Who Creates Those Random 'National Thing' Days?

Ava Steiner '22 ~ October 2021

Last April 11, your Instagram timeline was probably flooded with adorable dog pictures captioned “#NationalPetDay,” or perhaps you disappointingly missed out on a free donut from Dunkin on June 4 for National Donut Day. But who created these days, and who celebrates them? Unsurprisingly, these “holidays” have financial roots in corporate marketing schemes and lobbyists.

Most national holidays are unofficial, meaning they have not been approved by Congress and the President; they are simply celebrated by a large number of people. The majority come from organizations and companies trying to improve outreach and add more promotions to their yearly calendar. For example, the History Channel sponsors National History Day, and fast food chain Jack in the Box created National Drive-Thru Day. PR companies also claim there is a subconscious factor: you are likely to crave chocolate on National Chocolate Day to the benefit of the Hershey brand and other chocolate sellers.

Sweetest Day, started by an Ohio candymaker in 1921 who gave small treats to orphans and newsboys, sounds like a wholesome history, but most official national days are not so sweet.

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan declared July 15 National Ice Cream Day to aid the dairy industry, claiming that ice cream was a “nutritious and wholesome food.” Even though the day was only intended to be celebrated once, in 2019 the US Surgeon General tweeted, “This #NationalIceCreamDay, I’ll be treating myself to a scoop of [strawberry ice-cream emoji] after getting in a good workout. Like anything else, moderation is key!”

The well-meaning America Recycles Day is now under the control of the Keep America Beautiful organization, the same organization that infamously ran “The Crying Indian” commercial and receives funding from Pepsi-Cola and McDonald’s.

These days are fun to celebrate with friends and on social media. But where can you find the largest collection of niche national holidays? On nationaldaycalendar.com, of course! Started in 2013 by entrepreneur Marlo Andersson, this comprehensive calendar features almost any national holiday you can think of. And if you do not see a day that should be there, you can apply to register it yourself!

Title Photo: “Japanese Tea Flavoured Ice Cream” by Timothy Takemoto, Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0