‘The perfect date’ and other pop culture holidays
Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope in "Parks and Recreation."
By Lisa Respers France, CNN
April 25 is the perfect date.
It is, at least, according to the 2000 film “Miss Congeniality,” starring Sandra Bullock as an FBI agent who goes undercover as a contestant in a beauty pageant.
Heather Burns plays Cheryl Frasier, a.k.a. Miss Rhode Island, who is asked to describe her “perfect date” in an interview portion of the faux pageant.
“I’d have to say April 25th because it’s not too hot, not too cold. All you need is a light jacket,” she responds.
Thus “Miss Congeniality Day” was born. It’s just one of a few pop culture “holidays.”
Galentine’s Day
We can thank Amy Poehler for this one.
Her character Leslie Knope from the TV series “Parks and Recreation” had the brilliant idea to celebrate good girlfriends the day before Valentine’s Day.
May the 4th be with you
“Star Wars” fans go hard for this one.
On May 4 they celebrate “Star Wars Day,” which grew from the franchise’s iconic tag line, “May the force be with you.”
Get your light sabers ready.
Whacking Day
On May 10 the citizens of Springfield, the fictitious town on “The Simpsons,” drove snakes into the center of town to whack them to death.
The tradition started with the founding of the town. Lisa Simpson deplored the tradition her father, Homer, loved.
No snakes were harmed in the writing of this item.
Harry Potter’s birthday
Everyone’s favorite wizard celebrates his special day (as do his admirers) on July 31.
The character shares the birthday of his creator, author J.K. Rowling, whose books sparked a movie franchise, play and a ton of merchandise.
Mean Girls Day
On October 3 we wear pink.
That’s the day celebrated by “Mean Girls” fans, thanks to a now famous scene in the popular 2004 film in which Aaron Samuels (played by Jonathan Bennett) turns to Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) in class and asks her what day it is.
Her response? “It’s October 3.”
And thus an unofficial holiday was born.
Festivus
It really is for the rest of us.
This alternative to the commercialization of the Christmas season has been a “thing” since being featured in a 1997 episode of the comedy series “Seinfeld.”
The show set the date as December 23, but in keeping with the tradition of not keeping traditions, anytime during December is apparently appropriate to celebrate.
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