National Wear Your Pearls Day, December 15, was originally conceived by bestselling author DeAnna Bookert, who found her calling to the ministry in the middle of her college career. Literal pearls are not necessary to celebrate the day. It’s about the adversity we all must go through in our lives which doesn’t defeat us but makes us more valuable and beautiful.
Just as a grain of sand inside an oyster causes the formation of a precious gem, the pearl, National Wear Your Pearls Day is the ideal time to assess yourself for what you are — a resilient, resourceful, and beautiful human being.
History of National Wear Your Pearls Day
It was 2015 the first time National Wear Your Pearls Day got its recognition. The founder of the holiday, DeAnna Bookert, had started her career in corporate offices and could have stayed there to continue her success, but then she found something that was more important to her: sharing her love of Jesus Christ and of her fellow man through inspirational speaking and writing. That was back in 2008.
As for the history of actually wearing pearls, it has an interesting past. Officially the world’s oldest gem, pearls have been revered since long before written history. For this reason, their discovery cannot be attributed to one person in particular, but it is believed that they were first discovered by people searching for food along the seashore.
We know that they have been worn as a form of adornment for millennia thanks to a fragment of pearl jewelry found in the sarcophagus of a Persian princess that dates back to 420 BC, which is now on display at the Louvre in Paris.
Pearls were presented as gifts to Chinese royalty as early as 2300 BC, while in ancient Rome, pearl jewellery was considered the ultimate status symbol. So precious were the spherical gems that in the 1st century BC, Julius Caesar passed a law limiting the wearing of pearls only to the ruling classes.
The abundance of natural oyster beds in the Persian Gulf meant that pearls also carried great importance in Arab cultures, where legend stated that pearls were formed from dewdrops that were swallowed by oysters when they fell into the sea. Before the advent of cultured pearls, the Persian Gulf was at the center of the pearl trade and it was a source of wealth in the region long before the discovery of oil.
Now, although the concept behind National Wear Your Pearls Day doesn’t require any religious affiliation or actual act of wearing pearls, the day only needs our own recognition of what we’ve been through in life to make as the individuals we are. But, if you have real pearls, by all means, show them off today!
National Wear Your Pearls Day timeline
Social media catches fire with the first celebration of National Wear Your Pearls Day, a time to celebrate what makes you, you.
Marketing student DeAnna Bookert is inspired to share her love of Jesus with the world.
Son of a Japanese noodle chef, Kokichi Mikimoto creates the world's first cultured pearl by introducing an irritant into an oyster to stimulate it to form a pearl.
Ancient Romans and Egyptians highly value pearls and use them as decorative objects.
National Wear Your Pearls Day FAQs
What kind of pearl is the most expensive?
The most valuable and expensive pearls on the market today are the South Sea pearls, which naturally occur in shades of white and gold.
How is pearl formed?
A natural pearl (often called an Oriental pearl) forms when an irritant works its way into a particular species of oyster, mussel, or clam. As a defense mechanism, the mollusk secretes a fluid to coat the irritant. Layer upon layer of this coating is deposited on the irritant until a lustrous pearl is formed.
Are freshwater pearls real pearls?
These pearls are grown in freshwater lakes, rivers, and ponds, predominately in China. Although many are white and resemble the akoya cultured pearls in shape and size, they can also be produced in various shapes and in an array of pastel colors.
How To Observe National Wear Your Pearls Day
“If you’ve got it, flaunt it”
Maybe you have a string of pearls that only sees the light of day at formal functions or for special occasions. Today, on National Wear Your Pearls Day, the occasion is special enough. You yourself are a beautiful “pearl,” formed in layers from the difficulties at the core of your life that you’ve had to overcome. Give yourself a pat on the back — and a day of looking pretty.
Post on the socials
Remind your online friends, acquaintances, and followers of the day, and the meaning behind it. We can virtually guarantee that someone will see your posts and have their bad day changed into a great one. Let your loved ones know how valuable they really are.
Read some Bookert
DeAnna Bookert was onto something. We recommend laying hands on a copy of her book “I’m Not Broken, I’m Better,” co-authored with Nakisha King, about the many dire setbacks they each had to face on the road to success. Pick up a copy and get inspired! I
Why We Love National Wear Your Pearls Day
It’s a celebration of the self
It’s generally accepted that if you’re going to appreciate anyone as a human being, you must start with yourself. National Wear Your Pearls Day drives that point home, asking you what beauty you have created in your life, despite — or because of — the things you’ve had to face.
It’s a celebration of beauty in general
If you’re lucky enough to own a pearl necklace or other pearl jewelry — even faux pearls — there’s something classy and sophisticated that attaches itself to your look when you wear them. Don’t be afraid to be devastatingly pretty.
We can get behind this kind of ministry
It’s quite plain that Ms. Bookert’s Christianity isn’t the judgmental, funeral-picketing kind. She just wants us to open our eyes to the beauty of the world and the beauty of ourselves, and we think that’s a pretty okay way to think about God.
National Wear Your Pearls Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | December 15 | Sunday |
| 2025 | December 15 | Monday |
| 2026 | December 15 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | December 15 | Wednesday |
| 2028 | December 15 | Friday |
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