National Nothing Day
National Nothing Day:
National Nothing Day is observed on January 16. The day was created for people to just sit around and not engage in any celebrations or honors.
Year | Date | Day | Where |
2022 | 16th January | Sunday | United States |
2023 | 16th January | Monday | United States |
2023 | 16th January | Tuesday | United States |
Twitter Hashtags:
#NationalNothingDay
#NothingDay
Related: Other National Days Celebrated on January 16th:
National Religious Freedom Day
National Without A Scalpel Day
Why National Nothing Day?
The National Nothing Day is an annual celebration on January 16 when Americans can just sit around and not engage in any activities. During this day, people are not judged for lazing around all day but rather appreciate the peace of mind that comes with not being actively involved in their work. Sometimes, the National Nothing Day falls on the same date as Martin Luther King Jr. Day and this may overshadow the essence of this day.
How can we celebrate National Nothing Day:
There are many ways to observe this day including the following:
- Do nothing
The best way for you to celebrate the National Nothing Day is by doing nothing. Sit down on the sofa and just lay on the bed for rest. This will give your body the time it needs to relax after a hectic holiday season. To make sure that you do absolutely nothing on this day, you need to ensure that you prepare everything you will need the previous day. If you live alone, this holiday would be best spent if you slept throughout the day. You can also make sure that you do not celebrate this by not marking it on your calendar. If there was a task that was planned for this day, the best thing you can do is move it to a later date.
- Send a blank email
You can also send a blank email to someone because this will prompt him or her to send nothing in return. The best people to send this kind of message include your family and friends. You might also get responses that indicate you have sent nothing to the recipients and you can go ahead and tell them later that it was your way of observing the National Nothing Day.
- Give ‘nothing’ responses
If you have a conversation with someone on this day, you can give ‘nothing’ responses to the questions they may ask you. Such questions may involve knowing what you will eat, what you are doing, and more. Giving such responses may be rude so make sure that the other person knows that it is your way of celebrating the National Nothing Day.
- Send an empty gift box
If you know someone who is celebrating their birthday or any other important event on this day, you can send them an empty gift box. This will guarantee that they will not send anything back to you. They will most likely not issue a response, which is a great way of celebrating the holiday.
- Post on social media
Even though this day entails doing nothing at all, you can take a moment off your lazing schedule and post on social media with the #NationalNothingDay. Because of the meaning behind the day, you do not have to attach your social media posts with any photos of you doing any form of activity.
Interesting Facts about National Nothing Day:
Some interesting facts about celebrating nothing include the following:
- The world was created out of nothing. According to the Christian faith, God created the universe out of nothing, which means that we all came out of nothingness.
- In Buddhism, a state of nothingness does not mean putting your feet up and doing nothing. According to Buddhists, nothingness is a state that is ideal for meditation and helps people evaluate their existence and their reality. Most people have adopted this concept and they use this day to self-internalize about their lives and the areas they can change.
- Victor Hugo, a famous French writer, disputed that there is no state such as nothingness. He stated that zero does not exist and that everything is something.
- Space is not full of nothingness. Rather, it is filled with gases other cosmic forces that affect how the solar system works.
History of National Nothing Day:
In 1972, Harold Pullman, a journalist suggested having a National Nothing Day, which would be a non-celebratory event when people would do nothing for the entire day. In 1978, the National Nothing Day was adopted into the ‘Chase’s Calendar of Events’, which is a journal that notes down national celebrations. The day also gained sponsorship from the National Nothing Foundation. The day has been controversial with people blaming the founder of this day for the path of self-destruction he would create when people did nothing. Having 24-hours where you do nothing is mostly viewed as laziness in a world where people are expected to work round the clock. However, people have changed how they can celebrate this day and it has become more about celebrating life and having a moment when one can self-actualize. Because of the many hours that the average person puts into work, this day is best suited for them to rest and recharge before going back to their schedules.