You know the feeling: You’re scrolling through social media and start seeing loving tributes attached to a stream of seemingly endless photos of a family member and think, perhaps with some guilt, that you too should jump on the bandwagon in paying homage to your loved one.
While they may not be “Hallmark Holidays,” National Daughters Day (Sept. 25) and National Sons Day (Sept. 28 and March 4) are a thing. And they’ve become that much more of a thing since their proliferation on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and more.
But why just one day for daughters and two days for sons? Read on to find out.
When and why was National Daughters Day started?
National Daughters Day originated in India in 2007 by Archies LTD, an India-based greeting card company, to celebrate the power and achievements of women and girls in a culture and society that usually values sons over daughters, according to Twinkl.com, an educational resource website.
“Since 2007, National Daughters Day has spread across the world and is now celebrated by numerous nations, cultures and ethnicities,” Twinkl.com notes.
When and why was National Sons Day started?
According to NationalCalendarDay.com, in 2018, a woman named Jill Nico founded National Sons Day to honor sons and the efforts of those who raise them. In a Facebook video, Nico explains that with no daughters to celebrate on National Daughters Day, she wanted to shine a spotlight on her boys and chose the date of March 4 since it coincides with the spring season when many boys play or watch sports.
However, National Sons Day is also celebrated on Sept. 28, with “some sources suggest(ing) the choice of the September date may be due to its proximity to National Daughters Day on September 25,” according to Calendarr.com.
Adding to the confusion, Aug. 11 is National Sons and Daughters day, so sons actually get three days, and daughters two.
Who determines some of these random national holidays?
While some are officially recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau, others are recognized by the masses in other ways. There are more than 1,500 national “holidays,” according to Marlo Anderson, founder of the National Day Calendar.
What are some other family member celebration days?
Mother’s Day, Grandparents Day, sure. National Father-in-Law Day? Oh, it’s on the list, too. While some days heralding family members are engrained in pop culture, there are others that may be not as familiar, according to NationalToday.com. Also note: Some of these holidays are labeled “national” while others are not; it’s not clear why.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: What’s the story behind National Daughters Day, and why do sons get 2 days?
Reporting by Colleen Michele Jones, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
