[custom_adv] National Hug Day or National Hugging Day occurs on January 21st and is officially recognized by the United States Copyright Office, but is not a public holiday. [custom_adv] The purpose of the day is to help everyone show more emotion in public. The only way to celebrate the day is by offering a hug to anyone and everyone you want. While National Hug Day and the Free Hugs Campaign share many similarities, there is not an association between the two. [custom_adv] Whether you hug a family member or a stranger, the mental and physical health benefits are the same. From the day we are born, hugs or touch improve our sleep. Hugging, like cuddling, releases oxytocin. [custom_adv] On its own, this hormone provides tremendous health benefits. Not only does it gives us feel-good hormones, but it reduces pain. Receiving a hug helps reduce stress, lowers blood pressure and lowers the risk of heart disease. It also eases anxiety. [custom_adv] National Hugging Day is an annual event dedicated to hugging. It was created by Kevin Zaborney and occurs annually on January 21st. The day was first celebrated on January 21, 1986 in Clio, Michigan, USA. [custom_adv] The holiday is also observed in many other countries. The idea of National Hug Day is to encourage everyone to hug family and friends more often. Zaborney cautions to ask first if one is unsure of the response as respecting the personal space of others is always important and some people are not huggers. [custom_adv] Hugging, one of the simplest ways to show affection, is something people do with their loved ones all the time. However, it is not something that’s done enough these days! Hugging Day aims to encourage people to hug more, whether they know the person or not. [custom_adv] Hugging Day also helps people understand their emotions, as hugging makes feeling a more accepted practice and allows people to connect with one another on a more intimate level. [custom_adv] Open up your heart … and your arms, this January 21 for National Hugging Day! As you might guess, this day is an annual event dedicated to the underrated art form of the hug. We love all types of hugs, from the one-armed bro hug to full bear hugs. So let’s get hugging! [custom_adv] National Hugging Day was created in 1986 by Kevin Zaborney. His friend was the granddaughter of the proprietors of Chase’s Calendar of Events. Zaborney chose January 21 because it was the time between the winter holiday season and the new year’s birthdays, which he noticed was a time people tend to feel low in spirits. [custom_adv] He also felt that Americans were often too embarrassed to show affection in public and hoped National Hugging Day would change that, though he never actually thought it would catch on. [custom_adv] National Hug Day or National Hugging Day occurs on January 21st and is officially recognized by the United States Copyright Office, but is not a public holiday. [custom_adv] Hugging Day also helps people understand their emotions, as hugging makes feeling a more accepted practice and allows people to connect with one another on a more intimate level. [custom_adv] The holiday is also observed in many other countries. The idea of National Hug Day is to encourage everyone to hug family and friends more often. Zaborney cautions to ask first if one is unsure of the response as respecting the personal space of others is always important and some people are not huggers. [custom_adv] National Hugging Day was created in 1986 by Kevin Zaborney. His friend was the granddaughter of the proprietors of Chase’s Calendar of Events. Zaborney chose January 21 because it was the time between the winter holiday season and the new year’s birthdays, which he noticed was a time people tend to feel low in spirits.
