World Friendship Day, also known as International Day of Friendship, is observed annually on July 30th. On this day, appreciate your friends by sending cards and gifts, chatting over the phone, or going to your favorite hangout with friends.
Why Celebrate Friendship Day?
Friendships take numerous forms; you begin building them as children, and their significance changes throughout your lifetimes. You explored the world, exchanged experiences, and planned your future with your childhood friends and classmates. Although your paths eventually diverge and new people find a place in your social lives, you need to remember those who were with you from the beginning.
The world is expanding, and cultures are changing. Friendship allows you to grow and widen your horizons. The world eventually shrinks, and you get more connected through friendships. You broaden our worldview with each new friend. Their experiences add new meaning to your lives.
Friendship creates a better society of people who are there for each other by amassing connections of companionship and establishing strong ties of trust. When you fail or go through hard times, your friends are your support system. They encourage you when you need support and cheer you on to achieve your dreams.
Friends have demonstrated that they are always there for you after a challenging year. Use Friendship Day 2022 to celebrate the friendships you have in your life, or use it to reconnect with old friends and reignite that tie.
The History of World Friendship Day
In 1919, Hallmark established National Friendship Day. It was supposed to be a day when people would send each other cards to commemorate their friendship. (1) But, by 1940, the demand had stopped in the US and eventually faded altogether since people dismissed the day because they saw it as a money-making affair. (2)
However, several Asian countries adopted the concept and continued to have a day to celebrate friendships and share gifts. On July 30th, 1958, the World Friendship Crusade, an international civic organization that promotes a culture of peace through friendship, proposed the inaugural World Friendship Day. (3)
Then, in 1998, Winnie the Pooh was named the world’s Ambassador of Friendship by the United Nations. (2) Several years later, in April 2011, the United Nations General Assembly recognized July 30th as the International Day of Friendship, although some countries commemorate the day on the first Sunday of August. (3)
The official declaration encourages people to “observe this day in an acceptable manner, in line with their local, national, and regional communities’ culture and other appropriate conditions or customs, including raising public awareness.”(2). While this may appear to be excessive red tape and bureaucracy for something as broad as International Friendship Day, it is truly something to be proud of.
Because of the diversity of civilizations around the world, no one will commemorate this day in the same way, which is a beautiful phenomenon. Friendship has an international strength that stretches out to all countries and cultures worldwide.
Social media has contributed to the increased popularity of friendship day celebrations, just as other national day celebrations that seek to bring a sense of togetherness.
How to Celebrate World Friendship Day
There is no right or wrong way to celebrate your friends. All friendships, whether long-lasting or new, are different. You can celebrate each friendship whatever you want and choose to commemorate the memories you share in different ways.
Plan a trip
Traveling to your favorite destination with friends is a great way to mark Friendship Day. Decide with your friends the destinations that are meaningful to you both. It could be where you first met or a place you’ve always wanted to visit.
Have dinner with your pals
Everyone cannot manage to book a vacation in the middle of the year. So don’t be upset if your friends cannot join you on the trip. Close friends understand each other and plan for another time. If you both have busy schedules and cannot meet, you can plan to meet over lunch or dinner at your favorite restaurant. You can also cook your favorite recipes at home. Here are a few ideas that you can consider:
Call your friends
A simple phone call to check in could turn into an hour-long talk about life, the world, and everything in between. This is a terrific opportunity for long-lost pals to reconnect, reminiscence the good memories, and unload all the secrets that don’t make it onto social media. It’s always a terrific method for friends who keep in touch to find out what the other had for lunch and go over the weekend plans.
Teach your kids about friendship
It also good to teach children about friendship early on. Teachers can talk to their students about the importance of friendship and give them an essay writing contest to write about their best friends and what friendship means to them. They can create art, poems, and essays to share with their buddies.
Make new friends
Accept an invitation to socialize with new people. Don’t wait for your gym buddy to invite you for coffee, make that chance and you never know. You might form lifelong friendships you had no idea existed.
Send cards to your friends
Send a card to your friends. (This was the day’s intended goal.) Celebrate your existing friends as well as those you have just meet. Express your gratitude to your pals for their contribution to your life.
Share memories online
Share funny memories on social media with your friends. Ask your group of friends to share an experience that none of your other friends have had. You’ll discover new things about your buddies and realize how special they are. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #FriendshipDay or #InternationalFriendshipDay to urge others to connect.
Friendship Day, more than ever, is the perfect time to show love and appreciation to your buddies and let them know how much you love and cherish them. It’s also a chance to reach out to friends you’ve lost touch with. Don’t let the day pass before commemorating the great friendship that you have in your life,
Happy Friendship Day from Mother Earth Products.
References
- https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/friendship-day/
- https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-friendship-day-first-sunday-in-august/
- https://www.awarenessdays.com/awareness-days-calendar/world-friendship-day-international-day-of-friendship-2022/
