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26 Reasons March Is the Best Month

Get your beer steins and foam fingers ready!

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march 2020 calendar best month
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31 days of fun

March may be named after the Roman god of war but in reality it’s one of the happiest months on the calendar. Flowers are budding, chocolate is on sale, and its major holiday is just one giant party, with no gifts and minimal stress. Plus it even turns math into a pie-eating celebration! But that’s just the beginning of all the reasons to love March.

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The first supermoon of the year

March’s full moon, called the Full Worm Moon, is the first of just three “supermoons” in 2020. It will peak fullness at 1:48 p.m. EDT on Monday, March 9th, and will make for an ethereal night sky just a few hours later. “Supermoon” is the popular nickname given to a full moon that coincides with perigee, the point in the moon’s orbit of Earth where it’s closest to our planet, according to Benjamin Franklin’s The Old Farmer’s Almanac. It’s named the Worm Moon due to the softening of the ground that typically happens in the spring that allows earthworms to emerge. Don’t miss these fascinating facts about full moons.

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Fresh maple syrup

Nothing beats fresh pancakes drenched in syrup for a spring brunch—and the best syrup is fresh tapped from the trees. March is prime time for harvesting maple syrup, according to Tap My Tree. If you live near a maple orchard, make a day out of it and tap your own.

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Lawn and garden shows

March is prime time to get ready for planting season and there’s no better way to get ideas and be inspired for your landscaping than by checking out one of the many garden shows around the country. Check your local listings to see what grows best in your area and make connections with local gardeners and growers. These stunning photos of our national parks in full bloom will inspire you to get planting.

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Eating pie on Pi Day

Whether you’re a math geek or just love puns, there’s something for everyone to love about Pi Day. Of course, the holiday dedicated to celebrating the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter (approximately 3.14) is held on 3/14, or March 14th. Enjoy it with a circular pastry or try one of these (3.)14 ways to celebrate Pi Day besides eating pie.

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A great reason to give blood

Giving blood is one of the best things you can do to help out your fellow humans and for most people, it’s fairly simple and painless. (We promise!) March is Red Cross Month giving you the perfect excuse to organize a blood drive or just stop by your local bank and donate. If giving blood just isn’t your thing, you can also make a donation of money or time.

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mud puddle
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The best mud puddles for jumping in

Springtime rains drench the ground in March and while wet socks on the way to work are unpleasant, jumping in giant puddles is a pleasure many grownups have forgotten. Let your inner child out and do some epic splashing. Your socks are going to be wet anyhow, you might as well enjoy the process! (And, as an adult, you can have the foresight to pack extra socks or wear your favorite rain boots.)

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phone booth
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Phonebooth nostalgia

When’s the last time you even saw a phone booth, much less used a payphone? These used to be a staple of modern society but thanks to cell phones they’ve gone the way of paper maps and checkbooks. However, every March 10th is International Find a Phone Booth day, giving you the chance you’ve been waiting for to phone a friend the old-fashioned way, cosplay Dr. Who, or just practice your Superman impression. Phonebooths are just one of the many things you can expect to see less of these days.

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Bright yellow daffodils

These cheery blooms are the official flower of March and for good reason—they’re one of the first flowers to burst out of the cold ground every spring. If they don’t grow in your yard, try growing some in a pot indoors or pick up a fresh bouquet. Daffodils symbolize rebirth and new beginnings plus their delicate scent will make you feel instantly happier!

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The Easter Bunny Express
Courtesy the N.C. Transportation Museum

The Easter Bunny Express rolls into town

The Polar Express offers plenty of winter train rides but taking a ride on a train is even more fun when you can have the windows down and smell the fresh March air. Enter the Easter Bunny Express, a themed train ride full of springtime flowers, Easter eggs, baby animals, and candy. There are versions all over the country during March and April, including in North Carolina, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington, and even one around the rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

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food on a stick day kebabs
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Food on sticks

From Snickers bars to entire pot roast dinners, these days you can deep-fry practically anything and put it on a stick! Of course, you could eat a corn dog any old day but March 28th is Eat Something On A Stick Day if you’d like official permission. S’mores, cotton candy, ice cream bars, and a kebab sounds like an amazing dinner, honestly. Get inspired by taking a look at some of these over-the-top state fair foods.

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Christmas wreath on wooden background
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The holidays are well and truly over

The holiday season may officially end on January 1, but that doesn’t mean the stress magically drops away then. You still have to take down all the lights, pack up the decorations, put away the presents, and do all the other things you neglected because you told yourself you’d get to them after the holidays are over. Then, there’s the issue of February’s credit card statement. But by March, all of that should mostly be over and you can really start the new year fresh! Bring on March, the unofficial start of the not-holiday season!

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people, friends, teens and friendship concept - happy smiling pretty teenage girls having fun and making faces
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Calling all slackers…

National Goof Off Day is March 22. Why is there a National Goof Off Day? We’d find out but that would take extra work… And hey, do you really need a reason to take advantage of this fun day?

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It’s the best time to book a cruise

Dreaming of an exciting getaway? Book a cruise this month and you could score an incredible deal. That’s because January through March is peak cruise-booking season, so toward the end of March, cruise companies look to sell out their remaining rooms, according to DealNews. Take advantage of this ASAP as prices start to rise again come April!

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Man relaxing on beach, ocean view, Maldives island
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It’s spring break, baby!

Break out the sunscreen and flip flops—in most parts of the United States, March is spring break season! Not a student? You still need a break from life, and March is the perfect time to take a vacation, thanks to all the great spring break deals. Even if you can’t afford to hit a sunny beach for a few days, you can still enjoy planning a March vacay. Research has shown that thinking about a vacation, even if it’s just daydreaming, lowers stress levels and increases happiness.

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Slim young woman measuring her thin waist with a tape measure, close up
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Your New Year’s resolutions are really starting to pay off

Whether you vowed to lose weight, improve your relationship, or get a better job this year, the resolution feels fresh and interesting in January. However, it quickly turns into a dreary slog in February, as you struggle to turn a good idea into a good habit. But sticking it out is worth it, and by March you should be able to see some serious results from your goals. If January is the month of making resolutions, then March is the month of celebrating them. And if you didn’t stick to your goals? Don’t beat yourself up. Just start again with one of these 27 inspiring resolutions you’ll want to keep.

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Opened plastic window in room with view to green trees
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Celebrate the spring equinox and all the extra sunshine

The long, dark days—we mean nights—of winter are officially over on March 19, this year’s spring equinox. Technically, the vernal equinox is the day when the sun moves north over the celestial equator. But all you need to know is that that means the days are getting longer, the nights shorter, and the sun warmer (if you live in the northern hemisphere). Enjoy the simple pleasure of waking up to fresh sunlight streaming in your windows! Getting more sun exposure is one of the ways to be happier every day.

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It’s Women’s History Month

Curious about a suffragette ancestor? Want to learn more about female spies in the Civil War? Interested in famous female inventors? March is the perfect time to take the opportunity to answer all these questions and more as it’s Women’s History Month, the month set aside by the United States government to celebrate the vital role women have played in our country’s history. Your local museums will likely have some great offerings unique to your area’s history, or you can always check out the Smithsonian’s online collection of nearly 500 incredible images and the stories behind them. Then, get inspired by these 20 quotes from impressive historical women.

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March Madness tips off

Basketball fans, rejoice: March 15 is the beginning of March Madness, the NCAA’s annual men’s college basketball tournament. Get out your favorite college jersey, fire up your cable subscription, and hang up the basketball hoop over your laundry hamper. (What? Anything that makes laundry more fun is good!) Think you know who’ll take the title this year?

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Hiking boots in outdoor action
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Nature walks are never better

Even in the most frozen parts of the country, March often ushers in spring. Whether you already have scented blooms on trees or just a few crocus spears poking through the snow, the signs of spring are there if you look for them. This makes March the perfect month to take a nature walk. Enjoy the fresh air and look for all the beauty starting to emerge around you. Stuck at your desk? Start with these 50 of the most beautiful quotes about nature.

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Girl on ski standing on the fresh snow on newly groomed ski piste at sunny day in mountains
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Spring skiing is the best skiing

Even as the spring snow is beginning to melt in the cities, there’s still plenty of it up in the mountains, and many ski resorts stay open during March. Spring skiing offers up the best of both worlds—the snowpack should be plenty deep by that point yet you won’t freeze to death on the lift ride up. Spring skiing can be highly unpredictable, however, with fresh powder one day and slushy puddles the next, so make sure and check conditions before you head out. Check out our list of the 10 best places to ski in the United States.

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Group of friends enjoying a beer at pub in London, toasting and laughing. They are four girls and two boys in their twenties. Close up and focus on glasses.
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Three words: Saint Patrick’s Day

Are your ancestors Irish? Love all things beer related? Enjoy eating green eggs and ham? Are you a practicing Catholic? Have a thing for leprechauns? Is your favorite color green? Whatever your reason, there’s something for everyone to enjoy celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. It falls on Tuesday, March 17, so start planning your leprechaun-themed party now.

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You can finally learn what “Beware the Ides of March” really means

Beware the Ides of March! Chances are you’ve probably heard this ominous warning. But how many of us know what that even means? Turns out, it’s not so scary (unless you’re a time-traveling Roman). The word “Ides” simply refers to the first full moon of the month, which in March falls near the 15th. The caution comes from a soothsayer in Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, as she warns the famed ruler of his impending doom. And sure enough, he was murdered on March 15, 44 BC. But for the rest of us, this day holds no bad omens and has traditionally been a day to celebrate, according to History.com.

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Handmade chocolate
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It’s the perfect time to stock up on chocolate

Store shelves were packed with beautiful-yet-pricey gourmet chocolates for Valentine’s Day just a few weeks ago, and now that it’s March, all of the extras are now on clearance, usually 75 to 90 percent off their original price. Who cares if it comes in a red, heart-shaped box with declarations of undying love? It’s chocolate! After all, who doesn’t enjoy seeing a love note, even if it’s one you bought yourself?

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Daylight savings time starts

Put it in your calendars now: Daylight saving time starts Sunday, March 8, at 2 a.m. (You’re welcome!) You may not love skipping the clock forward an hour, but you’ll enjoy the daylight sticking around later. For those who really hate it, it ends on Sunday, November 1, at 2 a.m. Don’t miss these daylight saving time facts you never knew, either.

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There’s only the best music festival ever

Every year, die-hard music fans make the pilgrimage to Austin, Texas, to attend South By Southwest, one of the country’s top music festivals. This year, the fun starts on March 13 and goes through March 22, 2020. Go and enjoy a wide variety of music performed by chart-topping, emerging, and indie acts—all in creative venues with great food. With over 2,000 acts, you’re bound to discover a new favorite band. There’s a reason South By Southwest made our list of 50 things to do before you turn 50!

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Sakura Cherry Blossom at Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa
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Flower power

The National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C., kicks off in March, but it’s not just our nation’s capital that hosts an annual flower festival to celebrate all the vibrant spring blooms. Check your local listings to find what flowers are blooming near you this month and plan a tour or just a leisurely stroll through the parks and meadows to enjoy them. Don’t miss these other surprising facts about the month of March.

Charlotte Hilton Andersen
Charlotte is an award-winning journalist who covers etiquette, relationships, psychology, health and lifestyle. She has written more than 50 etiquette stories for Reader’s Digest, spearheading the site’s popular Polite Habits and Best Messages series. With a knack for capturing the essence of an interview subject, she also specializes in human-interest and “as told to” stories. In addition to Reader’s Digest and The Healthy, her work has been published in Shape, Cosmopolitan, Women's Health, O Magazine, Fitness, Redbook, Seventeen, What to Expect When You're Expecting and more.