- Categories:
- Fun
- Tags:
- FunnyObscure
- Where:
- United States
- Date change rule:
- Every November 20
- Holiday emoji:
- 🤪
National Absurdity Day encourages everyone to embrace the delightfully silly every November 20. It’s a fantastic opportunity to break free from routine, express your most preposterous whims, and revel in the joy of the unexpected. Dye your hair a wild color, wear mismatched socks, or simply tell a nonsensical joke to celebrate.
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Expected National Absurdity Day Deals
While official 2027 promotions for National Absurdity Day are still to be announced, history suggests a variety of brands will lean into the quirky spirit. Expect novelty gift shops like Spencer’s and Hot Topic to offer discounts on humorous items and bizarre apparel. Online retailers such as ThinkGeek (now part of GameStop) and Archie McPhee might feature sales on their unique and absurd products. Even fast-food chains like Burger King or Arby’s could launch limited-time, unusually themed menu items or social media contests. Look for independent toy stores and creative craft shops to host ‘absurd art’ challenges or offer special deals on quirky supplies. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as November 20 approaches.
Platform Guide for National Absurdity Day
TikTok
Tag @www.nationaltoday.com and use #NationalAbsurdityDay. Film your most preposterous antics or a ‘day in the life of absurdity.’
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #NationalAbsurdityDay. Share photos of your absurd outfits, quirky art, or funny pet moments.
X/Twitter
Mention @NatlToday and use #NationalAbsurdityDay. Share your funniest absurd observations or challenge friends to a silly dare.
National Absurdity Day Hero
Albert Camus
History of National Absurdity Day
The real philosophy of absurdism began in the 19th century in the mind of a Danish philosopher called Kierkegaard. Its premise is that humans are all searching to find meaning in a meaningless universe. As the years passed, this philosophy gained popularity and became the touchstone for a movement in theatre and literature in Europe and North America.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the peak of such artistic movements as the Theater of the Absurd and Surrealism gave rise to an entire genre of literature based on nonsequitur behaviors and otherworldly plots. One of the works from this time, “Waiting for Godot”, is based entirely around a pair of characters waiting at a tree for their friend, Godot — whom we never meet — to arrive.
The origins of National Absurdity Day are apropos to the subject at hand. They’re entirely unknown. We like to think of this day as an opportunity to embrace a new and freeing philosophy in all our words and deeds, just to see what it’s like to unsubscribe from the order and organization of normal human life for a few hours.
Absurdism can be difficult to define since it is by its very nature anti-establishment and anti-order. Embracing absurdity simply requires us to move directly past all the tacit rules that we tend to accommodate each day, from the way we dress to the way we speak, to how we sit in a public place.Â
Today, the primary location for National Absurdity Day celebrations is an elementary school. This is one of the only places where people can truly embrace the meaning of the day without paying significant consequences—it’s not so easy for adults in the working world.
National Absurdity Day timeline
Primary and secondary schools begin to use the celebration of National Absurdity Day as a chance to let their young students get the wiggles out and enjoy the playfulness of the movement.
Samuel Beckett's play, “Waiting for Gadot,” brings absurdity into the theater.
Albert Camus publishes his take on absurdism in “The Myth of Sisyphus.”
Kierkegaard publishes his work “Philosophical Fragments.”
How Businesses Can Celebrate National Absurdity Day
Local businesses can tap into National Absurdity Day by encouraging playful interactions and unexpected delights. A coffee shop might offer a ‘mystery latte’ with a bizarre flavor combination, or a bookstore could host an ‘absurd poetry’ open mic night. Retailers could create window displays featuring comically mismatched items or hold a ‘wear your wackiest outfit to work’ contest for employees. Engaging customers with lighthearted, unexpected promotions, like a ‘buy one, get one of something completely different’ deal, can generate buzz and bring smiles. The key is to embrace harmless silliness that sparks joy and conversation.
National Absurdity Day FAQs
When is National Absurdity Day?
National Absurdity Day 2026 falls on Friday, November 20, inviting everyone to embrace the wonderfully silly just before the holiday rush begins.
What is absurdism?
Absurdism is a philosophical concept that suggests the fundamental conflict between humanity’s inherent search for meaning in life and the universe’s inability to provide any. It posits that this conflict is absurd, and one must embrace this lack of inherent meaning to live authentically. On National Absurdity Day, this translates to celebrating the irrational and nonsensical.
How can I celebrate National Absurdity Day?
Celebrating National Absurdity Day 2026 is all about embracing the silly and unexpected. You could wear mismatched socks, eat dessert for breakfast, speak in a funny accent, or simply tell a nonsensical joke. The goal is to break from routine and find joy in harmlessly preposterous acts.
Is National Absurdity Day a real holiday?
While not a federal holiday, National Absurdity Day is a recognized observance celebrated by many who enjoy a good laugh and a break from convention. It’s a grassroots holiday that has gained traction through online communities and social media, encouraging playful participation.
How to Celebrate National Absurdity Day
Sacrifice one of your five senses for the day.
One way to change your perspective about the usual drudgery of your routines is to choose one of your five senses and do without it for a day. Whether you plug your nose, close your eyes, or wear some good noise-cancelling headphones, you’ll be sure to enjoy the hilarity of the accidental antics that ensue.
Have a food fight.
The rule that food shall not be played with was established for most of us long ago in childhood. To celebrate nonsense, plan a food fight with your friends and family. Get all the good stuff, from Jell-O to ketchup. Enjoy getting messy and guiltlessly playing with your food.
Let your pet or toddler call the shots.
Instead of insisting that adult logic and plans rule the day, hand over the decision-making responsibilities to your pet or toddler. For the entire day, follow their lead. Does your dog want to dig a hole in the yard? Dig with him! Does your toddler want to unroll all the toilet paper in the house? Make snow angels in the loose tissue!
5 Absurd U.S. Laws That’ll Tickle You Pink
Sudsy Cattle
In Arizona, it is illegal for a donkey to sleep in a bathtub.
For the sake of a Hoagie
Arkansas has forbidden its citizens to honk their vehicle horns near a sandwich shop past the hour of 9 PM.
Sour Bounce
In Connecticut, pickles must be able to bounce when thrown on the floor. If they cannot, they’re unsafe for consumption.
Dinner Unexpected
Sending a surprise pizza to someone in Louisiana is considered a crime of harassment.
Party Foul
Bingo is taken seriously in North Carolina. It is unlawful to serve or consume alcohol in a room where a bingo game is being played in this state.
Why We Love National Absurdity Day
It helps us peek into an alternate universe
While we understand the importance of civilized behavior and enforced social norms, National Absurdity Day offers us an opportunity to live in an alternate reality for a day. In this reality, cats can get pedicures, spaghetti can function as wall decor, and bathing in chocolate pudding might just be a real possibility.
Silliness helps bring people together
It’s fitting that this holiday falls on the week before thanksgiving, because we can all get so stressed around the holidays. By participating in silly and absurd behavior, we can all abandon those somber expectations and meal planning obligations and just embrace the carefree attitudes of childhood once again. Laughing in good company is always the best medicine.
Independent thinking is encouraged
National Absurdity Day frees us all from following any routine or keeping ourselves in autopilot. We can begin to question why we do things in our lives that aren’t funny, entertaining, or true to our authentic desires. Maybe we can carry some of the lessons from this holiday along with us into the days thereafter.
National Absurdity Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | November 20 | Friday |
| 2027 | November 20 | Saturday |
| 2028 | November 20 | Monday |
| 2029 | November 20 | Tuesday |
| 2030 | November 20 | Wednesday |
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