National Friendship Day=8/2
by Cindi Sutter, Founder & Editor Spirited Table®
NATIONAL FRIENDSHIP DAY
On the first Sunday in August, National Friendship Day encourages people across the country and world to connect with friends. Make a new friend or reconnect with an old one.
Friendships come in many forms, and we begin developing them when we’re very young. Throughout our lives, friendships and their meanings evolve. Our classmates and neighborhood pals explored the world with us. Together we shared experiences and made plans for the future. Eventually, paths diverge and new friends find a place in our social experience. Our world expands and our culture changes.
With each new friend, we expand our view of the world. Their experiences contribute to new meaning in our lives. Through friendships, we grow and broaden our horizons. Eventually, the world becomes smaller and more connected.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalFriendshipDay
Celebrate the friends you have and the new ones you have yet to meet!
Get in contact with your friends for a chat or visit.
Accept an invitation to meet new people. You might make life long friendships you didn’t know could exist.
Share a memory with old friends to spark a fun conversation.
Tell your friends how much you appreciate them.
Challenge your circle of friends to share an experience they think none of your other friends have had. You’ll discover new things about your friends and find out just how unique each of them is.
Mail a card to your friend. (It was the original goal of the day.)
Post on social media using #NationalFriendshipDay to encourage others to connect with each other.
NATIONAL FRIENDSHIP DAY HISTORY
National Friendship Day was originally founded by Hallmark in 1919. It was intended to be a day for people to celebrate their friendship by sending each other cards. However, by 1940 the market had dried up, and eventually, it died out completely. Then, in 1998 Winnie the Pooh was named the world’s Ambassador of Friendship at the United Nations. In April 2011, the United Nations officially recognized 30th July as International Friendship Day; although most countries celebrate on the first Sunday of August!
The official declaration invites us to “observe this day in an appropriate manner, in accordance with the culture and other appropriate circumstances or customs of their local, national and regional communities, including through education and public awareness-raising activities.”