🤗 July 30 – International Day of Friendship: The Day We Celebrate the Weirdos Who Get Us 🤪
Ah, friends. The ones who understand your inside jokes, laugh when you trip, and somehow still stick around despite your questionable choices. July 30 is the perfect day to appreciate those humans (or pets, or plants, or whatever you're into) who make your life infinitely better. It’s the International Day of Friendship, so get ready to shower your people with love, quirky gifts, and maybe a well-deserved "I told you so" when they finally admit you're always right. 😏
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The Origins:
This holiday was declared by the United Nations in 2011 (because they know what's up). The idea is to promote peace and encourage friendships around the world. Sounds nice, right? But let’s be real – it’s mostly an excuse to eat snacks and giggle with your besties for an entire day. 🥳
Fun Facts About Friendship:
The longest friendship ever recorded lasted 89 years. That’s a lot of inside jokes and embarrassing photos. 📸
Studies show that having friends can literally help you live longer. So, yeah, go ahead and make that 2 a.m. phone call to the person who knows too much about you. It’s health science. 🧬
It’s scientifically proven that the more you laugh with someone, the deeper the bond. So, if you’ve been laughing at memes together for hours, congratulations—you’re officially in a lifelong friendship. 😂
The Friendship Bench project was started in Zimbabwe to help combat mental health issues. It involves literally sitting on a bench to talk about your feelings. I mean, how cute is that? (Note: You can definitely try this with your bestie, but it might turn into a snack-and-gossip sesh instead. 🍿)
10 Quirky Ways to Celebrate International Day of Friendship:
Create a Friendship Pact: Write a contract with your BFF that outlines all your important commitments—like who gets the last slice of pizza, who has to take the embarrassing group photo, etc. 📜✍️
Send a "Just Because" Gift: You know, like a quirky T-shirt or a tiny cactus. Nothing says “I love you” like an unexpected, strange gift. 🌵
Have a Virtual Movie Marathon: Sure, you can’t be together, but you can still binge-watch “that” movie. Bonus points if you also wear matching pajamas. 🎥👯♀️
Friendship Bracelet Making: It's not just for summer camp anymore. Break out the thread and make something sparkly for your friend—or, you know, just for yourself. 💫
Throw a No Reason Dance Party: Gather your squad, blast music, and have a full-on dance-off. It’s basically your social responsibility. 💃🕺
Tag Them on Social Media: Post that embarrassing throwback photo and write a heartfelt caption about how much they mean to you. (Bonus: The photo might be hilarious enough to get you both a few thousand likes. 💅)
Random Acts of Friendship: Buy your friend a coffee for no reason. Or write them a note that says, “You’re better than a pizza on a Sunday.” (Which, let’s face it, is a high compliment.) ☕💌
Have a ‘No Judgement’ Dinner: Order takeout, and make a rule that everyone has to pick their favorite comfort food—even if it’s a totally weird combination. 🍕🍟
Host a Game Night: The board games, the snacks, and the non-stop trash talk. Nothing bonds you more than a friendly competition! 🎲🧩
Plan a Spontaneous Adventure: Grab your bestie, hop in the car, and get lost. Even if it’s just for a few hours, it’ll feel like the most freeing thing ever. 🚗💨
Menu Idea: "A Feast for Friends"
🍝 Main Dish: Shared Family-Style Pasta
Pasta Primavera with Roasted Vegetables – A vibrant, fresh pasta dish packed with seasonal veggies, garlic, fresh herbs, and a tangy lemon sauce. Everyone can help toss the pasta together at the table.
For the side: A Cheese and Charcuterie Board to enjoy while chatting, filled with fresh fruits, nuts, and a variety of cheeses, crackers, and meats to suit everyone's tastes.
🥗 Side Dish: "Friendship Salad"
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad – Light, fresh, and full of flavor with chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and a lemon-oregano dressing. Easy to share and perfect for a warm evening with friends.
🍹 Drink: "Toast to Friendship" Cocktail
Sparkling Rosé Lemonade – A refreshing, lightly sparkling drink with rosé, lemon juice, honey, and a splash of soda water. For a mocktail version, simply skip the rosé and use more soda for a fizzy, tangy treat.
🎉 Dessert: "Sweet Memories"
Mixed Berry Tart – A beautiful and simple tart filled with mascarpone cheese and topped with fresh berries. It's easy to share and visually stunning, symbolizing how friends come together and create something special.
🌸 Ambiance: "Friendship Vibes"
Set the scene with fairy lights or candles, a cozy atmosphere with a blanket for an indoor picnic vibe, or even a gathering outdoors if weather permits. Encourage friends to bring a dish that represents their culture or favorite food, making it a true celebration of diversity and connection.
For Elementary Teachers: “Friendship Across Borders” World Tour 🌏
Theme: Let's travel the world through the eyes of friendship! This activity will let students learn about different countries while exploring how friendship connects everyone, no matter where they are from.
Materials Needed:
Large world map or globe 🗺️
Construction paper 🌈
Markers, crayons, and colored pencils ✏️
Sticky notes or small index cards 📜
String or yarn (optional, for a "friendship journey" visual) 🧶
A variety of traditional friendship-themed stickers (hearts, hands, hugs) 💖🤝
Activity Steps:
Map Introduction: Begin by discussing the importance of friendship in different cultures. You can show a world map or globe and point out different countries.
Creating Friendship Flags: Have each student pick a country (or assign one) and create a "Friendship Flag" for that country. On the flag, they should draw symbols of friendship that they feel represent that culture (e.g., two people shaking hands, hearts, or different ways people greet each other).
Friendship Letters: Students will write a short letter about what friendship means to them, and if possible, include one fun fact they learned about the culture they researched. (For younger students, this could be a picture instead of a letter.)
Global Friendship Wall: Create a "Friendship Wall" in your classroom. Stick each student's letter/flag on the wall, making a beautiful collage of global friendship. Use yarn or string to connect the flags, symbolizing the global web of friendship!
Closing Circle: Have the students sit in a circle and share one thing they learned about another culture and how friendship is the same everywhere.
Bonus Quirky Twist: Have students make friendship bracelets using yarn and exchange them with a friend as a symbol of their new “global” connection. ✨
For Secondary Teachers: “Friendship Around the World: A Global Perspective” 🌐
Theme: Dive into a deeper, more meaningful exploration of friendship in different cultures, using discussion and creative multimedia presentations.
Materials Needed:
Computers/tablets for research 💻
Poster board or presentation software (e.g., PowerPoint, Google Slides) 🎤
Markers, stickers, and decorative materials for presentation ✨
A list of countries and their friendship customs 🌍
Activity Steps:
Group Research: Divide students into small groups, assigning each group a different country. Their task is to research the ways friendship is celebrated or viewed in that country. What are the customs around forming friendships? Do they have specific traditions or symbols for friendship? (Provide a list of countries or allow students to choose.)
Creative Presentations: Ask each group to create a visual presentation (either a poster or digital slides) that includes:
A brief history of friendship in that culture
Important customs or rituals related to friendship
Any famous quotes or proverbs about friendship from that country
Visual elements (photos, drawings, symbols)
Students should aim to be creative—use color, images, and even props (like friendship bracelets, if they researched that custom).
Present & Discuss: Each group will present their findings to the class. After each presentation, open the floor to questions. Students should be encouraged to compare and contrast the different friendship traditions they’ve learned about.
Global Friendship Mural: After the presentations, have students collaborate on a large mural, poster, or digital display where they add symbols or elements from each country’s friendship traditions. This could be a physical mural, or they can create a digital collage.
Reflection Journals: Ask students to reflect in their journals on how learning about other cultures’ views on friendship made them feel and how they can strengthen their own friendships.
Bonus Quirky Twist: Host a “Global Friendship Game Show” where teams compete to answer trivia questions about the different cultures’ friendship customs. You can turn it into a fun quiz with fun rewards like a "Friendship Trophy" for the winning team! 🏆
💖 Quirky in the Workplace
Idea: Bestie Desk Swap
Partner up with your office bestie and swap desks for the day. Decorate each other's space with quirky personal touches—think inside jokes, random sticky notes, or a "planted" cactus that wasn’t there before. Bonus points if you leave a secret note to your desk buddy explaining your "decoration" choices.
Tagline:
“International Day of Friendship: Because the best friendships are built on odd desk decorations and shared snacks.”
Movie: "The Intouchables" (2011)
This French film is an inspiring story about the unlikely friendship between Philippe, a wealthy quadriplegic man, and Driss, his ex-convict caregiver. Their bond crosses boundaries of class, race, and personal circumstances, showing how friendship can transcend all barriers and provide a new outlook on life.
TV Show Episode: "Friends" - Season 4, Episode 24: "The One with Ross's Wedding: Part 2"
This episode is a celebration of friendship, as the group travels to London for Ross's wedding. The dynamics of the group and their strong friendship are at the heart of the episode, highlighting their deep connection with each other, supporting one another through personal challenges, and, of course, the humorous moments that come with it.
So, whether you're calling up your childhood bestie or inviting a new friend over for some Netflix and pizza, make today about celebrating those unique souls who make life infinitely more fun. Because let’s face it—friends are the glitter in the glitter bomb that is life. ✨
Don’t Forget the Hashtags!
#InternationalDayofFriendship #BestiesForever #FriendshipGoals #LaughingThroughLife #SquadGoals #FriendshipDayFun
