Colin Tedford

Make Your Own Holiday!

A simple example: Elaine Fremont, 1985. Elaine sits bored at her desk, thinking, “No holidays in August…but I want to celebrate something!”

So…

“Are you coming to my Bonza Bottler Day party?” Elaine asks a coworker.

“Your what?” he says.

“It’s a new holiday I invented! It’s when the day and month have the same number—July 7, August 8, etc…”

“Oh…okay.”

An Australian won the naming contest&ellip; “‘Bonza’ equals Super! Great!” explains Professor Koala Bear. “‘Bottler’ equals something excellent.”

When the year’s last digit matches too (July 7, 2007; August 8, 2008; etc.), it’s a Bodacious Bonza Bottler Day, calling for increased celebration! (A made up chart here labeled “Celebration Comparison Curves” shows comparative levels of food, friends, and music.)

Now people all over the world celebrate Bonza Bottler Day! A woman on a scooter rides past a man on a bench with the Eiffel Tower in the background. “Happy Bonza Bottler Day!” they cheerfully greet each other (in French).

Now that you’ve seen how easy in can be, why not try it yourself? Traditions have to start somewhere. Experiment with the technique in other venues—when something seems lacking, take action! The results may surprise you. (The author appears, wearing a party hat and wielding a hammer and noisemaker.)