There’s a Father’s Day to celebrate our dads, Mother’s Day to celebrate our mums, Valentine’s Day to show how much we love our partners…but did you know the 30th July is dedicated to celebrating another important group of people in your life? Friends!
The original idea for a day of friendship came from Hallmark cards in the 1930s. In 2011, the United Nations declared 30th July as the official International Friendship Day. “Through friendship — by accumulating bonds of camaraderie and developing strong ties of trust — we can contribute to the fundamental shifts that are urgently needed to achieve lasting stability,” explains the UN. In other words, by making friends with more people, there’s less chance of injustice, war, poverty and other global issues.
Here’s how you can celebrate national friendship day and show your friends how much they mean to you.
Be savvy with social media
Social media gets a lot of bad press for ruining face to face friendships and creating fake Facebook friends. However, it can be a force for good. Use social media to message friends you haven’t spoken to in a while. Sometimes life gets in the way and you can lose contact, but it’s never too late to reignite old friendships.
Give a gift that counts
Why not donate money to a charity that means something to your friend? Maybe buy your friend a book that was published the day, month, or year they were born, or make a playlist of their favourite songs to burn onto a CD or share on Spotify. Even going back to the days of buying matching friendship bracelets can be a small but significant gesture.
Create some movie magic
Invite your friends over to watch a film that celebrates friendship. Some favourites are:
- The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants
- E.T.
- Toy Story
- The Wizard of Oz
- Clueless
- The Fox and the Hound
- Harry Potter
Pen your pal a letter
Do you tell your friend enough how much they mean to you? Sometimes life gets too busy, so why don’t you write them all out in a letter. Include quotes, in-jokes, memories, and where you see yourselves in the future. Keep it to just a traditional letter, or make it into a crafting project with drawings, designs, and photos.
Tell the world
You know your friends are amazing, but does everyone else know? Write a post on Facebook or Instagram celebrating your friendship, or text a local radio station asking them to play your friend’s favourite song with dedication to them.
Make new friends
International Friendship Day isn’t just about getting back in contact with old friends or celebrating current ones. It’s also important to make new friends: maybe do a random act of kindness for a stranger or join a club. Most importantly, be kind to everyone and stay open minded – you never know, a new best friend could be just around the corner!
Written by Florianne H.