Every month there is plenty to celebrate – official holiday or not, they provide great inspiration for creative activities you can do with your family. The great thing about “month” celebrations is they are not tied to a specific day and allow for activities that can be spread out throughout the month and celebrated whenever you like. It gives you the chance to celebrate and make everyday special. September is Classical Music Month and National Piano Month, Honey Month, and National Courtesy Month.

Classical Music Month and National Piano Month: One of my favorite memories of my grandfather was when he would take me into the living room, sit me at his piano and tell me to play.

For what seemed like hours, I would sit at the piano and compose marvelous original compositions for him. It didn’t matter how cacophonous and grating they were on his ears, he would listen and smile and tell me to keep playing. I never did end up becoming a great piano player, but I have priceless memories.

I have recently been discovering how much I enjoy both classical and piano music thanks to Magnatunes. If you want to introduce your family to a wide variety of music from all over the world, I would highly recommend a subscription. Listening to various independent artists every day has exposed me to music I would never have otherwise heard. I have it on when I am writing, cleaning, cooking, all day long. You can find something creative and unique to fit any mood or activity.  For some excellent piano work check out Ehren Starks – a young (under 25!) composer who has written some of the best piano pieces I have ever heard. I also quite enjoy Kerry Politzer, a Jazz pianist with Brazilian and classical influences.

Magnatunes offers a free 7-day trial which is a great way to celebrate Classical Music Month and National Piano Month.

The Depths of a Year by Ehren Starks

Honey Month:

Bees work for man, and yet they never bruise
Their Master’s flower, but leave it having done,
As fair as ever and as fit to use;
So both the flower doth stay and honey run.
~ George Herbert, The Church-Providence

With September bee-ing Honey Month (terrible joke, sorry!) it is a great opportunity to learn about bees and the star role they play in our delicate eco-system. Not only are bees an indicator of how healthy our planet is, and they are struggling, they are also responsible for pollinating many of our food crops.  Many plants that we rely on for food rely on the honey bee. The documentary “Queen of the Sun – What are the bees telling us?” is scheduled for release this month which is an important look at the plight of the honey bees and what it means for not only the earth and ecosystem, but us as well.

There are many ways that you can celebrate Honey Month, from trying new recipes in the kitchen to making your own bath products.

One simple trick: if you have dry lips, rub some raw honey into them, leave it on for 10 minutes and gently wipe off with warm water. Honey has anti-bacterial properties and the slight grain will gently exfoliate your lips leaving them nice and soft.

National Courtesy Month: Some would argue that courtesy is an outdated concept. With roots in the 12th Century, it is old, but now more than ever, it is a very important concept. According to http://www.worldometers.info/ the current population is over 6.9 Billion and growing every second. This means there is more people, less space, less resources, and it becomes more important that we work together.

Little courtesies go along way to making other people feel valued, and more willing to help you in return. If you want to teach small children about courtesy, role playing games and character studies are great tools to use. Who does your child admire and why? Do they like the sports hero who is always nice to his fans? Or the one who cusses them out? People who are courteous these days also (unfortunately) stand out. Showing courtesy to those who help you and living with integrity are good (and easy!) ways to get ahead and leave a great impression. Of course the best way to teach kids to be courteous is to model it yourself.

If you have not read the Celebrating July post there are some ideas for National Cell Phone Courtesy Month.

September is also the time to celebrate going back to to school. If this is your child’s first year of school, or is celebrating another “First” in their life, please see our post on “Celebrating Firsts” for fun ways to capture and celebrate the memories.

How will your family be celebrating in September?