There are so many occasions throughout the year to reach out and touch someone you care about! Just think about all the “special days” that occur, some of them official holidays and some not. I like to use these times to contact my business partners, customers, family and friends with cards that simply say “I’m thinking about you” or “I appreciate you.”

In addition to birthdays and anniversaries, here’s a representative list of “special days” (in the United States) for which a card would definitely be appropriate and meaningful. If you’re not in the US you can make a similar list for your country. Some of these are fairly obvious, others may have never occurred to you.

[NOTE: I've given the list of dates for 2012 but remember these dates in what's left of 2011 as well!]

January 2012

– New Years (Friday January 1st)
– Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Monday January 16th)
– Chinese New Year (Monday January 23rd – It’s the year 4710!)
– Australia Day (Thursday January 26th)

February 2012

– Groundhog Day (Thursday February 2nd)
– Valentine’s Day (Tuesday February 14th)
– Presidents’ Day (Monday February 20th)
– Mardi Gras (Tuesday February 21)
– Ash Wednesday (Wednesday February 22nd)
– Leap Day (Wednesday February 29th – Yes, it’s the year!)

March 2012

– International Women’s Day (Thursday March 8th)
– Start of Daylight Saving Time (Sunday March 14th)
– St. Patrick’s Day (Saturday March 17th)
– First Day of Spring (Tuesday March 20th)
– International Earth Day (Tuesday March 20th)
– Passover (Tuesday March 30, 2010)

April 2012

– April Fools’ Day (Sunday April 1st)
– Palm Sunday (Sunday April 1)
– Passover begins (Saturday April 7th)
– Easter (Sunday April 8th)
– Tax Day (Thursday April 15, 2010)
– US Earth Day (Sunday April 22nd)
– Administrative Professional’s Day (Wednesday April 25st)

May 2012

– May Day (Tuesday May 1)
– Cinco De Mayo (Saturday May 5th)
– National Teachers’ Day (Sunday May 6th)
– Mothers’ Day (Sunday May 13th)
– US Armed Forces Day (Saturday May 19th)
– US Memorial Day (Monday May 28th)

June 2012

– US Flag Day (Thursday June 14th)
– Fathers’ Day (Sunday June 17th)
– Summer Begins (Wednesday June 20st – longest day of the year)
– Gay Pride Month (all of June)

July 2012

– Canada Day (Sunday July 1st)
– Independence Day/4th of July (Wednesday July 4th)
– Ramadan begins (Friday July 20th)
– Parents’ Day (Sunday July 25)
– Opening of Summer Olympics (Thursday July 27th)

August 2012

– Friendship Day (Sunday August 5)
– Left Handers’ Day (Monday August 13th)
– National Aviation Day (Sunday August 19)
– Womens’ Equality Day (Sunday August 26)

September 2012

– Labor Day (Monday September 5th)
– Rosh Hashanah begins (Sunday September 16)
– Grandparents Day (Sunday September 9th)
– International Day of Peace (Friday September 21)
– First Day of Autumn (Saturday September 22rd)
– Yom Kippur (Saturday September 25, 2012)

October 2012

– Columbus Day (Monday October 8th)
– Canada Thanksgiving (Monday October 8th)
– National Boss Day (Tuesday October 16, 2010)
– Sweetest Day (Saturday October 20, 2010)
– United Nations Day (Wednesday October 24th)
– Halloween (Wednesday October 31st)

November 2012

– All Saints’ Day (Wednesday November 1st)
– Daylight Saving Time Ends (Sunday November 4th)
– US Election Day (Tuesday November 6)
– US Veterans’ Day (Thursday November 11th)
– Islamic New Year (Thursday November 15)
– US Thanksgiving (Thursday November 22th)

December 2012

– Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (Tuesday December 7)
– Hanukkah Begins (Sunday December 9, 2010)
– First Day Winter (Friday December 21st – shortest day of the year)
– Christmas (Tuesday December 25th)
– Kwanzaa (Wednesday December 26, 2010)
– New Years Eve (Monday December 31st)

There are countless other more obscure special days you can find if you do a Google search by month. This list is to get you started thinking about occasions when you could reach out and touch people you know and care about. To the right of the list I’ve given you a few examples of cards I’ve sent to my customers, business partners, family, and friends on some of these special days.

Several times during the year I’ll also include a gift, a link to something interesting or entertaining on the Internet, or a special product offer for my customers along with my regular seasonal card sending.

Why not pick one or two special days each month and send out cards to people on your list? You might be surprised at what happens!

Test drive the iCare Cards system HERE! Find out how you can use it to help, encourage, and support people in both your professional and personal life.