You have heard of the Ides of March – the ancient Roman day for settling debts and the day that Julius Caesar was assassinated. But have you heard of the Odds of March?
For some reason, the month of March is filled with all kinds of oddball holidays. Of course you have heard of St. Patrick’s Day when everyone celebrates their Irish heritage whether they have a drop of Celtic blood pulsating through their veins or not. But St. Patty’s Day is pretty mild compared to some of the others. Take a look.

• March 1 - National Pig Day, which celebrates the domestic swine among us.
• March 3 – If Pets Had Thumbs Day, which contemplates what would happen to all of us if our pets had the same dexterity that we do by having an opposable thumb.
• March 6 – Dentists Day. This follows 25 days after Toothache Day (February 9) and six days after Tooth Fairy Day (February 28). I am not making this up!
• March 14 – National Potato Chip Day. It is also National Pi Day (3.14, get it?)
• March 15 – Everything You Think is Wrong Day. If you have been waiting to tell your boss off, but were afraid you would get fired, this might be your day!
• March 16 – Everything You Do is Right Day – To follow up on the disaster of the day before!
• March 23 – Near Miss Day – This is the annual commemoration of a very large asteroid missing Earth in 1989. The giant space rock came within a half million miles of us. Only in outer space is this considered a close call.
• March 25 – International Waffle Day – This day has its origin in Sweden, where it is called Våffeldagen.
• March 28 – Weed Appreciation Day – Just to be clear, this is the dandelion and chickweed variety, not the illegal stuff.
• March 31 – World Backup Day – This is a day to make a copy of all your electronic files

This is only a very small list of recognized holidays in March. There are many more.

Why does March have so many odd days? Part of it might be because the days are getting longer. The Spring Equinox happens on March 20. People are coming out of their shelters and are wanting something to do and somewhere to go. So why not accommodate them by promoting your product, industry, or cause. If you are involved in marketing, don’t discount this. When winter is over and the weather begins to warm things up, people are in a buying mood. They are experiencing more sunshine, plants are starting to bloom, and they feel good. And when people feel good, they are typically in the mindset to buy something.

What does it take to name a day for your cause? A good marketing campaign! Most special days have their roots in marketing. How do you think we have come to celebrate Peanut Butter Lover’s Day on March 1 or National Puppy Day on March 23? Find your target market: those who appreciate what you are selling. Pick your day and promote it as many ways as you can. Whether your particular cause is something solemn, such as Caregiver Appreciation Day on March 3, or something a bit more bizarre, like Something on a Stick Day on March 28, marketing is key to making it work. Just keep in mind, March is the opportune month to make it happen.