According to the National Day Calendar, Jan. 16 is recognized as National Nothing Day, and it's been this way since 1973.
Coffin’s National Nothing Foundation sponsors the holiday. But don't ask what the foundation does. It's probably nothing.
So, what's the purpose of this holiday?
National Nothing Day "was created as a day to provide Americans with one National day when they can just sit without celebrating, observing or honoring anything," according to National Day Calendar.
With all those holidays cluttering the calendar (parties to attend, traditions to uphold — with nothing but checklists of things to get done), today can be dedicated to simply doing nothing.
Here are a few nothings to get you started:
Listen to some songs about nothing
- "Busy Doin' Nothing," by the Beach Boys
- "When You Say Nothing At All," by Keith Whitley
- "I Who Have Nothing," by Ben E. King
- "Nothing Broken But My Heart," by Céline Dion
Read some books about nothing
- "The Book of Nothing: Vacuums, Voids, and the Latest Ideas about the Origins of the Universe," by John D. Barrow
- "Nothing Matters: a book about nothing," by Ronald Green
- "The Book about Nothing," by Mike Bender
Watch a show about nothing
Use "nothing" in as many phrases as possible
- "All or nothing"
- "Nothing but …"
- "Thanks for nothing"
- "Nothing to lose"
- "Next to nothing"
- "I got nothing"
Visit Nothing, Arizona
- You're sure to find something to do in Nothing, Arizona
- Once upon a time the settlement had a population of a whopping four people, according to Wikipedia.
- According to the town sign, nothing keeps the town from thriving: "The staunch citizens of Nothing are full of Hope, Faith, and Believe in the work ethic. Thru-the-years-these dedicated people had faith in Nothing, hoped for Nothing, worked at Nothing, for Nothing."
Other ideas include:
