We’re Celebrating What In September?
Welcome to the month of September. There are a couple of very memorial and impressive national observances in September such as Labor Day on the 1st and Patriot Day on the 11th. And there are some rather silly days of celebration elsewhere throughout the month such as “Take a Pirate to Lunch” on the 19th or “Ask a Stupid Question” on the 28th.
Some of these so-called “celebrations” might cause you to ask, “Who comes up with the list of holidays, national days and observances that are celebrated in the United States each month?”
Federal holidays in the U.S. are an integral part of the nation’s calendar, offering workers a chance to rest, celebrate and commemorate important historical events and figures. Federal employees have specific work schedules and pay regulations on federal holidays, determining whether they are required to work and how they receive paid leave. In 2025, the U.S. is observing 11 federal holidays, each with its own significance and impact on both public and private sector employees. Private businesses have the discretion to decide whether to observe these holidays, and many tend to close, aligning their operations with those of government offices.
The creation of holidays, including those celebrated monthly, involves a variety of entities. Federal holidays are designated by Congress. Other holidays, such as patriotic and national observances in the U.S. include holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day, as well as other designated days like Constitution Day and Patriot Day. These observances often involve ceremonies, remembrance of those who served and celebrations of American history and values but don’t necessarily offer time off.
Additionally, many holidays we observe, including those focused on specific heritages or social movements, are initiated by private groups, businesses, organizations or even individuals, not governments. These include both commercial holidays and those with a focus on social causes or specific communities. Retailers also try to come up with so called “holiday” themes or celebrations like “Summerween” to generate sales. There are even Fake Holidays that were invented by brands or businesses and established to promote their own offerings. Here are some examples:
- National Pancake Day: Brought to the U.S. by IHOP and established in 2006 to promote their pancake offerings.
- National Rotisserie Chicken Day: Boston Market proposed this day to the National Day Calendar.
- Small Business Saturday: American Express created this shopping day in 2010 to encourage patronage of local businesses.
- Cyber Monday: The National Retail Federation founded this online shopping day in 2005.
- Record Store Day: This day was conceived by record store owners in 2007 to celebrate independent record stores.
Holidays created by individuals or communities include: - Take Your Houseplant for a Walk Day: This quirky holiday was invented by someone who thought it would be fun.
- International Left-Handers’ Day: This day was created to raise awareness and celebrate left-handed people.
- Hug a G.I. Day: Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith, known as “America’s Premier Eventologist,” created this day to honor military personnel.
- National Splurge Day: Koopersmith also created this day to encourage people to treat themselves.
- Juneteenth: This is another notable example of a federal holiday initially created as a celebration of the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the U. S., primarily observed by African American communities.
- Indigenous Peoples’ Day: As you’ll observe next month, many states and cities have replaced or supplemented Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day to acknowledge the history and contributions of Indigenous peoples.
These examples demonstrate that holidays can be created and evolve in various ways, often reflecting cultural, social, and commercial interests.
I don’t really know who came up with “Take a Pirate to Lunch” or “Ask a Stupid Question” days. I guess if you can find a pirate, go ahead and have lunch with him or her. But you should know that lunch with a pirate could involve consuming potentially spoiled food, risking nutritional deficiencies like scurvy, and facing the unpredictable and violent nature of pirates themselves.
And as far as stupid questions go, someone once said “there are no stupid questions,” emphasizing the importance of asking questions for learning and understanding, even if they seem basic or naive. Such a philosophy encourages a culture of curiosity and open inquiry, suggesting that the fear of appearing foolish shouldn’t prevent someone from seeking knowledge. So, should we ignore the 28th as far as asking a stupid question goes? Now that’s a stupid question!
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