Miscellaneous Monday - Let's brainstorm more holidays!

[Dániel Ballabás - EverIT]

Happy Monday Folks!

What if there were more holidays?

This Monday is a holiday for some countries celebrating Pentecost (a Christian holiday celebrating the "descent of the Holy Spirit upon Mary, mother of Jesus and the Apostles of Jesus while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles." (Wikipedia)

But no matter where they originate from, aren't holidays just nice? Shouldn't there be more of them? I think so! So let's play a game of "What if" adding more dates to our countries' bank holiday list was up to us, and think about what famous events, religious or folkloric habits, historical achievements, persons or ideas (or anything else) is worthy the celebration so much we should also award it a holiday. 

Here are some ideas from me, to start your brainstorming:

March 8th - International Women's Day
It's already a bank holiday in some countries, like Germany, so it's just a question of extending the scope of the "celebration" I believe.

April 22nd - Earth Day
Celebrated since the '70s, it is gaining more and more attention each year, with better and better campaigns about being green and eco-friendly all around the world. So how about reducing the need for going to work on that day as well?

May 4th / March 25th Fictional Holidays
To bring worlds of fiction into the mix for inspiration, how about some dates related to the biggest pop-culture phenomenons? May the 4th is self-explanatory for Sci-Fi fans around the globe I hope, and I think March 25th, the day the Ring was destroyed on Mount Doom should also achieve the same wider acknowledgement.

October 10th - World Mental Health Day
Another real-world example is an existing "International Day", aimed at raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health. Sadly, no holiday is attached to it yet, even though it would be an easy way to at least temporarily reduce some work-related stress, a quick first win if you ask me, paving the way to the more proper awareness-raising this issue would need.

December 4th - International Day of Banks
Did you know there was an "International Day of Banks"? I bet you didn't - I only found out about it when I sat down to write this. But now I think it was a huge oversight to not make it a bank holiday immediately. We would all need that extra day of rest at the beginning of December to prepare ourselves for the Holiday rush.

What would you add to your country's holiday calendar?

Here are some lists for inspiration:
https://www.daysoftheyear.com/ 
https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/international 
https://www.internationaldays.org/

[Amanda Barber]

Some companies do Summer Fridays, where every Friday is a half-day or off. I think that would be amazing to have for everyone. ☀️

I second your October 10th - World Mental Health Day. I think there could be some benefit to having a day to focus on your own mental health, or someone you love. Granted, for people living with mental illness, this is an every day occurrence. 

I'd love a day to spend giving back to the community. Here in the US, that's often what Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is used for, but now many people don't have off for that holiday anymore.

Thanks for this fun topic!

[Andy Gladstone]

+1 for Summer Friday's becoming a national holiday for 12 weeks a year!

[Summer Hogan]

I totally second this one! "Summer Friday's for Summer in Summer" sounds awesome! 

[Susan Waldrip]

Totally on board with Summer Fridays, @Amanda Barber! And yeah, I think it's a shame that more and more companies are rescinding Martin Luther King, Jr Day, I'm fortunate to work for a university in the US that recognizes it in many ways.

For something a little less serious, how about National French Fry Day? It happens to be today! And of course, my two favorites: National Grilled Cheese Day on April 12 and National Pi Day on March 14 (3.14). I think I just gave away my diet... :(

[Robert Wen_Cprime_]

You forgot March 14, a.k.a "Pi day"!

A day to celebrate all things circular! (and maybe eat a pie in the process).

I close with the question: is a cheesecake really a pie?

[Sam Nadarajan]

You're opening a can of worms @Robert Wen_Cprime_ , cheesecake imo is a pie but I second having pi day be an official holiday!

[Amanda Barber]

@Robert Wen_Cprime_ that reminds me of this news I saw recently: https://www.inc.com/bruce-crumley/a-judge-ruled-that-tacos-are-sandwiches-heres-why-thats-important-for-food-entrepreneurs.html 

If a taco can be a sandwich, I think cheesecake can be a pie! :-D 

[Sam Nadarajan]

We have this debate at work off and on, but @Amanda Barber since you've opened the door a bit wider current arguments at work are:

• Hot Dogs are also sandwiches
• Cereal is soup

Gotta keep life interesting huh

[Robert Wen_Cprime_]

@Sam Nadarajan and @Amanda Barber : Now you see the REALLY popular feature of The Jira Life!

[Sam Nadarajan]

I would not say no to a Star Wars Day (May 4). Pre-Covid our company threw an in person party, but the ironic thing is that they played Star Wars on the TVs all day, but it's not like you could go and watch them in there all day (unless it was your last day).

I do miss the blue ice cream and the chocolate dipped pretzel lightsabers and the wookie cookies (teddy grahams) haha.

[Summer Hogan]

I love Star Wars day so I would be all for this one too @Sam Nadarajan!

[Laurie Sciutti]

What would I add to my country's holiday calendar?  THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING!!!

[Sam Nadarajan]

I've taken this day for granted as long as I've known the day after Thanksgiving is off for us but I understand that's regional AND also depends on the role/industry you're in.

But seriously, who will be getting much work done with a Turkey Coma?

[Charlene Freeman]

My company allows FTE's to have Thanksgiving Day and the Day after off as a paid holiday, and I love it!

[Susan Waldrip]

So true!!

[Theresa McFarlane]

I know we just celebrated International PMO Day. I would love it if there was a International Agile Day.

Maybe Atlassian could help me sponsor it as a US recognized holiday ;)

[Robert Wen_Cprime_]

Do you remember the days in February the Agile Manifesto was created at Snowbird, Utah?  One of those days should work!

[Summer Hogan]

This is such an engaging topic @Dániel Ballabás - EverIT! I think there should be an international day of teamwork where teams of people go do fun activities to celebrate the day! I bet @Mark Cruth would love this day! 

[Sam Nadarajan]

Is Atlassian large enough to make this happen?!?! B/c I'm right there with you!

[Mark Cruth]

Thanks a FANTASTIC idea! We should try to do that!!!

[Andy Gladstone]

In the United States the 4th Thursday in April is Brig Your Child to Work Day. My previous company had some pretty good programming for all of the employee's children on that day - and it was memorable.

I'd like to see a Bring Your Parent to School Day. We get Parent Teacher Conferences, but our kids are not there and its not the natural functioning of the classroom. I'd love to show my children how important their education is to me by being a guest in their classrooms for a day!

[Sam Nadarajan]

I sense a few rounds of "Are you smarter than a 5th grader?" almost guaranteed if this idea happens - I'm ready for it (I think).

[Alex G]

I think a Digital Detox Day would be nice. A holiday designed to encourage individuals to take a break from their screens and engage in activities that promote mental well-being, creativity, and physical health. 

[ABR]

@Alex G This should immediately be declared an international holiday! So needed!

[Barbara Szczesniak]

You've made me miss the days when I worked for a bank and, so, got all of the bank holidays off. I was, however, a contractor, so I didn't get paid… I still enjoyed the days off, though.

So, other than getting all of the existing holidays off 😀, I think we need an international No Bad New Day, where television, radio, and internet news sites report on only good things happening in the world.

[ABR]

@Barbara Szczesniak what a great idea! Just love it!

[Rebekka Heilmann _viadee_]

Women's Day is actually only a holiday in Berlin - unfortunately. There are lots of local differences in public holidays between the states here in Germany.

In lack of information of the official Founding Date of Atlassian/Jira, we could hop onto the existing

Godzilla Day on Nov 3rd - and call it Gojira Day?

For anyone who never knew Godzilla had something to do with Atlassian. Jira is derived from the Japanese word for Godzilla -> Gojira 

[ABR]

@Rebekka Heilmann _viadee_ Seriously?!! Wow!

[Susan Waldrip]

Very cool, I had no idea!

[Vronik]

Hi

I would add the person's birthday so they can be with their family

December 2, which was originally the day that slavery was abolished, although in many countries it is not observed.

At the moment these two come to mind

[ABR]

I would like to see Harry Potter's birthday 31st July celebrated as a holiday, named “International Day of Literary Wizardry”! In a rapidly hopeless joyless world, the World of Harry and Hogwarts burns like the sole torch of Magic, strength of character, and Hope! Yet it is not simplistic escapism that it celebrates, because Rowling in the last two dark volumes of her seven-part books shows us the horror of war, societal upheaval, and personal sacrifice! Inspiring stuff, right?
But even without considering the ideological example setting, "Pottermania" was largely responsible for the "return to reading" phenomenon worldwide, especially for children! And just that needs to be celebrated as much as possible!
Sorry if I come across as too serious in a light-hearted discussion! 

[Susan Waldrip]

Love this discussion idea, @Dániel Ballabás - EverIT -- thanks for posting it!