Made Up Holidays

**AmyBoz** · 02-18-2008, 09:18 PM

The thread about the missing Valentine's Day present made me think about holidays and their purpose and how many are just made up holidays to make money for card companies, etc.

The first one that came to mind was Sweetest Day. I had never heard of Sweetest Day until I went to college in Ohio. My roommate, who was from Ohio, almost had a heartattack when she realized I had no idea what she was talking about when that holiday rolled around. It's basically Valentine's Day in another month (I think it was October?). In my mind, a ridiculous extra holiday for the card companies in a slow time of the year.

Any other holidays that you know of that have no real meaning?

**Ceashels** · 02-18-2008, 09:22 PM

I find the "lets celebrate (insert profession of choice) weeks" to be a way to boost revenue for the card companies as well. We actually had a secretary/receptionist complain about getting the obligatory vase of flowers and a box of candy every year. *shrug*

**ravenmaniac** · 02-18-2008, 10:11 PM

I think there are a lot of "made up" holidays. I can't stand the so and so appreciation weeks either. For example, at my school the secretaries all get to go out to lunch together on the principal's tab for secretary appreciation week. If they don't get flowers and cards and a great big thank you they get offended. I say thank you every time they do something for me or the school as a whole. I take pride in doing my job. I feel appreciated everyday when I see my students smile. Even if it's only during lunch duty and they talk to you and you both laugh together. As far as the other holidays I feel we only have ourselves to blame by giving in to commercialism. After all, look at the mess our economy is in, but that's another topic!

**Nada.Leona** · 02-19-2008, 09:16 PM

This has got to be the king of made-up holidays -- though the arguement that guys need "their holiday" does kind of make sense.

WARNING: ADULT CONTENT AHEAD. Nothing nasty or graphic, but shouldn't be viewed by anyone under 18.

http://tinyurl.com/2otv4u

**northernmom2boys** · 02-19-2008, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by LadyNada

This has got to be the king of made-up holidays -- though the arguement that guys need "their holiday" does kind of make sense.

WARNING: ADULT CONTENT AHEAD. Nothing nasty or graphic, but shouldn't be viewed by anyone under 18.

http://tinyurl.com/2otv4u

LOL I swear my dh probably came up with that one lololol

**McD** · 02-19-2008, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by northernmom2boys

LOL I swear my dh probably came up with that one lololol

I'm pretty sure that it was my husband who made this day up.

**emily_hope** · 02-19-2008, 09:41 PM

OMG! I don't think my DH knows about that one!! LOL!!

**northernmom2boys** · 02-19-2008, 09:52 PM

the little poems they have are hilarious lol

**missyali** · 02-19-2008, 10:11 PM

I cracked up over that made up day, LadyNada. I always thought of it as pi day 3.14....... That's the lame-o in me. It's my son's birthday, so I am voting for the other websites that say it's March 20. Too funny, though. I'm sure there are no other made-up holidays to beat that!

**kittykatstrong** · 02-23-2008, 01:41 PM

LOL, my DH doesn't know about that "holiday" or I would have heard about it. I do like celabrate the fake holidays
http://www.brownielocks.com/month2.html

For me it lets me do special things that I might not do normally

**Missy** · 02-23-2008, 03:11 PM

Well , alrighty then. DH already thinks 3.21 is that sort of day (his birthday, rofl) wow, missy, tmi, tmi!!!

**Daisygirl** · 02-23-2008, 03:29 PM

We have our own made-up holidays - we have un-birthdays (halfway through the year - just means we get to plan the activitiy and pick the food that day).

We also have "Thanksmas" which isour little combo of US Thanksgiving (turkey, etc) and putting up the Christmas tree and decorations. It is always the weekend of US Thanksgiving.

**Missy** · 02-23-2008, 04:48 PM

I like thanksmas! cute idea

**forHISglory** · 02-23-2008, 05:22 PM

I love holidays, but I don't like businesses making a commercial profit off them and putting the fiscal guilt trip on us all. And I guess every holiday somewhere down the line was made up by someone! So big or little, I like to celebrate.

When I was teaching, I celebrated lots of holidays with my students: Ides of March, Shakespeare's birthday (any author's birthday!), publication dates of novels..... It was a fun way to remember some of the literary content. Sometimes I would just make up holidays: Happy End of First Quarter, Merry Semester Break, Happy Half Day Due to Pep Assembly, Read for 20 minutes with a lollipop in your mouth day. Students loved it.

We had the same theory at home. I'd spread a blanket on the dining room floor and fix sandwiches and chips for supper and we'd sit in there. It was Happy Winter Picnic Day! Or someone in the family would announce that it was Hat Day. That meant every one had to find or make a hat and wear it for supper. One year we had Hat Day at Easter. The extended family got together and everyone was to make and wear an Easter bonnet. Great Grandpa made his from a lampshade, Uncle made a sailor looking thing out of newspaper, Grandma turned a candy dish upside down and tied it on her head with a big ribbon. My mom wore a colander that she decorated with flowers and ribbons. One sister had all her kids make bread dough hats and bake them and wear them. Brother wore turkey feathers all woven together. It was the funniest family get together ever!

I could go on with how much fun made up holidays are. Life is short; CELEBRATE!!

**forHISglory** · 02-23-2008, 05:24 PM

Oh yeah, forgot the seasonal holidays that we made up. Things like Saw the First Robin Day, or Find the Prettiest Fall Leaves Day. For that one, we walked thru the woods picking up leaves, and then arranged them on the dining table and had our meal on that.