National Hug Day and Squirrel Appreciation Day

There is no end to the random and wacky holidays out there. A few months ago we highlighted National Good Neighbor Day, a slightly more legitimate “holiday” meant to commemorate those neighbors who religiously bring in their trash cans on time and mow the law.

Today, a less famous and more obscure holiday emerges from the depths of inane holiday search results: National Hugging Day and National Squirrel Appreciation Day (no… the two holidays are not affiliated). The value of hugging is not to be overlooked. One 20 second hug/day can do wonders for blood pressure, stress, and overall happiness. And, according to the National Hugging Day Web site, President Barack Obama is the most huggable American. No surprise there…

Now, onto the squirrel issue. Evidently, every January 21st is “an opportunity to enjoy and appreciate your tree climbing, nut-gathering neighborhood squirrels. Founder Christy Hargrove from Asheville, North Carolina started Squirrel Appreciation Day in 2001. Christy is a wildlife rehabilitation specialist in North Carolina, and is affiliated with the Western North Carolina Nature Center. Considering the widespread squirrel hostility out there, Hargrove has a big challenge ahead of her.

I haven’t met the 5.8 million people who come to Zillow each month, but I imagine they are happy, huggable folks. Sadly, I can’t say the same for Zillow user’s sentiment surrounding squirrels, bugs, and other creepy crawlers.

That’s your wacky fact for this Wednesday. Now, back away from your computer and hug somebody, then go look up your home’s value.