgiving is needed now—perhaps more now than when it was made official in 1863.
PS: This year, Japan also celebrates Labor Thanksgiving on November 23 too!
NOVEMBER MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS
The World Series wraps up in the United States, and multiple multi-sport events occur in November.
FIFA U-17 Men's World Cup (Football): November 10 - December 2 — Indonesia
Gay Games (Multi-sport): November 3-11 — China & Mexico
Grand Prix of France (Auto racing): November 5 — France
Melbourne Cup (Horse racing): November 7 — Australia
National Signing Day (College sports): November 8 — United States
New York Marathon (Running): November 5 — United States
Pacific Games (Multi-sport): November 19 - December 1 — Solomon Islands
Pan American Games (Multi-sport): October 20 - November 5 — Chile
Women's World Championships (Handball) November 30 - December 17 — Scandinavia
World Chessboxing Championships (Boxing & Chess): October 28 - November 2 — Italy
World Cup (Cricket): October 5 - November 19 — India
World Series (Baseball): October 27 - November 4 — United States
FEATURED EVENT
DEEPAVALI (DIWALI)
Date: November 12, 2023
Location: Worldwide, India
Champion: Hindu, Sikh, and Buddhist Observance; National Holiday India
Today is the official public holiday in India for Deepavali or Diwali. It is a five-day festival of lights in the Hindu, Sikh, and Buddhist faiths celebrated on Naraka Chaturdasi Thithi. The third day is Diwali.
The lighting of clay lamps (Deepa) outside their homes is the origin of the name, and these candles symbolize the inner light that illuminates spiritual darkness. The legends behind the festival vary from region to region in India and are slightly different for Sikhs and Buddhists. However, traditions tend to be universal.
Diwali is equally important to Hindus as Christmas to Christianity, Rosh Hashana to Judaism, and Eid al Fitr to Muslims. The festival celebrates overcoming negativity, including good over evil, light over dark, and other extremes. Faith practitioners reaffirm friendships, practice tolerance, and spread joy during Diwali.
Each day of the Diwali celebration has specific traditions.
DAY ONE: Clean and shop for gold and gifts.
DAY TWO: Home decoration.
DAY THREE: The big celebration with feasts, fireworks, and family get-togethers.
DAY FOUR: The Hindu New Year, gift exchange, and family and friends celebrate with a major banquet.
DAY FIVE: Married sisters accept visits from their brothers and treat them to a major feast.
On the first day, Hindus go shopping, purchasing gold and other items for themselves and as gifts. The buying of gold and jewelry serves to ensure prosperity in the coming year.
Cleaning the house is another significant activity. The oven is smeared with lime and embellished with four or five kumkum dots before filling it with water for the next day's oil bath. Special attention is paid to the home's entryway, where the goddess of wealth, Laxmi, may enter. The more light and color emanating from the home, the more likely she will visit.
Elaborate decorations using colored powder in rangoli patterns (pictured in the masthead) are everywhere. The prayer (pooja) room is decorated within the home with betel leaves, betel nuts, plantain fruits, flowers, sandal paste, kumkum, ginger oil, turmeric powder, and scented powders displayed as offerings.
Firecrackers and new clothes lay on a plate after smearing kumkum or sandal paste on them in preparation for festivities. Noisy firecrackers scare off evil, while sparklers and other lighted adornments seek to invite the good gods.
Of course, like every faith and culture, special sweet treats are prepared for Diwali and shared with friends and family. Chakli, Sev, gujiya, laddoos, barfi, and farsan are popular sweets served during the festival.
Diwali is among the most colorful religious festivals globally and a favorite with the faithful and tourists alike. "Happy Diwali" is the traditional greeting.
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Thank you for the gift of your time! That's a wrap for this issue. The next will feature amazing concert events around the world. If you're not a subscriber, please subscribe, and let me know what you think of LEEPCalendar.com as we get it off the ground! DM me with any thoughts, good or bad. I really do want to hear from you. Oh, and please help me get the word out! Thanks all!