When is this day celebrated? February 4
What is this day? Wicker is a technique for making products woven from any one of a variety of pliable plant materials, a generic name for the materials used in such manufacture, and a term for the items so produced. Wicker can be used to make furniture, baskets and many other things. National Wicker Day exists to celebrate this useful fiber.
Wicker is traditionally made of material of plant origin, such as willow, rattan, reed, and bamboo, but synthetic fibers are now also used. Wicker is light yet sturdy, making it suitable for items that will be moved often like porch and patio furniture. Wicker has been documented as far back as ancient Egypt, made from indigenous “reed and swamp grasses.” Middle-class families could only afford a few pieces, such as small tables. However, archaeologists working on the tombs of the wealthy pharaohs have uncovered a wider variety of wicker items, including “chests, baskets, wig boxes, and chairs”. Wicker even found use in the Achaemenid Empire on the battlefield, in shields.
Who created this day? This day was founded by Bruce Thompson in 2020.
How should this day be celebrated?
- Go out to your local craft store and take a lesson on how to create a wicker basket.
- Visit a furniture store or thrift shop and look for wicker furniture!
- Spend some time reading or relaxing in your favorite wicker chair.