I Love Calendars! The History of Calendars plus Great New Calendars, Planners and More

A Chicken in Every Pot and a Calendar on Every Wall!

Wall calendars, desk calendars, pocket calendars, perpetual calendars, and even electronic calendars. Who would have thought that something so much the same on the inside could have so much variety on the outside!

Not only do they help remind us where we need to be and when we need to be there, calendars educate, enlighten, and entertain us, all the while adding a touch of personality to our decor. But did you know that our modern calendar has a very interesting history?

If you like calendars as much as I do, or if you want to learn a little something you might not have known about calendars, you might enjoy this lens. Thanks for visiting!

P.S. I hope you like the Chicken-ology calendar!

Let's Start with some Calendar Mood Music

He loves, he loves, he loves his calendar girl!

Neil Sedaka - Calendar Girl

Here is teen idol Neil Sedaka, chirping and dancing his way through his top ten hit from the early 60s.

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Calendar Facts - The History of Our Calendar

(Or, Why We Owe Pope Gregory XIII a Debt of Gratitude)

The calendar commonly used throughout the world today is the Gregorian calendar, also called the Christian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was adopted by Pope Gregory XIII, so decreed on February 24, 1582, in order to correct for errors in the previously used calendar, the Julian calendar. One of the errors in the Julian calendar was insertion of a leap year day every third year for certain period of time, overall adding one extra day every 128 years.

The length of the year of the Gregorian calendar is 365.2425 days, or 365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes. To accommodate for the fractional days, we now have "leap year" every four years, actually 97 leap years every 400 years (365 97/400 days per year = 365.2425 universal days). We add the extra day every fourth February, to make 29 days instead of 28.

The Julian calendar was adopted by Julius Caesar in 45 B.C., replacing the Roman calendar. Caesar adopted his calendar to put an end to the common practice of priests inserting days and even months into the calendar in order to keep their favorite politicians in office. Some Orthodox churches actually still use the Julian calendar today.

The Julian calendar did not number the days of the months sequentially starting with one, rather they had three fixed points for each month. Kalendae was the first day of every month. Idus was near the middle of the month, on the 13th day of January, February, April, June, August, September, November, and December and on the 15th day of March, May, July, and October. Nonae was the 9th day before Idus. All other days were referenced by these three dates. Thus, what we would call January 11th would have been "the second day before Idus," and the days between Idus until the following month were referred to as "the nth day before Kalendae" of the next month.

Julius Caesar decreed that in leap years the sixth day before Kalendae of March would be doubled, so instead of adding a February 29th, the Romans just had the same day twice every leap year, which would have been February 24th. This is why February 24th, not the 29th, is actually considered "leap day" even in modern times.

I don't know about you, but I'm kind of glad Pope Gregory came along when he did! There's much, much more history of the calendar and its calculations and iterations. If you enjoy facts such as these and want to learn more, visit the Calendars Through the Ages exhibit at webexhibits.org.

Some of My Favorite Calendars

I'm guessing some of my favorites may be some of your favorites, too.

Mom's Family Calendar 2008

by Sandra Boynton

I used a Sandra Boynton "Mom's Family" planning calendar when our kids were still at home. No wonder it's a best-seller. It's great!

365 Days of Duct Tape Page-A-Day Calendar 2008

by Jim Berg, Tim Nyberg

Everyone knows you can do just about anything with duct tape, but not everyone knows 365 days' worth of things to do with duct tape. This calendar is a great gift for dad, or for anyone.

Cats, For the Love of 2008 Deluxe Wall Calendar

by BrownTrout Publishers

Cat calendars are irresistable and this one is no exception. I look forward to the "Ahhhh, isn't that cute?" at the beginning of every month.

365 Bible Verses-A-Year Page-A-Day Calendar 2008

by Workman Publishing Company

What a great calendar to keep by the kitchen sink. It makes a good reminder that having dishes to wash every day actually is a blessing!

Country Pleasures 2008 Pocket Wall Calendar

by Avalanche Publishing

I love to have one of these calendars with pockets hanging next to my desk. The pockets are great for dropping in receipts or tickets or anything you need to remember that month or file later. The pictures are pretty, too!

Personalized Calendars

Use your own photos to make it a year to remember!

It's never too late to order a calendar! Choose a personalized photo calendar and start your calendar with any month, or choose a desk calendar and add your own photos. How about a mouse pad calendar? Take a look at these great, creative solutions to your "I need a calendar in here" problem.

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I Love Calendars! The History of Calendars plus Great New Calendars, Planners and More

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A Chicken in Every Pot and a Calendar on Every Wall!

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Let's Start with some Calendar Mood Music

He loves, he loves, he loves his calendar girl!

Neil Sedaka - Calendar Girl

Calendar Facts - The History of Our Calendar

(Or, Why We Owe Pope Gregory XIII a Debt of Gratitude)

Some of My Favorite Calendars

I'm guessing some of my favorites may be some of your favorites, too.

Personalized Calendars

Use your own photos to make it a year to remember!

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Fun and Educational Calendar Sites Online

There's even more to learn about calendars and fun calendar sites to explore.

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Calendars That Make Us Laugh

A laugh a day keeps the doctor away. You need a humor calendar - it's good for your health.

What's Your Favorite Calendar Category?

Calendars for moms, cat calendars, dog breed calendars, scenic calendars, and the list goes on.

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POLL: How Many Calendars do You Have?

When 12 Monthly Pages Just Aren't Enough . . .

. . . it's time for a Page-A-Day calendar!

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Calendar Keepers and Frames

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Advent Calendars

Most families with children have a calendar to count down the days to Christmas or another special holiday. Here are some selections from these families' special collections!

Advent Calendars for Your Family

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