14 Alternative Holidays To Celebrate That Are Better Than Valentine’s Day

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On the assumption that someone won’t sweep me off my feet within the next three days, I will be thoroughly single for Valentine’s Day this year. So seeing, as the only thing I’ll be celebrating is the reduced-price chocolate on February 15th, I decided to discover other dedication-worthy dates I could throw a party for; those days often left under-celebrated and unknown by most, yet worth at least a worldwide trend or two.

1. Backwards Day – January 31

Yep there’s a national backwards day. Whether you walk backwards or talk backwards, it’s all in celebration of the wrong way round. Favorites my of one it’s personally.

2. World Nutella Day – February 5

It’s hardly surprising that die-hard Nutella fans decided to start this tradition back in 2007. #WorldNutellaDay trended worldwide and basically gave us all an excuse to bake, spread and scrape, or just eat the stuff straight from the tub. (Not that an excuse is needed.) You go Nutella fans.

3. National Napping Day – March 9

The scientific benefits of naps are endless, and this special day allows you to justify a cheeky afternoon siesta. It also provides you with an opportunity to adjust your sleep pattern after losing an hour when the clocks spring forward.

4. International Safety Pin Day – April 10

Because it would really just be wrong to not have a day for this ingenious little invention. They’ve been known to be pricks though so beware… (Sorry had to be done.)

5. Lumpy Rug Day – May 3

No rug should ever become lumpy or ragged, and so on the 3rd of May every year, people are encouraged to smooth their rugs out and revel in the beauty of a perfectly flat rug. If you’re feeling brave, perhaps it’s time to look underneath and see what’s causing the lump… or if you’re really daring, you could even buy a new one.

6. Ball Point Pen Day – June 10

An instrument that revolutionized the stationary industry; carelessly kicking fountain pens and feather quills into the history books (although a lucky few survived.) Brothers, Laszlo and Gyorgy Biro, are credited with the invention of the ballpoint pen and obtained a patent on June 10th, 1943, hence the celebration of this useful tool today.

7. Take Your Dog To Work Day – June 26

Self-explanatory really – gives you an excuse to bring Pongo and Perdy into your workplace for a sniff around. Bonus points if you work at a pet shop.

8. Take Your Houseplant For A Walk Day – July 27

Taking your houseplant for a walk around the block allows them to temporarily be in their natural environment, which can have huge health benefits for your greenery. A more conservative way to celebrate is to take your plant to a new location within the house, perhaps one where it might get more sunlight or attention.

9. Middle Child’s Day – August 12

Middle Child’s Day provides a well-deserved day to celebrate those special children who were neither the first-born or the last-born. With Middle Child Syndrome being an actual thing, at least you can now have one day where you’re the centre of attention.

10. International Coffee Day – September 29

This is the annual celebration of the glorious crop that is a coffee bean. Celebrate with an espresso, cappuccino, latte or americano and of course, a slice of coffee cake, in the comfort of knowing that the daily caffeine allowance doesn’t apply today.

11. World Octopus Day – October 8

The Octopus has been around longer than the dinosaur, and is actually a highly intelligent creature that holds the ability to learn and problem solve, making it more than worthy of having a day to itself. Forget micro pigs; micro octopuses are surely the next big thing…

12. Clean Your Desktop Day – October 19, 2015 (3rd Monday of each October)

This day encourages you to delete things you don’t need, and put some structure in to your desktop, returning it to a ‘like brand new’ state… before it gets messy again this time next year of course.

13. Stay Home Because You’re Well Day – November  30

Although this seems a little ludicrous, the point of this holiday is actually to take a moment to just slow down and enjoy life, taking a step back from hectic everydayness. Caution: bosses’ reactions to this day may vary. 

14. National Underdog Day – December 18, 2015

Observed annually on the third Friday of December since 1976, Underdog Day is a day dedicated to those who do all the hard work but rarely get any recognition for it; the unsung heroes of the world. After all, everyone loves an underdog. 

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