Did you know that yesterday was National Oregon Day? (Whether you care or not is beside the point!) I only learned this arcane tidbit when I opened my Safeway email.
My son has changed my view generally of profit-motivated enterprises linking themselves to good causes, no matter how well-intentioned they might appear on the surface. His view is that linking consumer good purchases to our philanthropic inclinations is missing the point. Better to donate directly to those causes we feel are worthy rather than to buy more stuff we do not need.
Initially the bold Safeway announcement coupling celebrating Oregon with groceries triggers a visceral aversion, but we do need food, and they are not purporting to donate to fill-in-the-blank awareness. Instead it sends me down the rabbit hole of national-day-creation. To begin, there is no comparison between March 8th honoring International Women’s Day and the frivolous designation of National Oregon Day. While IWD may have become an opportunity for entrepreneurs to sell shirts and mugs, it began over a century ago with a labor movement and is officially recognized worldwide.
That lighthearted curiosity, however, leads me to discover two websites that feature “National Days,” with calendars one can purchase. News outlets have written about the process of selecting these national days which have absolutely no official standing whatsoever.
The National Day Calendar website offers an entertaining origin story featuring its founder Marlo Anderson who unabashedly declares that this, “is the original and authoritative source for fun, unusual, and unique National Days,” ever since 2013 when National Popcorn Day was born. Be aware, Marlo and his crew: Alice Anderson; Average Amy Monette; Beau Hastings; Snoop Doug Phlip; and Chris VandeVenter have some competition.
There’s a new kid in town, DOTY, boasting the same commitment to fun and daily celebration. If you investigate the “About Us” there, you’ll find the same spirit—yes, entrepreneurial—and an opportunity to purchase a 2024 calendar. It’s no surprise that both sites offer that!
Despite my specious regard for commercialism that disguises itself as philanthropy, I’m a believer in fun, and that’s what’s going on here. So today, celebrate whatever you choose. You’ve got lots of options: Meatballs, Moving On, Barbie. As for me, I’m planning on Crabmeat!
Jump off; Find Wings 
I love this! How fun! I am loving reading your posts every day!
These are fun days. Since we are most likely going to an Italian restaurant after church this afternoon, I think I might just celebrate national meatball day. I agree that it is better to give directly to the cause you are supporting rather than going through a middleman, Although I have done both.
So glad I gave you a lunch suggestion!
Who doesn’t love a reason to celebrate? Interesting to think about how our children influence our thinking over time. There’s so much to learn. I wonder when national learning day might be.
I was just discussing this with my husband. He thinks I sometimes let my son’s opinions hold too much sway, but in this case, I absolutely agree. We buy too much stuff!
As a preschool teacher, I loved these holiday lists – I could fill our weekly calendars with happy celebrations every day of the year. For our youngest learners, celebrating never gets old. There are so many fun themes! Wonderful post, Trish.
Yup! One of the sites even features education ideas! I needed something fun today!
Trish, this is so fun! We can celebrate every day in more ways than one–that’s for sure. I have used the special days calendar to get poetry ideas for that day. I just clicked and saw some of the other options for today. Nat. Get Over it Day, Panic Day, False Teeth Day. We could celebrate for a whole year just on March 9th! Haha!
Some days we have to go with frivolous. That was yesterday for me, March 9th!