Everyone needs a friend. No matter what stage of life they are at. From babies to the older generation, friendship is something that stands the test of time for most people. Some may be lucky enough to have the same friends for years but sometimes, friendships end for various reasons. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing. Friendship is something that evolves for everyone. And it is celebrated across the world.
How it all began
Joyce Hall, the founder of Hallmark cards was the one to propose the celebrations. Originally, while there was no special day, greeting cards were sent out as an advertising gimmick. In 1998, Kofi Annan’s wife, Nane, declared Christopher Robcuddly bear character, Winnie the Pooh as the global Ambassador of Friendship at the UN.
It was decided that July 30 would be International Friendship Day. This was proposed at the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1958. In India and other countries, Friendship Day is usually celebrated on the first Sunday of August. This year, it falls on the 5th of August.
A special day for friendship
It’s not easy staying friends forever. As children, everyone is quick to utter those words. But life does get in the way. People change or move to other places. Therefore, it’s important to take the time to appreciate the people that love you and stand by you through everything in your life. There are thousands of quotes on the Internet to express your feelings for your friends.
Friendship is celebrated every day just by doing small things for your friends. But it’s still fun to have a special day dedicated to the occasion. People come up with all kinds of fun activities to do on this special occasion. School children exchange cards, flowers and sometimes little gifts to show their appreciation. One very popular trend is to tie colorful friendship bands or ribbons on friends’ wrist signifying that they’ll be friends forever.
As people get older, the idea and plans evolve. Teenagers and adults might go see a movie in a group or even have a meal out at a nice restaurant. Giving friends a small gift as a token of appreciation is also a part of the day. It is also said that giving out pink or yellow roses is a common practice among friends on this special day.
In the words of Thomas Aquinas, “There is nothing on this earth to be more prized than true friendship”.
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