Happy Pointless National Day!
Introduction
And what a choice you have. There’s National Donald Duck day, National Chip week (clearly too important to restrict to a single day) and (Jewish) Marion’s favourite – Hug a Jew day. (She hasn’t yet been able to persuade her therapist that this is the one day of the year when it’s essential to smash the patient:therapist boundaries thing.) Buddy has a clutch of favourites – she’s not so keen on International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day although she appreciates the kindly intentions. And she’s remarkably silent on the matter of National Dress Up Your Pet Day, although she is no doubt aware of the Americanness of this one and is slightly consoled about the debacle that saw Marion refused an entry visa to America because of her mental illness. Don’t get her started on National Pistol Patent Day….
Anyway… why celebrate a pointless national day? Um – because it’s fun! Being in hospital is mainly pretty grim, and it’s nice to have something very ridiculous to distract from excruciating inner lives.
The imaginative, creative, celebratory (and bonkers) ideas are also great inspiration for one-off group activities. How much fun would an afternoon spent with perfume (or aftershave…), compliments, hairstyling or sisters be?
Please click here to add your own ward example!
January
3 Festival of Sleep Day
3 Fruitcake Toss Day
4 Trivia Day
5 National Bird Day
6 Bean Day
8 Bubble Bath Day
14 Dress Up Your Pet Day
15 National Hat Day
16 National Nothing Day
17 Ditch New Years Resolutions Day
18 Thesaurus Day
18 Winnie the Pooh Day
19 National Popcorn Day
20 National Buttercrunch Day
20 Penguin Awareness Day
21 National Hugging Day
21 Squirrel Appreciation Day
22 National Blonde Brownie Day
23 National Pie Day
23 National Handwriting Day
23 Measure Your Feet Day
24 Compliment Day
25 Opposite Day
27 Chocolate Cake Day
28 Fun at Work Day
28 National Kazoo Day
29 National Puzzle Day
29 National Cornchip Day
30 National Inane Answering Message Day
February
2 Ground Hog Day
4 Thank a Mailman Day
5 National Weatherman’s Day
7 Send a Card to a Friend Day
8 Kite Flying Day
10 Umbrella Day
11 Don’t Cry over Spilled Milk Day
11 Make a Friend Day
11 White T-Shirt Day
15 National Gum Drop Day
19 National Chocolate Mint Day
20 Cherry Pie Day
22 Walking the Dog Day
23 International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day
24 National Tortilla Chip Day
27 Polar Bear Day
28 Floral Design Day
28 Public Sleeping Day
March
1 Peanut Butter Lovers’ Day
2 Employee Appreciation Day
2 Old Stuff Day
3 I Want You to be Happy Day
3 If Pets Had Thumbs Day
3 National Anthem Day
6 National Frozen Food Day
10 Middle Name Pride Day
12 Plant a Flower Day
13 Jewel Day
19 National Chocolate Mint Day
14 Learn about Butterflies Day
14 National Potato Chip Day
17 National Quilting Day
21 Fragrance Day
24 National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day
25 Pecan Day
25 Waffle Day
26 Make Up Your Own Holiday Day
28 Something on a Stick Day
30 Take a Walk in the Park Day
April
1 International Fun at Work Day
4 Walk Around Things Day
7 Caramel Popcorn Day
8 Draw a Picture of a Bird Day
9 Winston Churchill Day
10 Golfer’s Day
10 National Siblings Day
13 Scrabble Day
14 Look up at the Sky Day
14 Reach as High as You Can Day
16 National Eggs Benedict Day
17 Blah, Blah, Blah Day
18 International Juggler’s Day
19 National Garlic Day
19 National High Five Day
22 National Jelly Bean Day
25 East meets West Day
25 World Penguin Day
26 Richter Scale Day
27 Tell a Story Day
28 Great Poetry Reading Day
30 Hairstyle Appreciation Day
30 National Honesty Day
May
1 Loyalty Day
1 Save the Rhino Day
4 Bird Day
4 Renewal Day
8 No Socks Day
9 Lost Sock Memorial Day
10 Clean up Your Room Day
12 Limerick Day
16 Love a Tree Day
16 Wear Purple for Peace Day
18 International Museum Day
18 National Bike to Work Day
18 No Dirty Dishes Day
18 Visit Your Relatives Day
22 Buy a Musical Instrument Day
23 Lucky Penny Day
25 Tap Dance Day
29 Learn About Composting Day
30 Water a Flower Day
June
1 National Doughnut Day
4 Applesauce Cake Day
4 Hug Your Cat Day
6 National Gardening Exercise Day
6 National Yo-Yo Day
7 National Chocolate Ice Cream Day
8 Best Friends Day
9 Donald Duck Day
13 Sewing Machine Day
15 Smile Power Day
16 Fresh Veggies Day
18 Go Fishing Day
19 World Sauntering Day
20 Ice Cream Soda Day
21 Go Skate Day
22 National Chocolate Eclair Day
23 National Pink Day
23 Take Your Dog to Work Day
26 Beautician’s Day
26 Forgiveness Day
27 Sun Glasses Day
29 Camera Day
July
1 Build A Scarecrow Day
1 Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day
1 International Joke Day
3 Compliment Your Mirror Day
4 National Country Music Day
6 National Fried Chicken Day
7 National Strawberry Sundae Day
8 Video Games Day
11 Cheer up the Lonely Day
13 Embrace Your Geekyness Day
15 National Ice Cream Day (third Sunday of the month)
15 Cow Appreciation Day
20 Moon Day
21 National Junk Food Day
22 Hammock Day
23 National Hot Dog Day
24 Cousins Day
28 National Milk Chocolate Day
29 National Lasagna Day
30 National Cheesecake Day
August
5 Friendship Day
5 International Forgiveness Day
5 Sisters Day
6 Wiggle Your Toes Day
9 Book Lover’s Day
10 Lazy Day
13 Left Hander’s Day
15 Relaxation Day
16 National Tell a Joke Day
18 Bad Poetry Day
19 Aviation Day
20 National Radio Day
22 Be an Angel Day
26 National Dog Day
27 Just Because Day
28 Race Your Mouse Day
29 More Herbs, Less Salt Day
30 Toasted Marshmallow Day
September
5 Be Late for Something Day
5 Cheese Pizza Day
6 Fight Procrastination Day
6 Read a Book Day
8 Pardon Day
9 Grandparent’s Day
9 Teddy Bear Day
10 Swap Ideas Day
11 Make Your Bed Day
11 No News is Good News Day
12 Chocolate Milk Shake Day
13 Positive Thinking Day
14 National Cream-Filled Donut Day
15 Make a Hat Day
16 Step Family Day
16 National Play Doh Day
16 National Women’s Friendship Day
16 Working Parents Day
18 National Cheeseburger Day
19 International Talk Like A Pirate Day
19 National Butterscotch Pudding Day
21 Miniature Golf Day
21 World Gratitude Day
22 International Rabbit Day
23 Dog in Politics Day
25 National Comic Book Day
28 Ask a Stupid Question Day
28 National Good Neighbor Day
30 National Mud Pack Day
October
1 World Vegetarian Day
2 Name Your Car Day
5 Do Something Nice Day
6 International Frugal Fun Day
7 World Smile Day
9 Fire Prevention Day
11 It’s My Party Day
12 World Egg Day
14 National Dessert Day
16 Dictionary Day
17 Wear Something Gaudy Day
23 National Mole Day
23 TV Talk Show Host Day
25 Punk for a Day Day
25 World Pasta Day
27 National Tell a Story Day
28 Mother-In-Law Day
28 Plush Animal Lover’s Day
November
3 Sandwich Day
6 Saxophone Day
8 Cook Something Bold Day
12 Chicken Soup for the Soul Day
13 World Kindness Day
15 Clean Your Refrigerator Day
15 National Philanthropy Day
16 Button Day
17 Homemade Bread Day
17 Take A Hike Day
20 Absurdity Day
20 Beautiful Day
20 Universal Children’s Day
22 Go For a Ride Day
23 You’re Welcome Day
December
7 Letter Writing Day
8 National Brownie Day
9 National Pastry Day
16 National Chocolate Covered Anything Day
17 National Maple Syrup Day
21 Look on the Bright Side Day
27 Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day
28 Card Playing Day
Ward Examples
“We would often have themed days during the holidays to bring together a variety of different activities and make things a bit different (in line with “Pointless National Holiday Days”). My personal favourite was “Superhero Day” where we would spend time making basic superhero outfits with the children (old white hospital sheets cut into capes and masks for colouring with fabric pens), filming them being the super-troop and catching the baddies using their combined powers and teamwork, a treasure hunt of small laminated discs with pictures of superheroes and “Wham”/”Ker-pow” logos, etc. Chill-out time was spent watching short cartoons of Spiderman, etc, while agreeing that we made much better superheroes than the on-screen versions!!”
Resources & references
To check out other pointless days, see:
http://holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/index.htm. Technically these are all American, but that only adds to the ridiculousness of the whole exercise.
