I’m not sure how to feel about the hundreds of “national days” we have every year. 

I’m all for tradition and honoring those people and ideals that we love. Mother’s Day? Count me in. Independence Day? You bet. Christmas Day? I’m outside your door singing my heart out.

But National Frog Jumping Day? National Buttermilk Biscuit Day? National Unicorn Day? It seems like there is a national day for just about everything. I’m not sure we need all that busyness, especially when the results of these “days” pop up in our social media feeds year after year after year. Yes, I know you love your sons (March 4), and your daughters (Sept. 25), and your pets (April 11). It sounds like I’m complaining. 

Life used to be calendar simple. All of the days you needed to know could easily be committed to memory. I guess it’s a good thing we now have online memory aids because I certainly wouldn’t want to miss National Margarita Day (Feb. 22), National Pool Opening Day (April 29), and National Hammock Day (July 22). 

I can totally skip National Bikini Day (July 5) and National Coconut Day (June 26). 

Currently, there is no National Play Hooky Day or Skip Work Day (sorry). There is however, a National Blame Someone Else Day, which is the first Friday the 13th of the year. This year, that’s in June. 

I wondered how in recent years all of these “days” came to be, so I did some sleuthing. The answer is Marlo Anderson and the National Day Calendar. I’ve got to hand it to Mr. Anderson, he really found a niche. He started with National Popcorn Day on Jan. 19, 2013, and the concept exploded from there. 

If you find yourself bored on one of these chilly winter days, the company is worth Googling. But the National Day Calendar is not the first to create unique, sometimes remarkable national days; their stories of origin can be pretty fascinating.

National Doughnut Day, for example, is the first Friday of June every year and was founded by The Salvation Army of Chicago in 1938 as a fundraiser to help those in need during The Great Depression. Not to be outdone, the National Day Calendar claimed Nov. 5 as National Donut Day.  

Arbor Day (April 25) was first proposed in 1872 by Nebraska newspaper editor, J. Sterling Morton, and by 1920, most states and territories were recognizing it. Now, in addition to Arbor Day, we have National Love a Tree Day (May 16) but even the National Day Calendar people don’t know its origins, although they do provide a nice article about it. 

One thing I do know, one can’t have too many donuts or too many trees. Just my opinion, of course.

Is there a topic that appeals to you that you wish to have nationally recognized? For instance National Support Local Journalism Day? Fear not, the National Day Calendar folks have a process for that on their website too.

Now excuse me while I make my way down the grocery aisle in anticipation of National Oreo Day (March 6). 

Laura Schulteis-Jungbluth, of Verona, is an educator, librarian and guest columnist. She may be reached at WriteLSJ@gmail.com.