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Every day is a holiday: Explaining all the quirky celebrations

Celebrations are no longer confined to traditional holidays. It seems every day's become an event. Many of the thanks for that can go to Marlo Anderson, a North Dakota man who has turned the love for celebrations into a business.

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Celebrations are no longer confined to traditional holidays. It seems every day's become an event.

Whether it's National Pizza Day, Coffee Day or Lost Sock Memorial Day, there's always a reason to celebrate or cause to observe. Some "national" days show appreciation or raise awareness. Others, like "Sneak Some Zuchini On Your Neighbor's Porch Day" seem just plain silly.

Mother's Day also happens to be "Dance Like a Chicken Day."

Many of these holiday creations come by way of Marlo Anderson, who started pulling together quirky days onto the National Day Calendar website about four years ago.

"When you really think about it, all holidays are made up," Anderson said.

Anderson now makes his living looking for fun ways to celebrate each day.

The National Day Calendar staff only considers applications from companies or organizations, so no luck turning your birthday into a national day.

Last year, they received about 20,000 applications.

"It's actually a pretty big deal," Anderson says. "Of those 20,000 applications that we only honor 30 or 35."

It currently costs about $2,300 to get a new holiday added.

For planning purposes, the following days are coming up in May:

  • May 10: National Clean Up Your Room Day
  • May 13: National Apple Pie Day
  • May 14: Mother's Day
  • May 18: National No Dirty Dishes Day
  • May 23: National Lucky Penny Day
  • May 28: National Brisket Day, National Hamburger Day

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