The Weirdest National Holiday in Every Month
Everyone knows about Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Then, there are semi-popular holidays like Veteran’s Day, Saint Patrick’s Day, and Valentine’s Day. However, most national holidays go uncelebrated.
National Pie Day, National Pig Day, and National Bubble Bath Day are funny ones most people don’t know about. You might be surprised by how diverse and specific national holidays are.
If you’re looking for quirky holiday fun, consider celebrating some of the weirdest national holidays. We rounded up a random or strange national holiday from every month for you.
January: Houseplant Appreciation Day
Kicking off the list is this wholesome holiday focused on your little green indoor friends. If you have any houseplants, tell them how much you appreciate them on January 10th! Houseplants improve indoor air quality, reduce stress, balance humidity, and inspire creativity, among many other benefits.
February: Red Sock Day
National Red Sock Day is always the third Saturday in February. In case it wasn’t obvious, you’re supposed to wear red socks! It sounds silly and random, but it’s for Peripheral Artery Disease Awareness. National Red Sock Day was only added to the National Day Calendar in 2022, so it’s relatively new.
March: Extraterrestrial Abductions Day
March 20th is Extraterrestrial Abductions Day for those who love The X-Files, believe in alien contact, or have experienced a freaky encounter. This holiday is mostly observed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as they have a rich history with extraterrestrials. It sounds like a joke, but the history of alien encounters and abductions is fascinating, and this is the perfect day for an alien movie marathon.
April: Find a Rainbow Day
This national holiday is as simple and wholesome as it sounds. April 3rd is National Find a Rainbow Day; its purpose is to encourage people to scour the skies for a colorful ray of happiness. It’s random but positive and sweet. Side note: April 1st to 7th is Be Kind to Spiders Week, which we love because spiders deserve more kindness.
May: Lost Sock Memorial Day
Who among us has never lost a single sock? If you raised your hand, congratulations — you’re perfect. As for the rest of us, May 9th is the designated day to bid farewell to any single socks floating around your laundry pile. Accept the loss, and let the lonely sock go.
June: Hug Your Cat Day
June 4th is National Hug Your Cat Day. We’re not sure how we feel about this one. Of course, we’d love to hug our cats, but we don’t think our cats are as enthused about the idea. If you have a particularly snuggly cat, this is the perfect holiday for you! For those of us with aloof cats, maybe just tell them you love them a few extra times on June 4th.
July: Air Conditioning Appreciation Day
Independence Day is the big holiday in July, but the day before is Air Conditioning Appreciation Day. People who live in hot, muggy places can appreciate this holiday the most. However, air conditioners also help stabilize medical facilities, manage humidity, purify air, deter insects and parasites, improve sleep, and more. Say “thanks” to your AC for all it does for you and your home.
August: Left-Handers Day
August 13th is National Left-Handers Day, celebrating left-handed individuals and their uniqueness. Studies estimate that roughly 10-12% of people are left-handed, so it’s a surprisingly small minority. On August 13th, let a left-handed person in your life know that you appreciate their left-handedness. If you’re left-handed, this is your day!
September: Talk Like a Pirate Day
As far as weirdness, September 19th is pretty high on the list. This is Talk Like a Pirate Day, invented in 1995 for seemingly no other reason than it’s funny. It’s become part of Pastafarianism, a light-hearted and parodic religion. Frankly, talking like a pirate all day sounds tricky but also hilarious. Give it a try this year and see if you can keep up with the jargon.
October: Name Your Car Day
National Name Your Car Day on October 2nd might be the most unnecessary holiday ever, but we’re not here to hate on these random holidays. Name Your Car Day is a designated day to bestow a moniker on your beloved hot rod. That trusty vehicle (hopefully) takes you everywhere you need to go, so why not acknowledge its importance with a cute name?
November: Clean Your Refrigerator Day
Keeping your fridge squeaky clean is tough, so we love that there’s a national holiday to remind you to clean out your disgusting leftovers. Every November 15th, the National Calendar encourages you to assess your refrigerator and toss anything old, unwanted, or icky. This holiday is a great idea, but we want to gently remind everyone that you should probably clean out your fridge at least once a season.
December: Answer the Telephone Like Buddy the Elf Day
On December 18th, just before Christmas, is National Answer the Telephone Like Buddy the Elf Day. The main idea is to answer every phone call with Buddy’s hilarious line from Elf, “(your name here) the Elf, what’s your favorite color?” However, supporters of this national holiday encourage people to act elf-ish in any and every way they want on December 18th.
14 Little Frugal Luxuries To Make Life Better
Living on a tight budget and diligently saving money can create frugal fatigue. It’s hard to avoid spending temptations, which can lead to impulse or binge spending.
Enjoying tiny luxuries every once in a while can make sticking to your budget easier. This way, you can fatten your savings account without depriving yourself of all pleasures. These small treats feel luxurious but cost next to nothing.
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Countless distractions and heavy workloads demand maximum productivity. The solution isn’t found in overtime and grand gestures. It’s found in small investments.
These purchases are not about cutting corners but making smart enhancements to your workplace to boost organization, relaxation, creativity, and time management. Whether you’re a busy professional, a creative soul searching for inspiration, or anyone in between, these cheap purchases could be the game-changer you’ve been looking for to be more productive.
Veronica is a lifestyle and culture writer from Boston, MA, with a passion for entertainment, fashion, and food. She graduated from Boston University in 2019 with a bachelor's in English literature. If she's not in the kitchen trying new recipes, she's binging the latest HBO series, catching up on the hottest trends in Vogue, or falling down a research rabbit hole. Her writing experience ranges from global news articles to celebrity gossip pieces to movie reviews and more.
Her byline appears in publications like The Weather Channel, The Daily Meal, The Borgen Project, MSN, Wealth of Geeks, and Not Deer Magazine. She writes about what inspires her — a stylish Wes Anderson film, a clever cleaning hack, a surprising fashion trend. When she’s not writing about life's little joys, she’s keeping her dog away from rabbits and spending too much money on kitchenware.