It’s National Nothing Day
A day to not celebrate, observe or honor anything

National Nothing Day is an “un-event” dreamed up by columnist Harold Pullman Coffin.

It’s observed annually on January 16 since 1973.

Its purpose is:

to provide Americans with one National day when they can just sit without celebrating, observing or honoring anything.

Coffin felt that there should be one day a year when people have a break from commemorating anything.

It’s sponsored by the National Nothing Foundation (no members, no dues), registered in Capitola, California.

Founder Harold Coffin was selected as Chairman of NNF “Because nothing is something he does better than anybody else”.

Fittingly, it has never held a meeting or published anything.

Just expressing interest in the foundation’s purposes disqualifies you for membership.

Naturally, there are no special events planned for Nothing Day.

“I don’t do a single thing to promote it,” Coffin said.

Ironically, the third Monday of every January has since been inaugurated as Martin Luther King Jr. Day which falls between the 15th and 21st.

 

This means that one-in-seven January 16’s now fall on a public holiday.

Leave a Reply