What Holiday Would You Invent?

A few months ago, my friend Kate was going through a difficult time. Then, he called his sister…

In their phone call, Kate and her sister Laura came up with the perfect solution: a new holiday called Trouble Day.

Every February 1, the sisters decided, “you can reflect and complain about all the problems in your life.” Christmas food? “An assortment of junk food.” Doesn’t it sound cathartic to set aside any silver linings for some good old-fashioned complaining? I would love to sit in a small group in someone’s living room with piles of sour candy, chips, and chocolate. Maybe someone is designated to take notes and all the problems are ceremonially burned at the end of the night.

Thinking about the sisters’ new vacation got me thinking about what others we could add to the rotation.

Seinfeld introduced Festivus (which has a similar “expressing of grievances”), the OC popularized Chrismukkah, the Christmas-Hanukkah combo, and Galentine’s Day came straight from Parks and Rec.

The winter months are full of holidays, so I’ll be putting mine up on the second Wednesday in May. It’s called Day Without Plans. There are no food traditions or travel expectations; the day is completely open. The only rule is that you cannot make advance plans. Maybe it’s sunny and hot, so you end up walking; Maybe you’ve had a tough few weeks at work and nothing sounds better than a great cup of tea and the chance to finally start a book that’s been sitting on your nightstand. You could spend the day preparing an elaborate meal and inviting friends over for dinner, or cleaning out your closet while listening to your favorite high school songs. It’s the tone of a vacation; do exactly Whatever you want.

What else is missing from the calendar? Maybe Honorary Aunt’s Day. Maybe some kind of festival for the first ripe peach of the season. We could start Double Header Day, where you watch two similar movies in a row. Or a spring flower walk, during which you and a friend walk around the neighborhood and smell all the flowers you pass?

Do you already celebrate an invented holiday? If you could create one, what would it be?

PS 9 reader comments on rituals and last year’s Galentine’s Day.

(Photo by Celia Catalino/Stocksy.)