Give the Gift of Health and Wellness on International Friendship Day

It is wonderful and exciting to know that there is another reason to celebrate your friendship with your BFF. This time, we have what we call International Friendship Day, which is commemorated on July 30th every year.

History of International Friendship Day

The idea of friendship day was initially conceptualized by the founder of Hallmark Cards Inc., Joyce Hall, way back in the 1930s. The date chosen for this event was set on August 2nd. However, by the mid-1940s, it died down as people thought of Friendship Day as simply another gimmick to encourage more sales for greeting cards. Nevertheless, the event stayed within the cultures of other people in other parts of the world. In Asia, for example, it became customary to honor the value of friendship once a year.

For years starting from 1958, the World Friendship Crusade tried to convince the United Nations to set the date for International Friendship Day on July 30th of every year. They advocated this as an effort to promote peace through friendship. Then on April 27, 2011, the United Nations finally declared that International Friendship Day be officially set on that date.

However, despite this, some parts of the world celebrate Friendship Day on different days of the year. Some countries like India commemorate Friendship Day every first Sunday of August and in Ohio, Friendship Day is on April 8th.

Friendship Matters

What is friendship? It is a connection between two or more persons that is distinguished by an impression of love, respect, concern, and admiration. It is further characterized by the fact that a person prefers certain people.

Some loners are happy without the company of friends, but most people are happiest when they are with their closest buddy. Moreover, a strong friendship affects a person’s emotional health. Friendships help people resist loneliness, decrease anxiety, and better yet, improve overall physical wellness.

Friendships are viewed as second to familial relationships, yet they can surpass even the most intimate of relationships in terms of providing personal fulfillment. This is because friends are not forced to stay with you unlike family members are. They stick with you not out of obligation but because they want to. In this way, friends are better able to offer the support, understanding, clear communication, and loyalty that you so most desire.

The challenges and trials that people go through seem easier when there is a support system ready to offer a shoulder to cry on or a morale boost. Stronger bonds are developed through time as friends grow older together. The friendships become stable not because of how many friends are in the group but because of the quality of the time they spend with each other.

Fun fact:  The theory of anthropologist Robin Dunbar states that a person can only have a certain number of people he can call friends. Accordingly, a person typically has up to 150 friends, 50 good friends, 15 close friends, and 5 intimate friends.

Ways of Celebrating International Friendship Day

Just as there are different days to celebrate International Friendship Day, there are also many different ways people observe this joyous event.

There are those who would hold dinner parties where they would share a meal together while reminiscing about old memories or just recounting the funny things that happened at home. And then there are those who prefer to exchange gifts to express their gratitude and to symbolize the friendship ties which will serve as a reminder of the bonds of friendship.

Others choose to do outdoor activities with their friends like hiking, camping or just having a picnic by the beach. And who can forget how the younger generation celebrates events in their life by posting their videos, selfies and groufies on the different social media platforms.

But the best gift so far that you could give your best friend is the gift of health and wellness through a good night’s sleep. This is possible when you give your best buddy a bamboo pillow that is made out of shredded memory foam. The pillow is able to better support your head, neck, and shoulders as it molds to the shapes of your body parts, thus giving you a comfortable position while you sleep.

Among the many benefits of using memory foam bamboo pillow is a good night’s rest. From there, sound sleep, as research shows, can prevent diseases like heart ailments, stroke brought about by high blood pressure, and even diabetes.

So, go ahead and give the bamboo pillow as a gift when you celebrate International Friendship Day this July 30th. Not only does it symbolize the emotional bolster a friendship provides, but it also gives these treasured pals robust physical benefits.