March Madness

While England is famed for its eccentrics the briefest of glances south of the border reveals that citizens of the United States are hardly underachievers when it comes to the weird and wonderful. Perhaps designating March as Cabin Fever Month has something to do with their penchant for declaiming unusual events. Then again, perhaps not. After all, few Canadians would cavil at calling March Maple Sugar Month, given that we produce about 90 per cent of the stuff. Nor would we find fault with florists assigning daffodils and jonquils to the next 31 days. But the mind boggles at a National Frozen Food Month or a National Peanut Month, never mind a National Floor Month or – wait for it – National Umbrella Month. But our American cousins have enjoyed each and every one of those doubtless noble causes before designating individual days of March to other activities.