Where All The Bizarre National Holidays Come From

Have you ever wondered where those bizarre national holidays come from? You know, the one your co-worker is a little too excited about? You may find them while scanning your Facebook feed. Or you may hear your friend mention it as an excuse to shove doughnuts down their gullet. 

Holidays such as International Talk Like a Pirate Day, National Open an Umbrella Indoors Day, and Count Your Buttons Day are so bizarre one has to wonder who in the hell decides these things. Is it the government? Shadowy organizations? 

Or is it just regular weirdos? 

National Grab Some Nuts Day, National Get it Together Day, Be Bald and Be Free Day.

Turns out all you need to get a random national holiday on the books is a non-vulgar idea that hasn’t already been booked. So, basically, anyone can come up with any holiday of any kind. 

Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith is a self-proclaimed “eventologist.” She has created over 1,900 holidays, or “holidates,” as she refers to them. Some of her “holidates” are:

Hug A G.I. Day

International Skeptics Day

National Splurge Day

Lost Penny Day

Pay a Compliment Day

National Pandemonium Day

Thomas Roy, actor and radio host, has created 90 holidays over 30 years. No Sock Day, Hug An Australian Day, and Northern Hemisphere Hoodie Hoo Day are some of his creations. Hoodie Hoo in particular became a huge hit. 

Roy’s wife no longer allows him to create ridiculous national holidays. 

A’phabet Day or No “L” Day, Be Late for Something Day, National Sneak Some Zucchini Into Your Neighbor’s Porch Day

Food blogger John-Bryan Hopkins created a series of food-themed holidays. These include National Hot Toddy Day, International Picnic Day, National Comfort Food Day, and National Pizza With the Works Except Anchovies Day. 

(Okay, first of all, there is such a thing as too many toppings on pizza. Settle down. Second of all, what’s with the anchovies hate? They’re salty and delicious, knock it off.)

Even Italian accordionist Tom Torriglia, in an effort to raise the profile of his instrument of choice, created National Accordion Awareness Month. “Appreciation” might be a better word choice considering that one can always be aware of an accordion. I mean, how can you not? Look at the size of that thing. 

National Triglycerides Day, National Secret Decoy Candy Drawer Day, Cat Herders Day.

After Congress stopped accepting bizarre holiday requests, Chase’s Calendar of Events took up the challenge. For those interested in submitting their strange national holiday ideas, you can fill out a form here. 

They do not accept vulgar or childish submissions. Nor do they accept a holiday that’s already been booked, for obvious reasons. 

“The more inventive you are and more you touch on things everybody feels really close to, the more success you’ll have,” says Chase’s editor-in-chief, Holly McGuire. 

If the holiday is already being celebrated, all the better. Say there’s a Lost and Found Day at your local school. If the school is already “celebrating” the day, chances are it will be validated by Chase’s.

National Without a Scalpel Day, National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, Get a Different Name Day.

Turns out, there’s no big secret to getting a bizarre national holiday on the calendar. As long as it isn’t profane, inappropriate, or just plain stupid, you can create a new holiday. All you need is an angle, some funny wording, and a mildly underappreciated activity that highlights the minutiae of life. 

Do you want to celebrate International High Five a Cat Day? How about National Please Use a Coaster Day? Perhaps Oompa Loompa Doodle Day? Nothing should sound too bizarre at this point. 

With this kind of creativity and dedication, every day is now a holiday. 

One more thing, two of the national holidays listed in the headlines were totally made up. Can you guess which ones?