20 Weird Holidays That Actually Exist

You know about the big holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving, but did you know there are hundreds of lesser-known holidays that are much more bizarre? Here's a list of some weird holidays on the calendar!

Polar Bear Plunge Day

Polar Bear Plunge Day
© bigstockphoto.com / Zigi

Polar Bear Plunge Day is on January 1st, to start the year off with a splash. To celebrate this weird holiday, participants bravely "plunge" themselves into a cold body of water. Some do this just for fun, and others gather sponsors to raise money for charity!

Work Naked Day

Work Naked Day
© bigstockphoto.com / Elkov

Work Naked Day is celebrated on the first Friday in February and is fairly self-explanatory - to take part, you must do your work in the nude! Probably not a great if your job requires you to go to an office or be in public, but those with the luxury of working from home can easily celebrate in their birthday suit. This holiday was created by someone who left a corporate office job to work from home. It celebrates the flexibility and freedom that comes with working at home.

Laugh and Get Rich Day

Laugh and Get Rich Day
© bigstockphoto.com / dolgachov

February 8. This day adds a little extra joy and cheer to your life. It encourages everyone to laugh and spread the positive effects that laughter brings to every aspect of our lives. Laughter leads to endorphin production, which leads to an elevated mood and a decrease in pain. What's not to love about this joyous day?

International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day

International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day
© bigstockphoto.com / 1STunningArt

February 23. This one is what it sounds like - a day for dog biscuit appreciation! To celebrate, you can make homemade dog biscuits for your canine pal or buy some of their favorites for an extra tail wag. This will definitely be your dog's favorite holiday of the year!

Smoke and Mirrors Day

Smoke and Mirrors Day
© bigstockphoto.com / MiaStendal

March 29. Trickery, deceit, magic, deception, illusion - all things celebrated on Smoke and Mirrors Day. It is the day to finally learn a magic trick to wow all of your friends and family with! If you don't feel like learning a trick but still want to celebrate, make some pizza disappear while watching something magic-themed.

Reach as High as You Can Day

reach as high as you can
© bigstockphoto.com / Vixit

This day encourages people to expand their horizons and reach for goals that seem unattainable. Have a major project you've meant to start, but keep putting off because it seems too difficult? Always wanted to try something but too afraid you'll fail? This is the day to put all that aside and go for it!

Zipper Day

Zipper Day
© bigstockphoto.com / Le Quang Nhut

This day celebrates zippers in all their glory. We take them for granted almost every day of our lives, but where would we be without them? Take a moment to appreciate zippers and make sure you're wearing one on April 29th!

Lost Sock Memorial Day

Lost Sock Memorial Day
© bigstockphoto.com / pfv

May 9. We all know how it goes - 5 pairs of socks go into the dryer, but by the time you organize your clean clothes, half of them have gone missing. This is a day to commemorate the socks that have disappeared, theorize about where they may have ended up, and work out ways to prevent further sock losses.

Dance Like A Chicken Day

Dance Like A Chicken Day
© bigstockphoto.com / Roberto Galan

You already know what the chicken dance is, but when's the last time you did it? Let loose and shake a tail feather this May 14th - it's sure to brighten everyone's mood and get people giggling. You never know, they might even join in!

Put a Pillow on Your Fridge Day

Put a Pillow on Your Fridge Day
© bigstockphoto.com / diego cervo

May 29. Before fridges came into existence, people used to put some cloth in their larder once per year to bring good luck. Now that refrigerators are commonplace, the tradition has morphed into people placing a pillow on their fridge for a day for the same reason!

Sewing Machine Day

Sewing Machine Day
© bigstockphoto.com / BlackSnake

June 13. This day is to celebrate the invention of the sewing machine, which made creating clothing and many other items made of fabric much easier and more efficient. Celebrate by using one for the first time, or practicing with the old needle and thread method to help you appreciate how easy we have it now!

Sidewalk Egg Frying Day

Sidewalk Egg Frying Day
© bigstockphoto.com / mikeledray

July 4. We've all heard the saying, "It's so hot I could fry an egg on the sidewalk." Well, this holiday is a call to action. Give it a go yourself and see how well it works! Breakfast is a dish best served...with a side of gravel?

Yellow Pig Day

Yellow Pig Day
© bigstockphoto.com / Bedo

July 17. This holiday doesn't have much to do with the color yellow or pigs despite its name. It originally came from two students obsessing over the number 17 (hence the day it's celebrated) to the point where they came to the idea of a yellow pig with 17 toes, teeth, etc. People celebrate this holiday in many ways, most popularly with cake and parades!

Middle Child Day

Middle Child Day
© bigstockphoto.com / SomeMeans

August 12. Being the middle child sucks because you're not the firstborn or the baby, so you end up getting less attention due to your role in the family. This holiday fights back against all that and celebrates middle kids just for existing. It takes the shine off the other siblings for a day.

Eat an Extra Dessert Day

Eat an Extra Dessert Day
© bigstockphoto.com / Alex Garashenko

September 4. This is another weird holiday that is exactly what it sounds like - no hidden meaning; you just get to indulge! Use this day to have some of your favorite sweet treats, guilt-free!

International Talk Like a Pirate Day

International Talk Like a Pirate Day
© bigstockphoto.com / gors4730

September 19. This may be one of the silliest holidays on the list! All you have to do to celebrate is swap out some of your usual vernacular for pirate-themed slang. Phrases like "Arrrrrrrr" and "Ahoy Matey!" are perfect for this holiday.

Howl at the Moon Day (and night)

Howl at the Moon Day (and night)
© bigstockphoto.com / photomafia

October 26. Next on the list of weird holidays is Howl at the Mood Day and Night. This holiday raises awareness and understanding about wolves, a beautiful species that fall victim to hunting around the world. Celebrations range from actually howling at the moon to raising funds for wolf-related charities.

Pickle Day

Pickle Day
© bigstockphoto.com / nikolayUkraine

November 14. This is a day to celebrate pickles in all their delicious glory. To celebrate, pick up plenty of whichever of the many variations of pickles you prefer and get munching! Add them to your meals or just eat them alone as a snack - whatever floats your boat.

Pretend to be a Time Traveler Day

Pretend to be a Time Traveler Day
© bigstockphoto.com / marting

December 8th is a day to let your imagination run wild. As the title states - pretend to be a time traveler that has somehow ended up in today's world. It doesn't matter whether you pretend to be from the past or the future - as long as you're having fun!

A-phabet day/no L day

A-phabet day/no L day
© bigstockphoto.com / whitebarbie

Of all the wacky, fun holidays on this list, this may be the strangest of them all - and it's the same day as Christmas! On this day, you refrain from using the letter L as much as possible through speaking, writing, or otherwise. If you decide to celebrate this holiday, you can't tell your loved ones that you love them! "Merry Christmas" will have to suffice.

Which Will You Try?

Now that you've learned about 20 strange holidays, which will you be celebrating from now on? Want more? There are hundreds of bizarre holidays from around the world. For a complete list, check out this weird holidays compliation

Related Posts

calendars of the world
Date
March 5, 2024

calendars of the world

days of the week name origins
Date
March 1, 2024

days of the week name origins

10 ways to reach your goals
Productivity
March 5, 2024

10 ways to reach your goals