When Is National Hug Day 2017: Every year on January 21, there is a holiday called National Hug Day that encourages people to embrace each other. Hugging friends, relatives, and even strangers is encouraged on this holiday, but it’s important to remember to seek permission beforehand.
Hugging is a method to show someone you care, and it offers several health benefits for both the giver and the recipient. Participating in this event allows you to give hugs—a modest but significant gesture that expresses thanks and concern for loved ones—to people you know.
What is National Hugging Day?
National Hugging Day was established as a holiday in 1986 to encourage people to hug their friends and family in order to boost mental health.
According to a plethora of contemporary and historical studies, the National Hugging Day website emphasizes the benefits of touch, particularly hugging, on one’s physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
More recently, the emphasis has expanded to include hackathon fundraising, which culminates in a trophy for the “most huggable person.” Because the event has grown in popularity year after year, there have been discussions within the group of renaming it ‘International Hugging Day.’
Why Celebrate National Hug Day?
It is crucial to participate in National Hug Day celebrations for a number of reasons:
Hugging Offers Several Advantages:
Hugging has been demonstrated by science to provide a multitude of health benefits to humans. It can boost levels of the hormones oxytocin and serotonin, which improve mental health and self-worth. Hugging also reduces blood pressure, increases relaxation, and improves cardiovascular health.
To provide solace to others
On National Hug Day, we have the opportunity to offer comfort to anyone who is facing depression. During this Day, it is customary to give out free hugs to strangers in an attempt to encourage and comfort them. Participating in this celebration is a great way to make someone’s Day if you want to.
To promote peacemaking:
Another compelling reason to commemorate this Day is the opportunity to make apologies to persons with whom you may have argued or disagreed. Finally, it contributes to the healing of broken relationships by allowing for better understanding, apologies, and peacemaking.
National Hugging Day Activities
Accept a friend.
Hugs in abundance are generally common among your broad group of friends. Close your eyes and enjoy the comfortable warmth of a friend’s hug, allowing your emotions to emerge naturally. To achieve the perfect embrace, try different hugging styles with different friends and modify the pressure as needed. Hugging, like handshakes, is something everyone can do, but a true hug requires talent.
Accept a newcomer.
In this Day and age of social alienation, approaching strangers can be scary. Unexpectedly, strangers’ hugs are comforting and have incredible consequences. Instead of attempting a random embrace on public transportation, consider holding a “free hugs” sign to ensure that the stranger accepts your offer. This will make the interaction feel less awkward and more agreeable.
Accept who you are.
Even while hugs are comforting, there are times when no one is present to provide them. In times like this, give yourself a big hug and embrace yourself. Accepting who you are may appear abnormal, but there is a purpose behind it. Although friends are wonderful, you are the central figure in your own life. Give yourself plenty of love, and treat yourself like the rockstar you are. Make time for self-love and care, and make self-hugging a regular component of your wellness routine.
National Hugging Day Timeline
National Hugging Day was first celebrated in 1986.
Kevin Zaborney, a citizen of Michigan, USA, founded National Hugging Day in an effort to spread love and optimism to everyone on the earth through the act of hugging after noticing the post-holiday blues.
Launch of the Free Hugs Campaign in 2004.
Juan Mann (pseudonym), a Sydney, Australia resident, founded the ‘Free Hugs’ Campaign with the goal of improving people’s lives through increased human interactions. As time passed, other volunteers joined him in giving strangers hugs.
The Illustrated Guide to Free Hugs was released in 2007.
Juan Mann wrote the Illustrated Guide to Free Hugs with the purpose of encouraging more hugging. This funny book examines why humans embrace many types of hugs, embrace quotations, and more.
A 2014 study suggests that hugging has health benefits.
According to a study involving over 400 people, persons who hug and get emotional support are 30% less likely to contract various infectious diseases (such as the common cold) and recover from illnesses more quickly.
2017
Narendra Modi hugs Donald Trump.
In an unexpected move, India’s prime minister gave then-US President Donald Trump a bear hug instead of the infamously awkward handshake (followed by another awkward handshake).
Why We Love National Hugging Day
Hugging is vital for fostering open communication, trust, and a sense of safety. Hugging someone nurtures them and increases oxytocin levels, which aids in the resolution of emotions such as rage and loneliness. Hugging someone special may produce a tranquil period of contemplation and reestablish the close relationship that exists between people when dealing with conflict.
Hugs increase immunity, which has both physical and emotional benefits. When pressure is applied to the sternum, it stimulates the thymus gland to control the production of white blood cells, stimulating the solar plexus chakra. Hugs have a favorable effect on the neurological system, resulting in a better-balanced state after the hug. Hugs are a form of physical and emotional treatment that promotes overall health.
Furthermore, studies show that embracing reduces existential worries, even when the object being embraced is inanimate, such as a teddy bear. No matter where they are in the vast cosmos, the power of interpersonal touch—whether from a real person or a virtual one—reassures them of their love and connection and instills a sense of existential significance.
Is there a national hug day?
When is National Hug Day 2024? National Hug Day is celebrated annually on January 21st.
Every year on January 21, National Hugging Day is a fun way to recall the profoundly good effects that simple acts of affection can have on individuals and communities. This event encourages people to express their love and warmth through hugs, encouraging wellbeing and a sense of connection.
Hugging has psychological and emotional benefits in addition to physical ones. Hugging has been linked to a variety of positive mental health outcomes, including greater self-esteem and a reduction in sad and lonely emotions. In today’s fast-paced world, National Hugging Day provides a designated time to pause, connect, and enjoy genuine human connection.
Hugs have been found to have healing properties. Warm embraces and other forms of physical contact produce oxytocin, sometimes known as the “cuddle hormone” or “love hormone.” The hormone oxytocin is associated with feelings of trust, connection, and general well-being. On National Hugging Day, individuals are encouraged to take full advantage of this natural mood booster, which promotes emotional strength and a sense of camaraderie.
Is it hug day or Kiss Day?
On February 12, individuals express their affection for their loved ones by embracing them. Kiss Day is observed on February 13, one day before Valentine’s Day. The final day is Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day is generally recognized as a day to express love and affection to friends, family, and romantic partners. The tradition of celebrating love on February 14 has a long history and is often associated with St. Valentine’s Day, a Christian celebration. It has evolved into a secular holiday with no religious restrictions throughout time.
Valentine’s Week occurs the Week before Valentine’s Day. It comprises numerous themed days that focus on different aspects of relationships and love. The following outlines some of the days that are traditionally commemorated during Valentine’s Week:
Chocolate Day is February 9. It’s an opportunity to offer chocolates, which are regarded as romantic and delicious treats, to someone you care about. It adds a lovely touch to the celebration.
Teddy Bear Day, observed on February 10, is a day when people exchange charming and cuddly teddy bears as gifts, symbolizing warmth and affection in relationships.
On February 11, known as Promise Day, couples vow their undivided attention to one another, cementing their bond and connection. It’s a day to strengthen the bond between couples.
Hug Day is February 12. Hugs are a frequent technique to express affection and offer comfort to others. People give heartfelt embraces to their loved ones on this Day.
On Valentine’s Day, couples express their love by sharing gifts and cards and spending quality time together. Although the Day is typically associated with intense love, many individuals use it as an opportunity to express gratitude to friends and family.
Is January 21 National Hugging Day?
National Hug Day or National Hugging Day occurs on January 21st and is officially recognized by the United States Copyright Office, but is not a public holiday.
Despite the fact that January 21 is not a national holiday, the United States Copyright Office has formally recognized it as National Hug Day.
Today’s main purpose is to encourage public emotional expression. Giving unrestricted hugs to anyone you choose is the official way to commemorate National Hug Day. It is important to note that, despite their similarities, National Hug Day and the Free Hugs Campaign are not formally related.
The benefits to your physical and mental health are the same whether you hug a stranger or a member of your family. Hugs and other types of contact have been shown to improve our sleep since the moment we were born. Hugging, like snuggling, releases oxytocin. This hormone alone has significant health advantages, decreasing pain and increasing happy feelings. Hugging someone lowers blood pressure, lowers the risk of heart disease, calms anxiety, and relieves stress.
Is there a national give a Hug Day?
January 21 is National Hugging Day . This holiday has become popular in other countries where it is called Hugging Day or Hug Day. The idea of National Hugging Day belongs to Kevin Zaborney, who introduced this holiday on January 21, 1986 in Clio, Michigan, USA.
Kevin Zaborney founded National Hugging Day in 1986. January 21 was chosen as the date because of his involvement in the event industry, which arose from a friend who was the granddaughter of the founders of Chase’s Calendar of Events. Zaborney noticed that people were commonly melancholy between the winter holidays and their New Year’s birthdays. He noticed that public shows of affection were uncommon among Americans and believed that National Hugging Day might help to change that, although having no clue it would become so popular.
The word “hug” is supposed to have originated from the Old Norse word “hugga,” which means “to comfort,” and dates back around 450 years. Hugging, on the other hand, has a rather ambiguous history. What is clear is that only in the last 50 years has there been widespread acceptance of public hugging, distinguishing it from other forms of intimacy like kissing. Hugging’s rising popularity can be attributed to two main factors: loosening formality in clothing regulations and interpersonal etiquette, as well as the evolving behaviors of political officials seeking a more approachable and warm-hearted image in the eyes of the public.
Who invented Hug Day?
Kevin Zaborney
National Hugging Day celebrates hugging and showing love to our loved ones and it is celebrated every year on January 21. Kevin Zaborney invented the day in 1986. He did it as a means of spreading kindness and love. Hugging entails more than simply making eye contact.
National Hugging Day, observed on January 21, is a celebration of expressing love and affection via the act of hugging. Kevin Zaborney started the Day in 1986 with the goal of promoting kindness and love. Beyond basic eye contact, embracing is a profound gesture that offers both physical and mental benefits.
The act of embracing extends beyond words, providing warmth and connection. Physically, it has been linked to increased well-being. Hugs increase the release of oxytocin, a hormone that promotes bonding and stress alleviation. Hugging can lift spirits and promote feelings of warmth and security. Zaborney’s effort, now celebrated annually, serves as a reminder of the power of little, meaningful deeds to bring joy and strengthen bonds of love between family and friends.
Organizers of National Hugging Day express concern about society’s growing sense of isolation and anxiety, which may make individuals feel less safe walking outside and mingling. Recognizing both real and imagined threats, the Day serves as a tool for breaking down barriers and fostering affection and support among individuals. National Hugging Day represents how, in the face of external barriers, individuals can come together to show love and compassion.
The Day emphasizes consensual hugging and encourages people to ask for permission before embracing someone. Respecting personal boundaries is essential, as only some are comfortable with physical contact. In situations where a physical hug is not appropriate, virtual or symbolic expressions of affection through words and actions are encouraged. National Hugging Day reminds us that even in difficult circumstances, actions of love and compassion can transcend emotional barriers.
