NATIONAL BEST FRIENDS DAY, June 8

June 8 celebrates National Best Friends Day, a day to honor that one special person you call your “best friend”. It is a time to show them how much you appreciate them, how special and important they are to you and how you cherish their friendship.

“Best friends share extremely strong interpersonal ties with each other.” (WEWednesdays!)

Friendship Day was originally promoted by Joyce Hall, the founder of Hallmark cards in 1930, intended to be 2 August and a day when people celebrated their friendships by sending cards. The second of August was chosen as the centre of the largest lull between holiday celebrations. Friendship Day was promoted by the greeting card National Association during the 1920s but met with consumer resistance – given that it was too obviously a commercial gimmick to promote greetings cards. By the 1940s the number of Friendship Day cards available in the US had dwindled and the holiday largely died out there. There is no evidence to date for its uptake in Europe; however, it has been kept alive and revitalised in Asia, where several countries have adopted it.

In honor of Friendship Day in 1998, Nane Annan, wife of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, named Winnie the Pooh as the world’s Ambassador of Friendship at the United Nations. The event was co-sponsored by the U.N. Department of Public Information and Disney Enterprises, and was co-hosted by Kathy Lee Gifford.

Some friends acknowledge each other with exchanges of gifts and cards on this day. Friendship bands are very popular in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and parts of South America. With the advent of social networking sites, Friendship Day is also being celebrated online. The commercialization of the Friendship Day celebrations has led to some dismissing it as a “marketing gimmick”. But nowadays it is celebrated on the first Sunday of August rather than 30 July. However, on 27 July 2011 the 65th Session of the United Nations General Assembly declared 30 July as “International Day of Friendship”.

The idea of a World Friendship Day was first proposed on 20 July 1958 by Dr. Artemio Bracho during a dinner with friends in Puerto Pinasco, a town on the River Paraguay about 200 miles north of Asuncion, Paraguay.

Out of this humble meeting of friends, the World Friendship Crusade was born. The World Friendship Crusade is a foundation that promotes friendship and fellowship among all human beings, regardless of race, color or religion. Since then, 30 July has been faithfully celebrated as Friendship Day in Paraguay every year and has also been adopted by several other countries.

The World Friendship Crusade has lobbied the United Nations for many years to recognize 30 July as World Friendship Day and finally on 20 May, General Assembly of the United Nations decided to designate 30 July as the International Day of Friendship; and to invite all Member States to observe the International Day of Friendship in accordance with the culture and customs of their local, national and regional communities, including through education and public awareness-raising activities.

JUNE 8 is considered National Friendship Day; and celebrating any kind of friendship is beautiful. Everyone has that one close friend, the one that you can count on to be there for you, the one you want to share your secrets with, the one you want to do fun things with, the one you want to just hang out with, that one person is your best friend.

In business as well, building social collateral is key, and supporting each other through the effort of developing true ‘friendships’ that Build each other up is one Serious Secret to Success. “Caring is Daring; Friendship if Free!”

“When it hurts to look back and you’re scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there.” (author unknown)

Celebrate National Best Friends Day by letting your best friend/friends know how much they mean to you!

NATIONAL BEST FRIENDS DAY HISTORY

Within our research, we were unable to find the creator and origin of National Best Friends Day, an “unofficial” National holiday.

Some of our ‘best friends’ come with fur – PET OWNERS CHOICE BRANDS (a div. of Diggity Dog), a pet product distribution business. Marketing our own product line; “DAISY’S OPTIMUM HEALTH”, Essential Nutrients Providing a Foundation for Optimum Health Maximizing Your Pets Quality of Life. In addition to our e commerce website http://www.petownerschoicebrands.com we do wholesale to Veterinary Clinics, Groomers and Pet Supply Stores.

Diggity Dog – Canine Hotel: While you are away for the day, weekend or for a few weeks, have your best friend stay in the comfort of a spacious loving home, in the High Park District of Toronto.

Your dog will have the run of approximately 2,300 square feet of space, with 10 foot ceilings, and cascades of light through the large windows. Featuring a 26’ X21” back yard, enclosed with a 7 foot fence.

All areas of the house inside and out are kept spotlessly clean by professional cleaners and expert staff who come in on a regular basis. Dogs are provided with ample filtered water from our reverse osmosis water system on site. In addition there is a high-tech air purifying system that re-circulates free air and removes bacteria and dust through the main ventilation system.

There is an abundance of toys for the dogs amusement and when they are through with playtime, there is lounging on the couch, beds or various doggy futons indoors or outdoors.

In addition, dogs are either walked individually on leash or taken to off leash parks or conservation areas to exercise daily. DIGGITY DOG: Canine Hotel and Day Spa