Many of August’s quirky holidays revolve around celebrating loved ones and seasonal delights, so grab your family (Fido included) and a bag of marshmallows and let’s party.
1. AUGUST 1: NATIONAL GIRLFRIENDS DAY
Rest easy, boyfriends of the world, this holiday has nothing to do with you. National Girlfriends Day honors the lady friends who are there for their fellow lady friends.
2. AUGUST 1: RESPECT FOR PARENTS DAY
We have a feeling an unappreciated parent came up with this holiday.
3. AUGUST 1: ROUNDS RESOUNDING DAY
This offbeat holiday honors the art of singing rounds, so find some pitch-perfect friends and warm up those vocal chords.
4. AUGUST 2: INTERNATIONAL BEER DAY
Back in 2007, a group of friends decided to internationally dedicate a day to “gather with friends and enjoy the deliciousness that is beer, celebrate the dedicated men and women who brew and serve our beer, and bring the world together under the united banner of beer.” And to that we say, cheers! Or salud! Or prost! Or gan bei! Well, you get the idea.
5. AUGUST 3: NATIONAL MUSTARD DAY
We’ll use any excuse to eat a hot dog—or three.
6. AUGUST 4: NATIONAL PSYCHIC DAY
But don’t bother planning a surprise party for your resident clairvoyant.
7. AUGUST 4: SINGLE WORKING WOMEN’S DAY
In 2006, Barbara Payne established the Single Working Women’s Affiliate Network to recognize the achievements that single women have contributed to the world. Single Working Women’s Day comes at the end of Single Working Women’s Week, a time to celebrate the women “who do it all. Not only do they bring home the bacon, but they also shop for it, cook it, serve it and clean it up, then take out the garbage, walk the dog, and fix the sink (or call the repairman!).”
8. AUGUST 4: NATIONAL SISTERS DAY
Make sure to set aside the first Sunday in August as a day to celebrate the unique bond that you have with your sister(s).
9. AUGUST 5: NATIONAL UNDERWEAR DAY
Underwear emporium Freshpair founded National Underwear Day on August 5, 2003. Since then it has grown to include events around the country that encourage the 80 percent of people who have worn the same style of underwear their whole lives to branch out.
10. AUGUST 6: NATIONAL FRESH BREATH DAY
If ever there were a day to stage an intervention with your halitosis-afflicted friends, today’s the day. Or, give yourself an extra brush and a bonus swirl of mouthwash and say ah. Probably a good idea to lay off the onions and garlic for the day, too.
11. AUGUST 7: NATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE DAY
In 1989, on the 200th anniversary of having signed “An Act for the Establishment and Support of Lighthouse, Beacons, Buoys and Public Piers” into law, Congress decreed August 7 to be National Lighthouse Day.
12. AUGUST 8: NATIONAL DOLLAR DAY
On this day all the way back in 1786, the Continental Congress established a monetary system for the United States of America. Today, you can honor the birth of cold hard USD cash by carrying a few Georges, Andrews, and Abrahams in your wallet. If you decide to invite Benjamin, give us a call!
13. AUGUST 8: NATIONAL HAPPINESS HAPPENS DAY
Celebrated annually on the founding date of the Society of Happy People (formerly known as the Secret Society of Happy People—but why keep that a secret?), which you can join for free.
14. AUGUST 9: NATIONAL BOOK LOVERS DAY
For most book lovers, every day is a day to celebrate reading. But for the sake of celebration let’s open up the floor to all interpretations of what it means to be a “book lover.” Perhaps you just love the physical feel of a book, and have no interest in cracking one open. Or maybe, this day is meant to honor books in love with each other. Today is the day to exalt book lovers of all shapes, sizes, covers, and word counts.
15. AUGUST 9: VEEP DAY
Veep Day commemorates the date in 1974 when Gerald Ford became President without ever having been elected as either vice president or president. Ford had become vice president after Spiro Agnew resigned due to a kickback scandal. When Nixon later resigned amid the Watergate scandal, Ford found himself occupying the Oval Office. This was the first time the VP had become president under these terms.
16. AUGUST 10: NATIONAL LAZY DAY
Fortunately, National Lazy Day falls on a Saturday this year. So be sure to spend your weekend doing positively nothing.
17. AUGUST 10: NATIONAL S’MORES DAY
The original recipe, published in Scout leader Loretta Scott Crew’s 1927 Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts, called these campfire treats Some Mores. Which is exactly what you’ll be asking for.
18. AUGUST 11: NATIONAL PRESIDENTIAL JOKE DAY
On this day in 1984, during a soundcheck for a radio broadcast, Ronald Reagan cracked the following joke:
“My fellow Americans, I am pleased to tell you today that I’ve signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.”
Who knew the Gipper had such a dark sense of humor? He certainly didn’t know the mic was already recording, and the tape leaked. Since this little gaffe, August 11th has lived on as Presidential Joke Day.
19. AUGUST 12: NATIONAL MIDDLE CHILD DAY
Even though birth order doesn’t really affect your personality, let’s hear it for the middle children of the world.
20. AUGUST 12: VINYL RECORD DAY
First declared such in 2002, Vinyl Record Day is held on the anniversary of Thomas Edison’s 1877 invention of the phonograph.
21. AUGUST 13: INTERNATIONAL LEFT HANDERS DAY
For those world citizens who have found themselves in a right-handed-scissors world, today the world honors your special gifts. The other 364, we righties are still secretly jealous. If you’re in the UK on the 13th, the Left-handers Club sponsors members-only areas called “Lefty Zones.” Okay fine, we’re jealous all 365 days.
22. AUGUST 15: CHAUVIN DAY
If you’re worried that this is a day to celebrate chauvinists—you’re actually kind of right. But don’t worry: On the anniversary of Napoleon Bonaparte’s birthday, we celebrate the interesting etymological history of the word chauvinism, which comes from a man named Nicolas Chauvin, who idealized Napoleon so much that he became internationally mocked for his blind loyalty to a cause. From there the term became associated with any misguided or ill-intentioned adherence to a particular cause, and finally, the discriminatory mindset it refers to today. And now, for some reason, we honor him and it.
23. AUGUST 15: NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY
Preferably celebrated in a hammock, on a beach, or with a pooped pup.
24. AUGUST 16: JOE MILLER’S JOKE DAY
Joe Miller was an 18th century English actor whose reputation for being serious was so well known, we now hold an offbeat joke-telling holiday in his honor.
25. AUGUST 16: NATIONAL ROLLER COASTER DAY
The amusement first took root in the U.S. as a means of distracting people from unsavory entertainments. More than 130 years later, it’s still going strong.
26. AUGUST 17: INTERNATIONAL GEOCACHING DAY
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite fans all over the world will be participating in this celebration without even knowing it.
27. AUGUST 18: BAD POETRY DAY
Roses are red / Violets are blue/ You probably saw this joke coming/ But we made it anyway.
28. AUGUST 19: NATIONAL AVIATION DAY
Franklin Delano Roosevelt laid out the ultimate burn by declaring Orville Wright’s birthday National Aviation Day. Why he chose to honor Orville over Wilbur in 1939 is a mystery to historians, but we think National Aviation Day is a great time to start preposterous rumors based on wild speculation, i.e. maybe Wilbur Wright was a figment of Orville’s imagination. (It could also have had something to do with the fact that Orville was still alive when FDR made the day official … and Wilbur was not.)
29. AUGUST 21: NATIONAL POET’S DAY
A day to soothe the bruised egos of poets mocked just three days prior on August 18’s Bad Poetry Day.
30. AUGUST 21: NATIONAL SENIOR CITIZENS DAY
Now this is the holiday for which Reagan would have wanted to be remembered. On August 19th, 1988, a proclamation was made by the then-president that deemed August 21st as a national day to give older U.S. citizens thanks and a heartfelt salute. Decades later, we’re still doing it.
31. AUGUST 22: NATIONAL TOOTH FAIRY DAY
Because anyone who can make money magically appear under your pillow deserves a day of feting.
32. AUGUST 26: NATIONAL DOG DAY
Be sure to give a dog—or all the dogs—you love an extra treat or belly rub. Because they’re all good boys and girls.
33. AUGUST 26: WOMEN’S EQUALITY DAY
Celebrated on the anniversary of the certification of the 19th Amendment, which prohibits discrimination in voting rights on the basis of sex.
34. AUGUST 28: NATIONAL BOW TIE DAY
Celebrate by learning how to tie one.
35. AUGUST 31: NATIONAL TRAIL MIX DAY
Also known as National GORP Day. We love us a handy bag of “good ol’ raisins and peanuts,” but let’s be honest: the addition of M&M’s are what make trail mix truly great.