Founded by comedian and activist Derek Forgie in 2009, Kiss a Ginger Day was initially created as an anti-bullying holiday. However since its inception, Kiss a Ginger Day has freckled into something much more meaningful. It is not simply a celebration of redheads, it is a global reminder to not discount those that are in the minority.
Although the sentiment is meant mostly in jest, there are those who take the holiday quite literally. That is why, as the calendar rolls over to 2021, Kiss a Ginger Day has opted for a slight rebrand. Thankfully, they recognized that only one letter changes everything.
“To make this celebration of humanity more covid-19 appropriate,” says Derek Forgie, “Kiss a Ginger Day, January 12th, will be known as Miss a Ginger Day for this year—and hopefully this year only.”
Celebrated internationally, the holiday has caught the attention of some notable autumn-lidded celebrities. The likes of Ed Sheerin, Conan O’Brien, Jessica Chastain, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Rupert Grint and many more have taken part. Even famous fictitious characters have have celebrated, including Chester Cheetah, Garfield the Cat, and Archie Andrews, to name a few.
Particularly proud of the charitable organizations and causes that have used this popular day as a call to action, Derek tells us that a notable orangutan habitats protection agency “has used the day to solicit donations from the public.” He also notes, “the Humane Society too has successfully been able to get more people to adopt orange cats on Kiss a Ginger Day!”
In a promo for Miss a Ginger Day, they have penned a poem and created a video message to send to your redheaded friends:
2021 HAS BEGUN, THE PANDEMIC IS STILL NO FUN.
KISS A GINGER DAY ON THE 12TH, WE CAN’T FATHOM IT BEING SHELVED!
THOUGH THOUGHTS OF A HANDSHAKE ARE AMISS—
LET ALONE A FULL BLOWN KISS.
NOT EVEN A HUG TO BE HAD, MAKING EVERYONE QUITE SAD.
SO, WHAT SHOULD WE DO? NOT MAKE IT BRAND NEW—
WITH THE 12TH RIGHT UPON US, A REBRAND WE MUST FUSS!
WE SAY NAY WITH THAT “K”—KISS A GINGER DAY? NOT TODAY.
MISS A GINGER DAY, WELL, OKAY?
FOR ONLY ONE YEAR, [HERE’S TO HOPING MY DEAR]
HERE’S HOW IT’LL BE DONE, FOR TWENTY TWENTY ONE,
THIS YEAR WE’LL MAKE IT WORK, AND WE’LL OFFER UP A SMIRK
AND RATHER THAN A KISS, IN LIEU IT WILL BE A MISS.
SO HERE’S A VIDEO TO SAY, I MISS A GINGER [TO]DAY
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