Do you have a best friend? If so then you should know June 8th is National Best Friends Day #BestFriendsDay. Call or text your best friend and let them know you were thinking about them. If you live close to them invite them out to lunch or for a beverage. Charlie and I each had lunch with our best friends yesterday. I’m sorry I didn’t think about asking you but it isn’t to late to celebrate #BestFriendsDay would you like to go for lunch this or dinner this evening?
Whether they’re near or far, old or new, best friends help to carry us through our lives. June 8th, is National Best Friends Day, it’s time to tell them how much we appreciate their company. As the Mayo Clinic reports: “Friends help you cope with traumas, such as divorce, serious illness, job loss, or the death of a loved one. They also encourage you to change or avoid unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as excessive drinking or lack of exercise.” Today’s the day to enjoy a little one-on-one time with the people who never fail to catch us when we fall. If you want to buy a friend something special to mark the occasion then check our list of great gifts for your best friend.
Did you know we have our own Country to thank for #BestFriendsDay which is lighthearted holiday. In 1935, the U.S. Congress gathered to devote a day each year in tribute to close friends. They chose June 8th, which is usually a balmy day in all regions of the Country. National Best Friends Day is perfect for outdoor activities. Since then, many other Countries have adopted the practice. Some even throw festivals to celebrate their chosen family.
National Best Friend Day has given rise to a handful of other friendship-themed days for celebration, including Friendship Day, Women’s Friendship Day, and even an entire week called Old Friends, New Friends Week. Here is a fun fact for you ionically, almost all celebrations of friendship occur in the Summer.
While National Best Friends Day seems to have lost popularity through the years, it has seen a recent upsurge in engagement since the beginning of social media. Now, on June 8th every year, people rush to post fun photographs of themselves with their most trusted friends. The recognizable hashtag #nationalbestfriendsday allows users to witness just how many Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter users are celebrating along with them.
Traditions for National Best Friends Day varies and no two or more best friends have the same traditions; National Best Friends Day is unique to everyone. The shenanigans that best friends get up to are enjoyed and shared only between them, which include memorable adventures, fun gatherings, and even inside jokes. These traditions are relived on National Best Friends Day.
There are low-key common traditions including just hanging out and chilling at home watching movies with friends, or going to the mall or your favorite Cafe together. Then there are more elaborate ways to celebrate National Best Friends Day with your best friends like dressing up and heading out to paint the town red or having a fancy dinner. Presents are also exchanged on this day like ‘best friends’ lockets or scrapbooks to cement the friendship and remind each other of the special bond you share, no matter how much time has passed.
NATIONAL BEST FRIENDS DAY ACTIVITIES
- Carve out 30 minutes to catch up with your best friend and schedule a time to meet up, FaceTime, or talk on the phone, and update that person on all the happenings of your life. They want to hear all about it!
- Purchase and send a gift to your favorite confidant. After all those long phone calls, wild nights out, and crazy exes, your person deserves a treat! We recommend a gift certificate to a spa.
- Reminisce on good memories. Look through your old photos, read that tattered journal, and show your findings to your best friend. Remembering what you’ve been through together will inevitably remind you just how grateful you are for your relationship.
FACTS ABOUT AMERICA’S BEST FRIENDS
- 19% of surveyed American citizens claim that their most loyal pals are their Dogs, while 9% admit that their Cats mean the most. Don’t forget to spend extra time with your Dogs and Cats.
- Did you know when asked, 70% of our respondents said they found their lifelong mates in elementary, middle, or high school.
- Studies show that having a trusted friend in our lives can reduce stress and improve our immune systems. Sharing our burdens with a stable companion seems to improve quality of life significantly.
- As we move through life stages, it’s perfectly common to pick up more than one intimate bond. From childhood friends to college party partners, many Americans consider their best friend circle to extend past one person.
- Many best friend relationships outlive marriages, cross-Country moves, and even our parents.
- The magic of platonic love can withstand even the worst struggles.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL BEST FRIENDS DAY
- Our best friends are the family we choose inevitably, our relatives’ expectations and judgements will wear us thin. Luckily, best friends are always there to lighten the mood. Since we get to choose who our best friends are, they’re usually compatible with our personalities and interests. Our best friends understand us, respect us and, best of all, they know when to give us space.
- Naturally, many of our best friends have something important in common with us. Whether they’re navigating the same life stages, working in the same career field, or avidly interested in the same hobby, best friends simply understand us better than anyone else.
- When it’s time to let loose, best friends are always up for an adventure and our best friends are the ones we travel with, dance with, and relax with. Like human Spa days, our best friends always know how to calm us.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
