Mind Coffee: Little-known holidays – and how did we get them?

You may have forgotten, but I’m here to remind you: Monday, Nov. 19, is World Toilet Day!

I know everyone is just flush with excitement. (Oh man, I apologize. My fingers typed that without my brain knowing it.)

Shawn Ryan

Let’s just take a deep breath here – or maybe not. World Toilet Day? While the intent to raise awareness of hygiene and sanitation issues is honorable and definitely needed, we must also note that there are many people out in the world who have never seen a toilet, so this day has no resonance for them. Wouldn’t National Hygiene or Sanitation Day be better?

It seems like every day is National or International Something Day. There are days for sugar cookies, ice cream cakes, tequila (a good day; the day after, not so much), tattoos, lizards, vegetarians, moles (it’s a chemistry thing, not an animal or bump on your arm) and pepperoni pizza. Even the Tooth Fairy has a day for him/her/it.

A quick rundown of some of these days shows just how out-of-hand the whole thing has gotten: