Weird and unusual holidays are an odd obsession in society; many days, like National Buffet Day or National Ditch New Year’s Resolution Day, are created by everyday people for no other reason except to celebrate something that is special or funny to individuals.
All fun holidays are recorded in Chase’s Calendar of Events, the official annual reference guide for all special days, observances, anniversaries, and other events. This book was created in 1957 by brothers William and Harrison Chase, but it rose to prominence in the 1980s, when America had a big focus on commercialization. At this time, expanding businesses wanted to find new ways to promote their products, so it became popular to have a special day commemorated by Congress to honor them.
During the years 1985-1986, one in every three bills in Congress were to create a new holiday. The government saw this as a waste of time and therefore, turned to Chase’s Calendar of Events to establish and organize these random, yet special holidays.
Anyone can create a new special day, week, or month for free. All someone has to do is email Chase’s Calendar of Events to receive a submission form to fill out and send it. It will then go through an editorial approval process where a team of people consider the event’s significance and overall national interest. If your submission is approved, it will be added to the Chase’s Calendar of Events, which is updated every year with new holidays.
Although these holidays are not federally recognized, corporations and advocacy groups promote them for marketing or to raise awareness of certain issues. For example, on National avocado day, July 31, Chipotle ran a special deal where all members could get a free side or topping of guacamole. Usually, Chipotle has a $2.65-$3.00 upcharge for guacamole, so this marketing strategy drew many people in on that specific day. According to Chipotle.com, in recent years, this day has had increased sales of nearly 60%.
Another popular day to look forward to is National Donut Day, which was established in 1938 by the Salvation Army in Chicago to honor those who served donuts to soldiers who fought on the front lines of World War I. This is the first Friday in June and has a different meaning today as many people take it as an opportunity to indulge in one of their favorite treats. Places like Dunkin, Krispy Kreme, and Duck Donuts offer free donut giveaways or discounts on this day.
Many companies around the country take part in these special days and often advertise their one-day only deals on TV or social media. Follow your favorite brands to learn more about special days that they celebrate and the extra perks that you can get.
