In 2019, The Atlantic asked a very important question: Why [are] millions of people … extremely eager to celebrate fake holidays sponsored by corporations? They were exploring the National Day, Week, or Month designations we have all heard about, such as: National Apple Month, National Fig Week, or National Sundae Day.
As you are aware, these special days are held throughout the year and often dedicated to specific foods. For instance today, the day I am actually writing the first draft of this post, is October 4th, or National Taco day. I became curious as to why, and asked my spouse the typical who, what, why, and how these National Food Days came about. The response I received was cynical: it is nothing more than a marketing tool to sell more products to us consumers. But as I researched more, I was wrong to label that guess as “cynical”, as it turned out more right than I realized.
—**—
Food Proclamations
Formal Governmental Proclamations
BonAppetit writes that while the President can issue a Presidential Proclamation (aka executive order) and thus “create” a national day celebrating whatever, a more “official” national proclamation is one where someone in government has issued a proclamation or passed a law designating a particular National Food Day. The most prized are created through a joint House and Senate resolution and then signed into law by the President of the United States. These are thought of as true National day proclamations. But “someone in government” can be state and municipal legislators, governors, and mayors (or city councilors). These are considered also “real” but not as official as those with Federal approval.
Businesses, Associations, and People Proclamations
But also, constituents, trade associations, or large corporations, may be behind the push for special named days (1). The reason why these special food-related days are generally made for reasons my spouse stated, to support marketing of the named item. Behind the push is also money, and potentially a lot of money. Sometimes funding is given by state or federal Ag programs, large food companies, and occasionally through initiatives of co-op businesses trying to improve sales.
Now however, given the flattening of news via the internet, almost anyone can push a “national food” day without going through traditional governmental methods. The key these days is marketing the idea across all social media venues enough, so that it becomes accepted.
Examples of these various ways of creating a Food Day (2):
- National Pie Day was created in 1986 by the American Pie Council (3).
- On July 9, 1984, President Reagan signed a Proclamation declaring National Ice Cream Day.
- The National Peanut Butter Board started Peanut Butter Day.
- A food writer and social media person established Tater Tot Day.
- Then a random person made up National Grilled Cheese Day.
- Restaurants made up the Taco Tuesdays concept.
National Food Days Registrations
In fact, there is no official registry of these National Food Days, which is in part why some of the National Days overlap dates.
But I found one newspaper article that listed several on-line sources folks reference as registries of some sort.
- National Day Calendar (the one most referenced)
- Days of the Year
- Foodimentary
The National Day Calendar is used as the source for these National Food Day lists in many other blogs and web articles. However, this site appears to me to be a person (now business) who may have just done it first. Now you can fill a form, pay a fee, and may get your suggestion on the list. But I have found other sites that list days that do not appear on this list, so am unclear if there is one formal non-business registration.
The, what I call the Wild West Web, also has other sites that also offer registration into their National Day list. Here is a list of miscellaneous other blogs or web sites I have used for my list:
Sample of Two Months
To give an example of a list of National Food Days, lets look at the two upcoming months. This list is a compilation pulled from all the sites referenced in this post; and I have tried to add any international ones that I found.
November
This month starts off the winter holidays, but just look at all the other named days for this month. I have noted some state and international ones, but most of these are from and for the USA. Additionally, I have added a few items that are food-related, although not specifically food themselves. Finally, I tried to add notations on when the National Day was created and by whom, but this would be a very large research project I am not sure I want to take on. So I listed information from other sites if I could find any.
Month
November is National Good Nutrition Month and National Sweet Potato Awareness Month (4).
- National Pepper Month
- National Georgia State Pecan Month
- National Raisin Bread Month
- National Pomegranate Month
- National Fun with Fondue Month
- National Peanut Butter Lovers’ Month
- National Apple Month
- National Diabetes Month: Created by National Diabetes Association
- National Roasting Month
- Banana Pudding Lovers Month
- Gluten-Free Diet Awareness Month: Created by National Foundation for Celiac Awareness
- Spinach + Squash Month
Week
- 1st week of November — National Fig Week
- 1st week of November – United Kingdom’s National Sausage Week
- 2nd week of November – National Split Pea Soup Week
- First Thursday in November – Canadian National Men Make Dinner Day: 2001 by Canadian Broadcaster
Day
- November 1 – International World Vegan Day: Made 1999 by the Vegan Society
- November 1 – National Vinegar Day
- November 1 – National Cook For Your Pets Day
- November 1 – National French Fried Clam Day
- November 1 – National Calzone Day: Minsky’s Pizza founded his day in 2016.
- November 2 – National Deviled Egg Day
- November 3 – National Sandwich Day
- November 4 – National Candy Day
- November 4 – National Chicken Lady: 2001 to honor Dr. Marthenia “Tina” Dupree.
- November 5 – National Doughnut Day
- November 6 – National Nachos Day
- November 7 – Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day: Sponsored by the National Confectioners Association.
- November 7 – Sweden’s National Mud Cake Day
- November 8 – National Harvey Wallbanger Day
- November 8 – Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day
- November 8 – International Stout Day
- November 9 – National Scrapple Day
- November 10 – National Vanilla Cupcake Day
- November 11 – National Sundae Day
- November 11 – Japanese Pocky & Pretz Day: Created 1999.
- November 11 – Korean Pepero Day: Created 1994.
- November 12 – National Pizza with the Works (except Anchovies) Day
- November 12 — National French Dip Day: Cole’s French Dip, founded this in 2018 in honor of the 110th anniversary of their opening on November 12, 1908, in historic downtown LA, California.
- November 13 – National Indian Pudding Day
- November 14 — National Pickle Day: Sponsored by Pickle Packers Association in 1949.
- November 14 – National Guacamole Day
- November 14 — World Diabetes Day: International Diabetes Federation + WHO created this in 1991.
- November 15 – Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day: Whirlpool Home Appliances created this day in 1999.
- November 15 – UK’s International Cheese and Bread Day
- November 15 — National Bundt Pan Day: Nordic Ware designated this Day.
- November 15 — National Raison Bran Cereal Day:
- November 16 – National Fast Food Day
- November 17 – National Baklava Day
- November 17 – National Homemade Bread Day
- November 18 – National Vichyssoise Day
- November 19 – Carbonated Beverage with Caffeine Day
- November 19 – German National Soup Day
- November 20 – National Peanut Butter Fudge Day
- November 21 – National Stuffing Day
- November 22 – National Cranberry Relish Day
- November 23 – National Cashew Day
- November 23 — National Espresso Day
- November 22 – National Eat A Cranberry Day
- November 25 – National Parfait Day
- November 26 – National Cake Day
- November 26 – Indian National Milk Day
- November 27 – National Bavarian Cream Pie Day
- November 28 – National French Toast Day
- November 29 – National Chocolates Day
- November 29 – Throw Out Your Leftovers Day
- November 30 – National Mousse Day
December
Month
- National Fruit Cake Month
- National Egg Nog Month
- National Pear Month
- Root Vegetables and Exotic Fruits Month
- Worldwide Food Service Safety Month: 1994
Week
- 1st week of December – Cookie Cutter Week
- 2nd week of December – Lager Beer Week
- 3rd week of December — Gluten-free Baking Week
- 4th week of December – National Egg Nog Week
Day
- December 1 – National Pie Day
- December 1 – National Eat a Red Apple Day
- December 2 – National Fritters Day
- December 3 – National Ice Cream Box Day
- December 4 – National Cookie Day
- December 5 – National Sacher Torte Day
- December 5 – Repeal (of Prohibition) Day
- December 5 — World Soil Day: FAO Conference approved this in 2013
- December 6 – National Gazpacho Day
- December 6 – Microwave Oven Day
- December 7 – Cotton Candy Day
- December 8 – Brownie Day
- December 9 – National Pastry Day
- December 9 — Apple Pie Day
- December 10 – National Lager Day
- December 11 – National Noodle-Ring Day
- December 12 – National Ambrosia Day
- December 12 – Gingerbread House Day
- December 13 – National Cocoa Day
- December 14 – National Bouillabaisse Day
- December 15 – National Lemon Cupcake Day
- December 15 – International Tea Day: This day created at World Social Forum in 2004. In 2005, the first International Tea Day was celebrated in New Delhi, India.
- December 16 – Chocolate Covered Anything Day
- December 16 – National Green Chili Day
- December 17 – National Maple Syrup Day
- December 18 – National Roast Suckling Pig Day
- December 19 – Oatmeal Muffin Day
- December 20 – National Fried Shrimp Day
- December 20 — National Sangria Day
- December 21 – National Hamburger Day
- December 21 — Kiwi Fruit Day
- December 22 – National Date Nut Bread Day
- December 23 – German National Pfeffernusse Day
- December 24 – National Egg Nog Day
- December 25 – Pumpkin Pie Day
- December 26 – National Candy Cane Day
- December 26 — National Coffee Percolator Day
- December 27 – National Fruit Cake Day
- December 28 – National Chocolate Candy Day
- December 29 – Pepper Pot Day
- December 30 – Bacon Day
- December 30 – National Bicarbonate Of Soda Day
- December 31 – National Champagne Day
Wrap Up
Weird Days
First, let me comment on a few weird things I found about these types of National Days – Week – Month lists.
- Interesting fact, one national food day is celebrated on February 29th, so every four years, is the “14 layer raspberry white chocolate cake” day.
- July 31st is USA’s National Avocado Day despite most all avocados are grown in Mexico.
- There is a National “Sneak Some Zucchini Into Your Neighbor’s Porch” Day (!).
Political Days
Second, I want to note the clear tie-in with government which makes these days very political. Referencing The Atlantic again, President Ronald Reagan declared ice cream a “nutritious and wholesome food” that ended with a National Ice Cream Day. But they note that this was really a way to help the dairy industry, which had an over abundance of product that needed to be sold.
Market to Consumers
Third, these lists are used to provide the best marketing that money cannot buy, so that consumers are jacked up to buy these products. As an example, The Atlantic article implies that when card sales dip, Hallmark and Flower businesses create non-governmental approved days, such as the National Friendship Day or National Sister Day. This gets talked up and next thing you know, card and flower sales improve.
But there is also a psychological effect as well. If I were to go up to a group of friends and say it is National Coffee Bar day, so lets’s go to one. More often than not, we would all go and spend the money at a coffee bar.
The Broader List
Fourth, USA’s National Days include some really strange proclamations for all sorts of items and actions. Here are some for November and December only.
- National Personal Space Day
- Color the World Orange Day
- National Cash Back Day
- National Family PJ Day
- National Absurdity Day
- Tie One On Day
- Bathtub Party Day
- Pretend to be a Time Traveler Day
My Take
A broader list of all such days was shared with a friend, she said this list is partially ridiculous, but does give us all a reason to celebrate each day, each week, and each month of the year.
My take has several points.
- I would prefer the review and naming of any National Month – Week – Day List be organized and managed by a formal non-profit organization under some governmental office since it is labeled a “national” day.
- I would prefer the naming of food month, weeks, days were not so focused on capitalistic consumerism like the main NationalDayCalendar posts and boasts all over its site.
- Corporations and for-profit organizations should not be able to name a National Day as they profit from the free advertisement.
- Non-profit organizations and individuals should submit suggestions.
- That National Days should be used to commemorate positive values.
- A National Cookware Day rather than a specific brand (National Bundt (pan) Day).
- National Days should be used to support public health (National Blood Donor Month), individual health (Joint Replacement Awareness Day, or education (National Dictionary Day).
- Or to directly support values: Thanksgiving, family, equality, forgiveness, etc.
—Patty
—**—
