Backwards Day – Jan. 31, 2027

Expected Backwards Day Deals

While official 2027 promotions for Backwards Day are still to be announced, history suggests a playful approach from brands. Expect retailers like Target or Walmart to offer ‘backwards’ discounts, perhaps on items usually full price, or ‘buy one, get one’ deals where the second item is a surprise. Food chains like IHOP might offer breakfast for dinner, or Dairy Queen could promote blizzards served upside down. Creative brands such as LEGO might encourage building instructions in reverse, while game companies like ThinkFun could highlight brain teasers that require unconventional thinking. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as January 31 approaches.

History of Backwards Day

An interesting example in history of doing things in reverse was from none other than one of the worlds’ most well-known artists, Leonardo da Vinci. He famously practiced mirror writing, which is where text is written in the opposite direction so that it can be read in a mirror. There are multiple theories as to why Da Vinci did this. Firstly, it made it harder for people to steal his ideas, or he could’ve been hiding his work to avoid religious persecution. Another theory is the artist simply wanted to prevent smudging of ink. Also, Da Vinci was left-handed, and starting right to left could have made it easier for him.

Backwards Day was created by two women, Sarah Nicole Miller and Megan Emily Scott, who came up with the idea while on a farm. They were milking cows, thinking about arts and crafts when the initial idea came to them. The two women came up with the rules of and created it on January 29, 1961. The next day, word had spread around and the community was doing things backward. The pair then made the day on January 31 and so it has remained. 

Throughout the decades, the benefits of doing things in reverse have become more visible. Some schools celebrate National Backward Day where students can wear their clothes inside out, their shoes on the opposite feet, write their names backward, and so on. Adding a little fun to the school day adds some entertainment to what could be just another ordinary day.

Backwards Day isn’t just confined to the real world either. The invocation of doing things backward is seen In one of the most memorable episodes of the Nickelodeon cartoon, SpongeBob Squarepants. SpongeBob’s serious neighbor Squidward Tentacles calls a realty company to sell his house, but they won’t accept it if his neighbors are too out of control. Squidward tells the rambunctious SpongeBob that it’s Opposite Day so that he changes his ways, and SpongeBob acts as if he’s Squidward. Now, the day is a fun opportunity to do things in reverse!

How Businesses Can Celebrate Backwards Day