4 Ways to Celebrate International Friendship Day

Taking place on the first Sunday of August every year, Friendship Day is dedicated to honouring those people in your life who have always got your back. Whether you’ve been friends since you were fighting over whose turn it was to use the spade in the sandpit or they’re a new-found partner in crime, we all have friends we can’t do without. Sometimes, however, life can be hectic and we forget to show these special people the appreciation they deserve.

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International Friendship Day Around the World
Ways to celebrate International Friendship Day

That’s what Friendship Day is for, to make sure there’s one day a year when you can celebrate your friends and tell them how much they mean to you. There are plenty of ways that you can show your friends how you feel, from a small conversation to a huge gesture. To get you started, we’ve found a few easy ways to get you inspired and help you show you care on International Friendship Day 2019.

International Friendship Day Around the World

International Friendship Day is celebrated across the globe. In fact, the Internet and the popularity of social networks have only served to increase the interest of the custom, particularly in India, Bangladesh and Malaysia, while other countries tend to take their celebration of friendship seriously (and so they should). Here’s how some other nations praise their pals.

Argentina: Although not a public holiday, Friendship Day is impressively popular here; in 2005, mass well-wishing caused the breakdown of the mobile phone network in Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Cordoba and Rosario. Seats at restaurants, bars and other establishments tend to be fully booked up a week in advance. Finland: The Finnish celebrate their Valentine’s day as Friends Day – a much more platonic variation on the romantic theme. India: Celebrated on the first Sunday of August every year, children exchange greetings and text messages, and tie friendship bands as a physical bond of each other’s friendship. Paraguay: Every eve of July 30, friends and loved ones gather to exchange presents, while later on, the country’s bars and nightclubs come alive with revellers. They also take part in Invisible Friend, a game in which small sheets of paper with names on them are passed around all members of a group. Each secretly selects one, and on 30 July itself, presents are given to the person named on the paper.

Rear View Of Two Young Women Looking At Sea At Sunset

Ways to celebrate International Friendship Day

1. Give Them a Call

In a world where much of our interaction with our favourite people is conducted online, it might be months since you last actually spoke to a friend who doesn’t live close to you. Friendship Day is one of those times when sending a quick text just isn’t going to cut it, so pick up the phone and give your friends a call. It’ll feel great to hear their voice and nothing makes your weekend better than unexpectedly hearing from someone you care about.

2. Write Them a Note

Find a pretty card, a funny postcard, or just grab a post-it off their kitchen table, and write your friend a note to let them know you care. It can include anything from a cheeky shared note to a profound declaration of how much you love them, either way it’s bound to bring a smile (and maybe a few happy tears!) to their face. If writing a note seems a bit old fashioned, why not leave a comment on their social media page instead? You could include a thank you for all the things they do for you or even a link to a video of your favourite song.

Three pretty young women laying on the bed and taking selfie with tablet in the room

3. Have An ‘Us’ Day

Spending time together is one of the best ways to show that you care, so planning a relaxing day together is bound to be a hit. Rent a few of your favourite movies, grab a big bag of those snacks you both love, and get cosy on the sofa with a blanket and a scented candle. You could even turn their living room into an at-home spa, with a footbath, face masks, and a glass of prosecco or two!

4. Get Them Something They’ll Love

International Friendship Day has been going since 1935 and one of the enduring traditions is to exchange gifts with your friends. Small thoughtful presents often make more of an impact than a big gift, so why not think about how you can remind them of your special bond? Perhaps, you could have a picture of the two of you framed for them, make them a playlist of your favourite songs, or gift them a rose-scented room diffuser - after all, yellow roses signify friendship in the language of flowers. It doesn’t have to be big for it to celebrate your friendship and show how much you care.