November holidays

November and December don't need a lot of help, holiday-wise, so herewith are just a few extras for this month.

November is International Drum Month, so go ahead and indulge your urge to bang on something. It's good for you. It is also National Apple Month. Those are good for you too. So good, in fact, that they actually may keep the doctor away. Not that he's coming anywhere near you with all that drum banging you're doing.

World Kindness Week is November 12-18, and boy howdy could we use some more of that.

November 5 is Guy Fawkes Day. We don't do that one in the U.S., but we should. I'm not entirely sure what it's all about, but we are definitely missing a great opportunity for bonfires and fireworks.

National Bittersweet Chocolate With Almonds Day is November 7. I'm on it.

Veterans' Day is November 11. Hug 'em if you have 'em -- and say Thanks, while you're at it.

November 16 is Button Day. I love buttons. I have baskets, boxes and jars of the things. There's this store in San Francisco called Britex, where the third floor is jammed with buttons and trims. If you sew, you gotta go. But I digress.

Thanksgiving is the 22nd, but you knew that. Did you know, though, that it is also Start Your Own Country Day? Imagine the possibilities.

The 23rd is Black Friday, for shopping 'til you drop, and also Sinkie Day, for the unceremonious scarfing of the remaining turkey and/or trimmings.

From there it's one long, heavily lubed slide to Christmas, and you won't remember much of the intervening time anyway, so let's just leave it at that.