1

Kneel. All Saints Day—a church holiday. November prompts all start with the letter “K.” This month, each word is tied to a holiday, real or made up. Sometimes the connection is obvious, such as kneel for All Saints Day, and often not, as you will see. Your haiku might explore the word, a variation of it, the holiday, or if you are really ambitious marry word and holiday in the same poem. Enjoy and celebrate the imagination of wordsmiths and poets. (Thanks to Sigrid Saradunn for her help compiling my list.)

2

Knell. All Souls Day—a day of prayer for the dead.

3

Kibosh. Cliché Day—at the end of the day, “Cliché Day” is just a bit of fun. You’d have to be crazy as a loon to let it drive you up the wall, for crying out loud!

4

Killjoy. Election Day.

5

Knave. Guy Fawkes Day—Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding explosives the plotters had placed beneath the House of Lords. Celebrating the fact that King James I had survived the attempt on his life. For clarity, the prompt is the word “knave.” The holiday, Guy Fawkes Day, is there for fun.

6

Key. Saxophone day—in remembrance of Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone.

7

Kitsch. Hug-a-Bear Day—purely commercial.

8

Know. Dunce Day—in remembrance of Blessed John (Johannes) Duns Scotus who died November 8, 1308. His name, “dunce,” was to become synonymous for “somebody who is incapable of scholarship,” or “someone who stubbornly refuses to learn anything new.”

9

Kibble. Chaos Never Dies Day—if you think your life is chaotic today, just wait until the holiday season arrives.

10

Kooky. Sesame Street Day—Kermit and Miss Piggy thank you, but don’t call her kooky.

11

Knight. Veteran’s Day—for those who serve.

12

Kind. Chicken Soup for the Soul Day—“a celebration of who you are, where you’ve been, where you’re going, and who you will be thankful to when you get there!”

13

Kidnap. Sadie Hawkin’s Day—the day the women in Dogpatch chase the men for husbands (from the comic strip “Li’l Abner” by Al Capp).

14

Keen. Operating Room Nurse Day—another occupation we should salute.

15

Karma. I Love to Write Day. Who doesn’t? I Love to Write Day was founded by author John Riddle, a nonfiction and self-help writer, to get kids writing in schools and encourage adults to rekindle an old dream.

16

Kiss. Button Day—another day without a known origin so use it as you will. Crafters (and kissers) will.

17

Kowtow. Petroleum Day—quoting a change in mission: “their main focus will be on raising awareness with respect to how this energy source has long become obsolete, and on convincing more people that this fossil fuel needs to be put behind us in favor of renewables.”

18

Kingdom. Mickey Mouse Day—his birthday.

19

Knout. Have a Bad Day Day—the intent is to have salespeople stop saying “Have a good day” to their customers, replacing it with “Have a bad day.”

20

Knock-off. Great American Smokeout—you should quit smoking.

21

Knob. Television Day—started by the United Nations to educate people about the importance of television. Honest.

22

King. Adoption Day—a collective national effort to raise awareness of the more than 100,000 children in foster care waiting to find permanent, loving families.

23

Knack. Fibonacci Day—a pattern of counting where each number is the sum of the previous two. Also celebrated when the dates line up in the pattern. the last being 5/8/13. The next?

24

Kink. D. B. Cooper Day—named after the guy who hijacked a plane in 1971 and then, midflight, jumped into the darkness with a bundle of cash and disappeared. Happened in Ariel in southwest Washington State, home of great garlic products. Garlic Gourmey.

25

Kvetch. Blasé Day—the perfect holiday for the world-weary to revel in their apathy.

26

Knife. Tie One on Day—Thanksgiving Eve. Celebrates aprons. Should have picked Bavarian Cream Pie Day.

27

Kill. Thanksgiving: Turkey Day, also turkey-free day.

28

Kitchen. Sinkie Day—the day to stand over the sink and eat leftovers.

29

Kerchief. Square Dancing Day—to celebrate square dancing.

30

Kickback. Stay Home Because You are Well Day: Do you feel okay? If so, it is a good day to take off from work. One of 80 holidays started by Wellcat Herbs. Four of our November days are theirs.