February — the second month of the Julian and Gregorian calendar — is a special month with many exciting facts that set it apart from the other 11 months of the year. Here are 28 reasons to love the month of February.
1. February is special as a month because of how many holidays and famous birthdays it has. First up is Groundhog Day on Feb. 2, kicking off the month with a celebration of animals, winter and Bill Murray.
2. The second big holiday is Feb. 5, World Nutella Day. No other month boasts as good an excuse to eat everyone’s favorite chocolate hazelnut spread.
3. If one food day was not enough, then National Pizza Day on Feb. 9 will satisfy any cravings for this Italian and American classic.
4. February also boasts the biggest annual American sporting event, Super Bowl Sunday. This year, the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs will face off on Feb. 12.
5. Beyond just being a big day for American football, Feb. 12 is also the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th American president for those unaware.
6. February’s most famous holiday is Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14. Regardless of relationship status, it is a great time to celebrate loved ones.
7. Immediately following Valentine’s Day is the birthday of Susan B. Anthony on Feb. 15, famed women’s rights and abolitionist activist of 19th century America. Sharing a birthday with Anthony is Pipe Dream Assistant Arts & Culture Editor Eli Engler, author of this article and known for his work as an Orientation Advisor and at Late Nite Binghamton.
8. Two days later is the birthday of Michael Jordan on Feb. 17. Jordan is a six-time NBA champion, five-time NBA MVP and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.
9. The next holiday in February is Random Acts of Kindness Day on Feb. 17, although hopefully, people are randomly kind to strangers on more than just one day of the year.
10. Feb. 20 marks this year’s Presidents’ Day, a celebration of the people who have led the United States and it always takes place on the third Monday of February.
11. Mardi Gras, French for “Fat Tuesday,” is February’s biggest carnival holiday and will take place on Feb. 21.
12. Follow up Mardi Gras with the celebration of George Washington’s birthday on Feb. 22, although Washington himself was known for not celebrating his birthday.
13. 2024 will feature the return of Leap Day, also known as Feb. 29, as this elusive holiday appears every four years, with some exceptions.
14. Moving past holidays and birthdays, February has lots of other reasons that set it apart from other months, such as the fact that February is the only month to have less than 30 days.
15. February is a great month for horror film releases as both “The Silence of the Lambs” and “Get Out” were released in February of 1991 and 2017, respectively.
16. Additionally, February is a big month for superhero films as “Deadpool” and “Black Panther” came out in February. This year, “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” will release on Feb. 17.
17. February is Black History Month, which recognizes the underrepresented contributions of African-Americans to American history.
18. On a less serious note, February is also Chocolate Lovers Month, probably related to the chocolate sales boom associated with Valentine’s Day.
19. Consequently, February is also Children’s Dental Health Month, a necessary awareness campaign to combat the increased chocolate consumption.
20. Similarly, February is Pet Dental Month, encouraging pet owners to be responsible for the oral health of their animals.
21. February is great for buying heart-shaped chocolates as it is also American Heart Month. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Americans and February is a great time for people to work on their cardiovascular health.
22. A nice aspect of February is that it is past the winter solstice, so the days are getting longer and the increase in the sunshine can help end winter depression.
23. The snowiest month of the year for New York state is February, capitalizing on a season of canceled school, building snow-people, sledding and hot chocolate.
24. February has one of the coolest birthstones in amethyst, a purple quartz that is a true gem.
25. In a similar vein, the birth flowers of February are violet and primrose. Violets pair well with amethyst and primrose and fit the Valentine’s theme of February, making these perfect flowers to represent the month as a whole.
26. People born in February are either Aquarians (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) or Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — two cool signs that capture the fantastical nature of February.
27. History lovers can cherish February as the month when Washington was unanimously elected as president by the electoral college, the only president so far to achieve that distinction.
28. Finally, one more reason to love February is that it is only the second month of the year, so it is not too late to turn your year around even if you get off to a slow start in January. February is the perfect time to hit your stride and find the strength to make it through the year.