[For Seniors] February Trivia: Useful Knowledge
According to the traditional calendar, it’s “Risshun,” the start of spring.
February is considered the beginning of spring, but in reality it’s still quite cold—a time when we can’t do without down jackets and heaters.
In some regions, it may even be snowing.
In this article, we’ve gathered various trivia related to February.
We introduce handy tips to keep warm through the cold winter, trivia about February events, and fun facts tied to various “Days of ○○.”
If you’re looking for February trivia to spark conversation, or quiz material about February that can be used for activities in senior care facilities, we hope you find this useful!
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For Seniors: February Trivia. Useful Knowledge (21–30)
February 14 was originally the day Saint Valentine was executed.
When you think of February 14 in Japan, it’s Valentine’s Day—a day when women give chocolate to men to express gratitude and love.
It can make you feel a bit restless, but if you trace the origins of Valentine’s Day, you find a deep history.
During the Roman Empire, marriage was prohibited in order to boost soldiers’ morale.
However, the Christian priest Valentino secretly arranged marriages for young soldiers without the emperor’s knowledge.
When this reached the emperor’s ears, Priest Valentino was executed.
People came to venerate him as Saint Valentine, and the day of his execution, February 14, was designated as a day to mourn Priest Valentino.
Valentine’s Day Trivia from Around the World
Valentine’s Day is a major event in February and is often associated with happy images, like confessing your feelings to someone you like.
Let’s explore how Valentine’s Day is treated in countries outside Japan to deepen our understanding of the event.
There are even countries where Valentine’s Day is banned, and through this event you can get a glimpse into each country’s way of thinking.
Since the form of Valentine’s Day differs by country, it might also be interesting to think about which style you find ideal.
How to determine the direction for the Ehomaki
Ehomaki, an essential part of Setsubun, is always talked about together with the curious custom of eating it while facing the year’s lucky direction, called eho.
How about learning how that eho—the auspicious direction to face when eating ehomaki—is determined, and deepening your understanding and interest in the event? Eho is chosen from four possible directions based on the combination of the Ten Heavenly Stems and the Twelve Zodiac Branches.
Because you only hear about it around this time of year, it’s easy to overlook, but if you think back, you may notice you’ve faced the same direction multiple times.
Since there’s a rule for figuring out the eho, it’s a handy skill to learn and keep as a party trick.
Trivia about the cold season
February is still a season when you can really feel the cold, isn’t it? In chilly weather, we tend to use heaters and other devices to stay warm.
How about getting through the cold by adding a few fun cold-weather facts and tips? Simple, everyday tricks for dealing with the cold are easy for older adults to try as well.
Ideas like how to bathe in a way that warms the body effectively, or key points for humidifying typically dry indoor air, are also great conversation starters with seniors.
In a cozy, warm room, you’ll likely have lively chats with older adults using cold-season trivia.
Meaning and Origin of the Lucky God “Maneki-neko”
The beckoning cat, with its cute white cat gesturing you over, is a popular lucky charm for New Year’s and business prosperity, and it’s well-loved by seniors too.
The history of the maneki-neko goes back to the Edo period.
One day, a feudal lord was walking past the impoverished Gotokuji Temple on his way back from falconry.
A cat at the temple gate beckoned him inside, and just then, a sudden thunderstorm struck.
Lightning hit the very path the lord had been walking, but thanks to the cat, he was safe.
Grateful, the lord helped revive Gotokuji Temple, and the cat was enshrined as “Shofuku Nekoji,” a bringer of good fortune.
It’s a perfect bit of trivia for Cat Day in February.
Cat trivia
February 22 is known as Cat Day in Japan because the numbers can be read as “nyan nyan nyan,” mimicking a cat’s meow.
With Cat Day coming up in February, why not pick up some cat-related trivia? From things that are common knowledge to people who have owned cats to facts even they might not know, let’s deepen our understanding of cats.
Behaviors that seem merely cute may actually hide feline instincts, making for intriguing insights.
You might even discover that some actions are ones cats dislike, so this can be a great opportunity to rethink how you interact with them.
Trivia about ingredients in ehomaki (lucky direction sushi rolls)
Ehomaki is an essential food for Setsubun—the variety of fillings gives it both delicious flavor and a festive feel.
How about taking a moment to look back at the typical fillings and the wishes embedded in them? The standard is to use seven kinds of ingredients, each carrying meanings such as longevity, prosperity, or simple celebration.
With more variations available, we tend to focus on taste, but it might be nice to revisit the classic fillings and learn the wishes behind them in detail.