There are some weird and wacky national holidays to celebrate seemingly almost everything imaginable, so in recognition of these weird and wonderful national days, this week I spotlight some of the most weird of the lot. However, to test your detective skills, I've also thrown a few fake days into the mix.

So how astute are you? Which of the following are real national days, and which are just silly fictitious days which I've just made up?

"Why thank you! Very kind of you to notice."

1) Jan 24th - National Compliments Day

This is a cool day - a day dedicated to paying compliments to your friends and colleagues. So in honour of National Compliments Day, I'd like to say "Well Done! Great job!" to whoever invented this day.

National Compliments Day - True or false?

2) Feb 9th - National Toothache Day

From my own personal experience, I would recommend not celebrating this day, if at all possible.

National Toothache Day - True or false?

Prove reeding.

3) Mar 8th - National Proofreading Day

A day deadicated to examiniing writtun text to look for Spelling, gramattical and foreMatting erors.

National Proofreading Day - True or false?

4) Apr 14th - National Reach As High As You Can Day

National Reach As High As You Can Day is not a day for standing on your tip-toes and seeing how high up the wall you can reach. Rather, it's a day for chasing your dreams and aiming for your goals. Although if you wanted to stand on your tip-toes, I'm sure no-one would mind, but once again, National Reach As High As You Can Day is meant to be interpreted metaphorically, rather than literally.

National Reach As High As You Can Day - True or false?

5) November 5th - National Concrete Appreciation Day

A day to celebrate and pay tribute to the wonders of concrete.

National Concrete Appreciation Day is celebrated every November 5th, but it looks like the Pope is doing his bit to celebrate concrete all year round!

Happy National Concrete Day! Sponsored by the Pope.

National Concrete Appreciation Day - True or false?

6) May 21st - National Talk Like Yoda Day

National Talk Like Yoda Day, May 21st is. Honours Yoda's backwards speaking style, the day does.

National Talk Like Yoda Day - True or false?

7) Oct 13th - International Skeptics Day

So I'm told, October 13th is International Skeptics Day ... but I find that hard to believe.

International Skeptics Day - True or false?

Pirates are actually evil thieving murderers, so images like this which portray them in a light-hearted manner are extremely misleading.

8) Sep 19th - International Talk Like A Pirate Day

Arr, Jim lad! If ye wants to speak like a pirate, me hearties, then today be the perfect day, as September 19th be International Talk Like A Pirate Day. Whether ye be a landlubber or a seadog, that be the truth - it ain't hornswaggle. Shiver me timbers, pieces of eight, thar she blows, etc, etc...

International Talk Like A Pirate Day - True or false?

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Scroll down the page to find out which of the above national days are real, and which are made up...

Concrete. Worth celebrating every day, and not just on November 5th.

In actual fact, all of the above national days are real national days!

However, even though I didn't make them up, somebody did make them up, so congratulations ... award yourself full marks whatever you guessed!


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Fans of 'National Talk Like Yoda Day' may be interested to hear that my short story 'Wagon Wheels, Star Wars Memorabilia and the Nice Ham' is available for kindle from Amazon.
Wagon Wheels, Star Wars Memorabilia and the Nice Ham




However, they may not be intersted after all, as Yoda doesn't feature in it. (But Star Wars memorabilia does.)