When:
🗓️ January 21
Where:
🌐 Everywhere
Since:
2001
Created by Christy Hargrove on January 21st, 2001
🐿️
Gather ’round and pay homage to the acrobatic, nut-loving creatures with the fluffiest tails and the nuttiest personalities of the animal kingdom: the squirrels!
It’s Squirrel Appreciation Day, and we’ve got a bushel of reasons to celebrate.
A squirrel is an incredibly bushy-tailed, tree-climbing rodent that’s known for their speedy, nimble movements and their love of nuts.
They are often associated with gathering acorns and nuts for the winter and gave us the saying “to squirrel something away”.
Countless trees grew where they are now because that is where a squirrel buried them as an acorn or nut and then forgot them in favor of their next “precious”.
Squirrels have been a part of human history since time immemorial.
They’ve been depicted in cave paintings and ancient mythology, where they were sometimes seen as omens of good luck and sometimes as mischievous tricksters.
Native American cultures believed that squirrels were messengers of the gods, and in ancient Greece, the goddess Artemis was often depicted with a squirrel.
But that’s just the tip of the nut-shell of times.
But, before you run off to impulse-adopt a pet squirrel, let’s take a moment to weigh the pros and cons.
On the one hand, they’re cute, furry, and have a never-ending supply of nuts. With their fluffy tails and nut-loving ways, they’re like nature’s little comedians.
On the other hand, they can be quite mischievous, destructive and will chew on everything in sight, from your furniture to your favorite pair of sweatpants.
As the saying goes: “with great cuteness comes great responsibility.”
Now, let’s get to the important stuff – how to celebrate Squirrel Appreciation Day.
Conventional celebrations include putting out extra food for the squirrels, learning about the species, and watching them play.
But, if you’re feeling nutty, why not try some unconventional celebrations like hosting a squirrel-spotting picnic, taking a squirrel-spotting hike, or better yet, host a squirrel talent show and see who’s the nuttiest of them all.
The possibilities are as infinite as the stash of a squirrel on espresso
Squirrel Appreciation Day is a day to celebrate these little creatures and their role in our world.
They may be small, but they pack a punch of personality.
And remember, a nut in the hand is worth two in the bush!