The state Legislature wants New Yorkers to celebrate onions, sheep and synonyms

Have you ever wondered who’s creating those peculiar commemorative days that you never think about unless there’s freebies involved? Well, the state Legislature has been passing resolutions for these seemingly inconsequential days. Although silly at first glance, these days are meant to inspire New Yorkers to not only expand their horizons and appreciate unique moments on the calendar but also to prioritize their physical and mental health. Here are some of the recent commemorative days passed in New York.

Thesaurus Day – Jan. 18, 2024

Expand your vocabulary in honor of Peter Roget’s Thesaurus. Eighth graders everywhere thank you for helping introduce words like “distinguished,” “ingenious” and “erroneous” into their essays.

Love Your Pet Day – Feb. 20, 2023

New York dedicated an entire day to loving your pet a little extra – as if you needed another reason to treat your furry friends.

Day of Calm – April 5, 2024

Now that congestion pricing has been canceled, sitting in crippling Midtown traffic will be the perfect place to practice deep breathing exercises. Inhale. Hold it! Hold it! Hold it! Exhale.

Mount Everest Day – May 29, 2024

This day commemorates Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, the first two people to climb Mount Everest on May 29, 1953. It reminds us of the importance of protecting environmental landmarks from degradation – and to listen to “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus.

Intern Appreciation Day – July 25, 2024

Calling all bosses! Don’t forget to celebrate your interns! These hardworking young people deserve some appreciation too. Let’s just say I know two wildly outstanding and deserving City & State New York interns that would appreciate some extra love!

Onion Appreciation Day – Aug. 21, 2024

Hate to break it to you onion haters, but onions might just be that girl. This day celebrates the official start of the onion harvest season, so head to the farmers market and appreciate the depth of an onion. Like Shrek famously said, “Onions have layers. Ogres have layers.”

Sneakers Day – Oct. 9, 2024

New York state wants you to love your sneakers. Not only are they good to “sneak” around in, like advertising agent Henry Nelson McKinney said in 1917, they are comfortable to legislate in as well.

Hug a Sheep Day – Oct. 26, 2024

A good excuse to get stressed-out office workers away from their New York City high-rises and out to farms! Not only are sheep cuddly, they are highly intelligent animals that remember faces for years, so you might want to celebrate every year and become a friendly face.

Chucks-N-Pearls Day – Oct. 28, 2024

Looks like Vice President Kamala Harris is a trend-setter. Known for pairing her Converse sneakers and pearl necklace in one look, this day honors her historically significant career – which has become even more interesting in recent days.

Bring Your Parents to Work Day – Nov. 4, 2024

The tables have turned. You might have heard of Bring Your Child to Work Day, but now grown adults want to bring their parents to work too. If your parents are confused by your “AI Content Writer” title, you can show them that talking to ChatGPT all day is a real job. I wasn’t making it up mom!