By Valentine’s Day may be over, but holidays like Random Acts of Kindness Day are another great excuse to spread a little love to those around you! But there are other feel-good occasions packed into this week too. Play More Cards Day is a fantastic way to squeeze in more fun.
Of course, don’t miss out on an opportunity to treat yourself too with a sangria recipe and mint fudge brownies. Below you’ll find creative and helpful ideas for celebrating these mini holidays!
Tuesday, February 18: Drink Wine Day
Toast to a terrific Tuesday with a refreshing sangria cocktail. This delicious concoction, which can be customized with your favorite fruits, works best with a light red wine like Pinot Noir, Gamay or St. Laurent. Here, an easy recipe from our test-kitchen pros.
To make Winter Sangria: In a pitcher, combine 1 bottle of light red wine, 2 cups of fruit (like apple slices, orange slices, blueberries), 1⁄2 cup of brandy and 3 Tbs. of sugar. Chill. To serve, stir in 1⁄2 cup each of orange juice and lemon-lime soda. Serve over ice. Makes 6 drinks.
Wednesday, February 19: National Chocolate Mint Day
Celebrate this delicious holiday by baking up a batch of mint-layered fudge brownies.
To make: Bake your favorite brownie recipe in a 9″x13″ pan; let cool. Using an electric mixer, beat 1 1⁄4 cups of butter, 1 1⁄2 cups of powdered sugar and 1 tsp. of peppermint extract, 2 minutes. Tint green with liquid food coloring. Spread over brownies; chill. In a glass bowl, microwave 11⁄2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips and 3⁄4 cup of butter until melted. Whisk to combine. Let stand until cool but still liquid; spread over frosting. Chill 1 hour; cut into squares and enjoy.
Saturday, February 22: Play More Cards Day
Gather your friends today for a game of gin rummy, bridge or poker! Not only will you have fun, the activity can sharpen your hearing, say researchers in the European Journal of Ageing. In their study, adults who played cards once a week for about 3 hours were better at hearing people talk—even when there was background noise—compared to those who didn’t play. Turns out the strategic planning strengthens brainpower, which boosts perceptual abilities that help you detect speech more easily.
Saturday, February 22: Single Tasking Day
This holiday is all about minimizing distractions to boost your productivity. But doing so will also improve your mental health, say investigators at the University of Houston. In their study, they monitored participants’ facial expressions as they completed a writing task. One group was asked to reply to emails before the task while others were periodically interrupted with new messages, which they had to answer during the assignment. The result: Those engaged in multitasking looked sadder and more fearful than the single-taskers.
Why? According to the study authors, multitasking creates a heavy mental load and regular interruptions bring dread. The bottom line? Batching tasks will make you happier and help you get more done.
Help a Hero
Aid displaced animals!
Support the efforts of the Pasadena Humane animal shelter. The nonprofit organization has been tirelessly working to treat and provide shelter for animals that were injured or displaced by the Los Angeles fires last month. Visit the shelter’s website at PasadenaHumane.org and click on “Give” to donate.
