When is World Smile Day?
World Smile Day occurs the first Friday of October.
What is World Smile Day?
Brush those teeth, boys and girls, and give us a smile. If you need a special occasion to spread some smiley cheer, World Smile Day is the perfect chance.
Harvey Ball created the smiley face—yes, the bright yellow one—in 1963. He knew the power of a smile to brighten someone’s day, and he instituted World Smile Day in 1999 when overuse seemed to have cheapened the cheery symbol.
Smiles do not know language barriers, or political differences, or any other communication walls. All it takes to read a smile is your eyes (and technically, you only need one to see a smile). Smiling makes other people smile. Humans are wired to copy each other to some degree, which is why a foul mood dampens people’s spirits, while a warm smile brightens our day.
So, don’t be a Frowning Francis (sorry, Francis). It’s World Smile Day, so get out there and smile.
Fun facts about World Smile Day!
- People can hear you smile over the phone.
- There is no way to know whether it takes more muscles to smile or frown, but smiling is definitely more fun.
- Smiles are more attractive than make-up.
- Smiling boosts your immune system and relieves stress.
How to celebrate World Smile Day:
Smile on camera, smile off camera. Change your social media picture to include your smile. Smile at your boss and your kids and your mailman and your spouse. Think of it as pre-season training for every other day of the year.
What’s the hashtag for World Smile Day?
Use #WorldSmileDay to share a mincing smirk or a toothy grin on social media.