Looking Forward to International Friendship Day

International Friendship Day is celebrated the first Sunday in August every year.  It will be held on August 1st this year.  It is a day dedicated to honoring friends and the priceless gift of friendship.

As with many holidays and observances, not a lot is known about the origination of International Friendship Day.  We do know, according to Wikipedia, that the United States Congress, in 1935, proclaimed the first Sunday of August as National Friendship Day, and thereafter it became an annual event.  Many countries caught on to the idea of having a day dedicated to celebrating friends, and National Friendship Day eventually became International Friendship Day, and is now observed by several countries across the world.

I figure, we have days set apart to celebrate our mothers, our fathers, our sisters, our brothers, our bosses, our secretaries, our cats and our dogs.  Why not dedicate a day to honor those special people who make us laugh, and let us cry, who make us feel important, talented, and valuable, who sit with us into the wee hours of the morning listening to our woes, who always forgive us when we've stepped on their toes, and who'll stand by and defend us against all our foes?  (In my case my BFF is also the one I call my "better half".  My hubby does all the afore mentioned things and so much more!)  Hooray for friends!  And hooray for International Friendship Day!

Here are some ways you might like to celebrate International Friendship Day:

• Plan a Progressive Dinner Party.
• Make a candy bar poster for your friend.
• Grab your pals and go shopping, to a movie, or a spa.
• Send each of your most special friends a card or give them a call to tell them how much you appreciate them. 

For the Kiddies:

• Plan a Progressive Game Party.
• Make friendship bracelets or friendship rings.
• Talk to your children about how valuable it is to have a good friend and to be a good friend.

I've often heard that a true friend is someone who is honest with you and will tell you even the most unpleasant things about you in an effort to help you.  I disagree. I can't think of a faster friendship killer than blatant honesty. Sure, if my zipper's down or I have food in my teeth, I want my friend to tell me, but I love the following thought by Oliver Wendell Holmes:

"Don't flatter yourself that friendship authorizes you to say disagreeable things to your intimates.  The nearer you come into relation with a person, the more necessary do tact and courtesy become.  Except in cases of necessity, which are rare, leave your friend to learn unpleasant things from his enemies; they are ready enough to tell them."

May we all enjoy the blessing of having at least one true friend to help us along life's journey.  And may you all have an enjoyable Friendship Day.

Image: Photobucket 19melanie68