Our lives are filled with holidays of all shapes and sizes, some bigger, some smaller. They have one thing in common, though: they can disrupt the monotony of your daily routine.
These days, many of us are spending most of our time inside, working or learning from home, only leaving for groceries and other essential things. This is even worse than the endless home-commute-work-commute-home treadmill.
When life becomes this monotonous, every little thing that shakes up your day helps to keep your mind healthier and happier. This is when you can make use of the many novel holidays introduced by various fandoms and subcultures. Nothing serious like Earth Day and Memorial Day but lighthearted, fun ones like Towel Day (a tribute paid to author Douglas Adams each May 25) and International Talk Like a Pirate Day (on September 19). Here are some to look forward to this summer.
Christmas in July
Those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere are used to celebrating the most wonderful time of the year with snowball fights and sleigh rides. In the Southern half of the planet, though, things are very different. South of the Equator, December, January, and February are summer months. Thus, in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, it is customary to observe the so-called “Midwinter Christmas” in July to celebrate the most wonderful day of the year in a setting worthy of the carols depicting it.
Christmas in July is also celebrated in the Northern Hemisphere – ironically, of course. Some people throw parties to mimic the winter holidays, some night clubs hold Christmas-like parties, and even some TV channels, like Hallmark, for example, rebroadcast their Christmas program blocks around this time of the year.
International Beer Day (August)
Beer is the fourth most-consumed beverage in the world after tea, coffee, and wine. Without a doubt, beer is consumed in larger quantities during these trying times, especially as a distraction. Having a beer every now and then is a great way to unwind after a long, stressful day – and having one on International Beer Day is almost mandatory.
International Beer Day is celebrated each year on the first Friday of August (this year, it will be the 7th). The holiday made its debut at a local bar in Santa Cruz, California, owned by Jesse Avshalomov – today, it is observed in 80 countries and celebrated with cookouts and gathering of friends with cold ones in their hands. With social distancing observed, of course.
Unbirthday
Finally, here’s one that you can celebrate every single day of your life: the Unbirthday. The term was coined by Lewis Carroll in his 1871 novel “Through the Looking-Glass”, then adapted in the 1951 Disney animated feature “Alice in Wonderland”.
Basically, an “unbirthday” is exactly what its name suggests: not your birthday. In the 1951 movie, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, and the Dormouse are celebrating their Unbirthday when Alice stumbles upon them – and realizes that it’s her Unbirthday, too.
This is perhaps the best example of a holiday: you can celebrate it whenever you want. Except for your birthday, of course – but then, you have something else to celebrate anyway.