What is The International Day of Happiness?
It’s a day to be happy! Today is a day to remind us that it’s okay to smile, it’s okay to feel good, it’s okay to celebrate your fundamental human right to be happy. Did you know that The United Nations General Assembly actually calls for governments and international organizations to invest in conditions and programs that support human rights and happiness? Universal well-being is an international goal!
A History of Happiness
This holiday has a very happy history! In July 2012, The UN General Assembly called for a resolution that made happiness a “fundamental human goal” and to give it as much priority as economic opportunity. On March 20, 2013, The International Day of Happiness was officially established and celebrated! In honor of the holiday’s 1-year anniversary, Pharrell released a 24-hour music video of his song “Happy” on March 20, 2014. Adding some more excitement to this special day, The Smurfs (yes, those cheerful little blue characters!) officially partnered with the UN in 2017 to promote 17 Sustainable Goals for happiness.
Happiness Around The World
Countries across the globe celebrate happiness in a variety of unique styles;
Japan celebrates Coming of Age Day on the second Monday of January and congratulates people who have just turned 20 and entered adulthood.
China celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th day of the eight month of the Chinese lunar calendar and celebrates the harvest.
India celebrates Diwali which varies according to the Hindu calendar, which is the biggest celebration of India and spreads happiness and joy amongst families and friends.
Ghana celebrates National Chocolate Day on February 14th and celebrates being happy and eating chocolate.
Celebrating What Makes YOU Happy
What makes you feel happy? Is it a song, a story, or a type of food? Maybe it’s a picture of a happy moment or spending time with family and friends. Whatever it is, celebrate with it today!
The theme for this year’s International Day of Happiness is “Happier Together” which reminds us that happiness comes from the feeling of being connected to others and being part of something bigger. Take the opportunity to say “yes” to visiting with friends or family, to go out on a walk, to do something special for yourself. Humans are social creatures; simply being out and about is the perfect way to celebrate!
As a family, create a list of things that make you smile and then narrow the list to 5-10 things that truly make you happy. Do your best to incorporate at least one of those items into your everyday routine.
Dailies Equals Happiness
Happy teachers equal happy students and happy students equal excitement for learning. At Dailies, we believe that every child deserves the opportunity to be happy so we have made it our goal to offer personalized, holistic support on their educational journey. By creating a safe and supportive learning environment, we can ensure that students and their families are happy and cared for in whatever ways they may need.
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