National Just Because Day

Around here, we call this “Shits and Giggles Day”.

Joseph J. Goodwin created National Just Because Day as an excuse to do something kind or indulgent without needing a birthday or an anniversary, let alone an actual holiday, to justify it. The holiday leans on real research into spontaneous generosity and random acts of kindness, which psychologists have found produces a lasting mood boost for both the giver and the person receiving it. Flowers given “just because,” in particular, turn out to be stronger signals of affection in relationship research than gifts tied to an occasion, since they show active attention instead of an obligation. Which requires exactly zero special occasion to pull off.