Skip to main content

Alternative Holiday Celebrations

Celebrate alternative holidays by hosting a theme party.

Alternative Holiday Celebrations

If you're tired of throwing parties on traditional holidays, plan a party for a seldom-celebrated special day, such as one of the following (all of which are real observances!):

  • Trivia Day (January 4)—Games night, featuring Trivial Pursuit.
  • Random Acts of Kindness Day (February 17)—Progressive party in which you arrange a group of friends to perform good deeds for strangers (helping an overburdened mother or disabled person at the grocery store, working at a food bank), and then enjoy a round at a local bar.
  • Earth Day (April 22)—A tree-planting or gardening party, with a picnic as the focus.
  • Towel Day (May 25)—A costume party in which guests make their getups from towels.
  • Best Friends Day (June 8)—A brunch honoring best friends—yours and other people's.
  • National Hot Dog Day (July 22)—Weiner roast! You can also invite your friends with dachshunds.
  • National Homeless Animals Day (August 20)—A pet adoption or dog party.
  • Talk Like a Pirate Day (September 19)—A costume party in which guests dress and talk like pirates.
  • National Coming Out Day (October 11)—A celebration for all your gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered friends.
  • Sandwich Day (November 3)—A potluck to which your guests bring their favorite sandwiches to share.
  • Human Rights Day (December 10)—A fundraising party in which guests each bring a cash contribution, which you donate to a human-rights organization, such as Amnesty International.
The point is that you can really throw a party for any occasion, even those you perceive as being silly. For more information on unusual holidays, search online. Believe it or not, there is a holiday for almost everything!

Join the Family

Your partner in parenting from baby name inspiration to college planning.

Subscribe