Article By Sophia Cederburg, Design by Marlowe Henderson
Millions of people come together to celebrate days we believe are worth celebrating. From Christmas to St. Patrick’s Day, and Halloween to President’s Day, work and school are taken off, and people participate in decades long traditions of the holiday. But what about the lesser known holidays? Almost every day of the year, you can find something to celebrate whether it is a national day or dedication to a person or thing. Below is a list of some of my personal favorites.
Appreciate A Dragon Day – January 16
This day is celebrated annually as a way to appreciate the history and socio-cultural significance of the scaly creatures. Dragons are a popular fabled beast in many books, movies and TV shows, and play an important role in many mythological tales. My personal belief is that we should appreciate dragons every single day of the year, but marking the calendar for January 16 will have to do.
Curmudgeons Day – January 29
A curmudgeon is defined as an old, ill-tempered person, or in other words, an old geezer. This holiday makes my list mostly due to the fact that I enjoy the word curmudgeon. However, I still believe it is important to celebrate all of the curmudgeons of your life. While most of the time you might not hold much gratitude towards them, even the grumpiest people deserve a day of celebration.
I Hate Coriander (Cilantro) Day – February 24
I am a big believer in standing for what you hate, so I fully support this holiday dedicated to the hatred of coriander. Why might one hate coriander, you might ask? Well there’s a few studies saying that a dislike towards coriander can be a genetic trait. So this February, find your other genetically disposed friends a gripe about your aversion for this particular herb.
Kyrgyzstan National Hat Day – March 5
This holiday is celebrated in the country Kyrgyzstan to honor the ak-kalpak, a traditional hat that Kyrgz wear to distinguish themselves from other local indigenous groups. The headwear has been regarded as a national symbol and men and women of all ages can wear it. This holiday is important, as we recognize cultures different from our own.
Big Forehead Day – August 3
As a member of the big forehead community, this is an important celebration for me. Big Forehead day pays tribute to all of those foreheads that are abnormally large, and encourages you to be prideful of every single part of you, even the ones that might look different from others. Join the likes of Rihanna, Queen Elizabeth I and Tyra Banks to celebrate this day.
Stay Away From Seattle Day – September 16
This day is celebrated every each year to give Seattle citizens a much needed break from the influx of tourists. Due to the amount of tourist attractions and sights to see in Seattle, citizens see a plethora of tourists everyday, and want one day of the year to put a stop to it. However, this day is a perfect day to celebrate if you simply dislike Seattle in general.
National Have a Bad Day Day – November 19
We spend most of our lives trying to have good days every single day, despite knowing that there will be a few inevitable bad days. However, on Nov. 19, you are encouraged to have a bad day. No fake smiles or trying too hard and an opportunity to wish your neighbor a bad day and wallow in your own self pity without feeling guilty. This holiday makes my list because I think everyone deserves to be grumpy for at least one day of the year.
If you look on any calendar issued by a store or manufacturer, you aren’t going to find these dates marked off. You won’t have your classes canceled and you are still going to have to clock into your shift tonight. However, these holidays are proof everything is worth celebrating, even the small things.