Share the love on International Day of Friendship this 30 July

Did you know that the UN’s International Day of Friendship is celebrated around the world on 30 July?

It’s a chance to share all the things you love about your friends, whether you’ve known them all your life or you’ve crossed paths only recently — there are simply no boundaries!

Where did Friendship Day come from?

The event has been recognised since 2011 when the UN General Assembly officially designated 30 July as the International Day of Friendship.

The idea behind it is to celebrate friendship between individuals, countries and cultures and acknowledge its role in fostering peace and building bridges.

The UN encourages everyone, from governments down to people just like us, to celebrate Friendship Day and work towards understanding and reconciliation. What’s not to love?

I’ll be there for you…

Being there for your friends covers a variety of scenarios and friendships — that’s what International Day of Friendship is all about!

It’s the perfect opportunity to rekindle lapsed friendships, celebrate both long-established and newer ones and even make new friends!

Why? Because friends are the beating hearts of our lives and are there to soften the blows and share our happiness, successes and triumphs.

And friends are good for you… that’s official! Various scientific studies have proven the benefits of enjoying friendships, from helping you to manage the stress in your life to making you stronger and more resilient — so let’s celebrate!

How can I celebrate Friendship Day?

There’s a whole heap of ways to celebrate your friendships on this special day. Pick one or more of our suggestions to make 30 July a day to remember.

Throw a party, inviting friends old and new. Include anyone who can’t make it with a video call so you can connect to friends far as well as near.

Share your memories on social media. We all love being tagged in a post that brings back happy memories and laughter, so dig out those old, embarrassing photos and pay tribute to your friends on the socials.

Plan a weekend away. Why not use Friendship Day as an excuse for a couple of days with your besties? We all lead such busy lives nowadays, making it hard to catch up in person. A couple of nights away is the perfect way to share memories and make new ones.

Sadly, it’s not always possible to connect in person with the people you love. To celebrate friendship from a distance, send a personalised gift box filled with little treats you know your friend will love, and just imagine their face lighting up as it arrives at their door.

Just for fun…

Just for fun, let’s look back at what we’ve learned about friendship from that classic sitcom Friends, that introduced Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Ross to the world.

Its enduring appeal has got to be that we can all recognise at least one of the characters among our own friends, whether that’s highly-strung Monica or loveable Joey.

And behind the humour, we can learn a lot about love, life and everything in between.

They’re like family

Friends can be as important as family. So said Phoebe when she explained, “When I was growing up, I didn’t have a normal mom or dad, or a regular family like everybody else, and I always knew that something was missing. But now I'm standing here today, knowing that I have everything I'm ever gonna need... You are my family.”

They tell it like it is

You can rely on your friends to give you advice that’s sometimes harsh but is actually helpful. Remember when Monica said, “Why don’t you stop worrying about sounding smart and just be yourself?” to Joey — we all knew exactly where she was coming from with her no-nonsense advice.

They’re loyal

One of Joey’s most memorable quotes has got to be, “I stepped up! She’s my friend and she needed help. And if I have to, I’d pee on any one of you!” OK, so we don’t recommend that you go ’round peeing on your friends (or you won’t be left with any) but to put it into context, Joey came out with this gem when Monica got stung by a jellyfish. His quote sums up that unwavering sense of loyalty and protection we all feel towards our dearest friends.

Know more about sharing the love

If you’ve never celebrated International Day of Friendship before, start a new tradition this 30 July!

You’ll find that even the simplest of gestures to share your love with friends makes for an uplifting and life-affirming experience.

Know more about sharing that love with oh-hello!’s range of curated and customised gift boxes or give us a shout with any questions.