Friendship day: What it passes on?

The first Sunday of August every year is celebrated as Friendship Day. This custom of dedicating a day in honour of friends began in the US in 1935. Subsequently, the day gained esteem and today Friendship Day is celebrated in large number of countries across the world including India. This day is meant for people spending time with their friends and express love for them. Exchange of Friendship Day Gifts like flowers, cards and wrist bands is a popular tradition of this occasion.

Way back to the history, Friendship day was originally originated by Hallmark in 1919. Then it was intended to be a day for people to celebrate their friendship by sending each other greeting cards, but by 1940 the market had dried up, and eventually it died out completely.

After many years, however, in 1998 Winnie the Pooh was named the world’s Ambassador of Friendship at the United Nations, and in April 2011 the United Nations officially recognised 30th July as International Friendship Day; although most countries celebrate on the first Sunday of August.

The Friendship Day declaration states, “observe this day in an appropriate manner, in accordance with the culture and other appropriate circumstances or customs of their local, national and regional communities, including through education and public awareness-raising activities”.