Apparently, today is National Fried Chicken Day across the United States and if that sounds a little unbelievable to you then, well, it's time to suspend your disbelief because thanks to four people in North Dakota you can turn any day into a "national holiday" for any reason, to honor any thing. The Associated Press recently spoke to the surprising group of people responsible for the National Day Calendar — and I say "surprising" because the National Day Calendar is apparently an offshoot of a VHS-digitizing company called Zoovio. The 52-year-old co-owner of Zoovio, Marlo Anderson, and his committee of four members (also from Zoovio) charge people between $1,500 and $4,000 to create national holidays for anything they want to commemorate, ranging from fictional characters to comfort foods to articles of clothing.
Of course, these national holidays aren't considered to be among the federal holidays Congress observes like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's Day; in fact, they're not even on the level of other non-federally recognized holidays like Mother's Day or American Heart Month, which are widely recognized, advertised, and acknowledged despite their lack of government backing. But if you've been wondering exactly who decides that things like National Pizza Party Day exist... well, it might be these folks.
Now, this doesn't mean that just anything can be approved as a national holiday. According to one of the committee members, the holiday for which you apply needs to have "broad appeal" in order to gain approval... which I guess means that I probably can't make my birthday "National Mehak is Amazing Day" or my high school graduation date "National I'm Never-Coming-Back-To-This-Place-Ever-Again" day. Ah well; you win some, you lose some.
That being said, though, what holidays do actually exist according to the National Day Calendar? Here are five of the strangest unofficial national holidays that people actually paid to create.
1. National Swap Ideas Day: September 10
Don't want to do anything productive with your brain for 364 days, but have a wild brainstorming rally for one day only? Then you're in luck! September 10th is National Swap Ideas Day, the perfect time to share the idea with your roommate's boyfriend that it's a great time to move out.
2. National Name Your Car Day: October 2
Harry the Honda! Kelly the Kia! Henry Ford the Ford! Tammy the Toyota! Bernie the Buick! The possibilities are endless!
3. National Repeat Day: June 3
This this could could get get annoying annoying real real fast fast.
4. National Neither Snow Nor Rain Day: September 7
So, sun, then?
5. National Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk Day: February 11
Especially if you're lactose intolerant. Get that pesky dairy outta here!
Images: Joe Lanman/Flickr; Giphy (5)
