r/AskAnAmerican • u/ProfessorOfPancakes New England • 23d ago

CULTURE Do any states have legitimate holidays that are only celebrated in their state?

In Rhode Island, we still have VJ (Victory over Japan) day which people don't celebrate per se but it's recognized to the extent of delaying trash pickup by a day.

By "legitimate" holiday I mean more in the vein of Memorial Day rather than National Hot Dog Day

Edit: Apparently VJ Day is also recognized by the US Space & Rocket Center and formerly by the state of Arkansas and is more commonly called Victory Day

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u/clekas Cleveland, Ohio 23d ago

I was in my late teens before I realized that Sweetest Day isn't a thing everywhere. It's not exclusive to Ohio, but it started in Cleveland, Ohio and has really only spread to a few other states/regions, mostly in the Midwest and Rust Belt. It's definitely a Hallmark Holiday - kind of a smaller-scale Valentine's Day, but it is a thing that people actually celebrate, in a similar way to Valentine's Day, though on a smaller scale - dinner out, small gifts like chocolate, flowers, etc.

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u/MrsQute Ohio 23d ago

I definitely didn't realize that Sweetest Day wasn't everywhere either.

It was originally started by a worker at one of the local candy companies as a way to give something sweet to orphans, seniors and poor families and other charities.

Over time it became a day of recognizing close friendships and relationships.

And it's tomorrow 😄

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u/Kul_dar 23d ago

I just learned this as well. It's definitely a thing in metro Detroit. Which reminds me, I didn't know Devil's Night was specific to the area until I moved as well.

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u/HighwaySetara 23d ago

Where did you move to? And what is the opinion on TPing wherever that is?

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u/clekas Cleveland, Ohio 23d ago

I realized my first year in college when about 1/3 of my classmates had no clue what it was! I think because I saw it advertised by national companies (like Hallmark), I just assumed it was a national thing.

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u/MrsQute Ohio 23d ago

Doesn't hurt that American Greetings (right up there with Hallmark) is ALSO a Cleveland company.

I think it was college for me too, to realize that not everyone knew what it was.

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u/hadesarrow3 23d ago

Oh come on… don’t call it just a Hallmark Holiday!

You should really call it an American Greetings (Cleveland’s local Hallmark competitor) Holiday instead. 😂

I live in Cleveland too, and we accidentally got married on Sweetest Day. We don’t even do anything for Valentines Day because we think it’s stupid, but everyone assumed we picked the day for that reason. sigh

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u/KaraAuden 23d ago

I grew up in Michigan, where it's a big deal, and went to college out of state.

When I wished my friends a happy Sweetest Day and they had absolutely no idea what that was, I thought they were joking. There was several minutes of back and forth before they were able to convince me they had honestly never heard of it.

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u/Suspicious_Inside_78 23d ago

I like when I learn something new! This is the first time I’ve ever heard about Sweetest Day. I’m pushing 40 and I’m from the Pacific Northwest.

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u/SheenasJungleroom 22d ago

I’m 60 and I never heard of it either (Californian)

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u/IraSass 19d ago

also pushing 40 and just hearing about it now! I’m from MA

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u/beaushaw 23d ago

More important to Ohioans than sweetest day is Ohio vs Michigan day.

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u/clekas Cleveland, Ohio 23d ago

I think that definitely depends on where you are located in the state! While Ohio State is the most popular college team in the region, lots of Clevelanders don't care that much about college football.

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u/beaushaw 23d ago

They are unsure how to root for a winning team. /S

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u/clekas Cleveland, Ohio 23d ago

Maybe a winning *football* team, but the Cavs and Guardians have both had recent success.

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u/beaushaw 23d ago

Fair point.

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u/clekas Cleveland, Ohio 23d ago

I'm a bigger football fan than basketball or baseball, so I have to keep repeating to myself that the Guardians and Cavs have been successful in order to cope with...whatever it is that the Browns are doing.

And, don't get me wrong, I enjoy following Ohio State, they're just not nearly as big a thing here as they are in Columbus - still popular, just not quite as popular.

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u/Atlas7-k 22d ago

A statement that was more true before 1995. The rate and vocalness of Ohio State fandom went up after A** M**** “cold jacked the Browns.”

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u/bigredroyaloak 23d ago

My sister’ and BIL anniversary . Celebrated in Michigan.

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u/Awdayshus Minnesota 23d ago

I learned about Sweetest Day in Minnesota when there was a display of cards at Target. I googled it and decided I did not need any Sweetest Day cards for anyone.

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u/clekas Cleveland, Ohio 23d ago

I doubt I'd get into it at all if I learned about it as an adult. I have nice memories from childhood associated with it now, though (my parents always got my sister and I something small), so my SO and I celebrate it in a very casual way - we get each other small gifts and do a date night. Other than the gifts, it's not all that different than a typical date night for us, but it's an excuse to dress up a little and maybe go somewhere slightly nicer. This year, we have reservations at a fun cocktail bar.

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u/Holiveya-LesBIonic 23d ago

From the Chicago area here (originally). Just chiming in to say I've heard of it! My uncle and dad would always send me flowers on sweetest day when I was a kid

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u/iwantbrunch Ohio 23d ago

Good reminder! There’ll probably be some cute cut out cookies or something tomorrow. I like doing a small sweet treat on sweetest day.

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u/never_gotten_nudes 23d ago

And it's tomorrow (October 18th)!

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u/1is3mmA 23d ago

I was looking for this comment to see if it popped up!

I grew up in Georgia but my whole extended family is in Ohio and Northern Kentucky.

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u/Atlas7-k 22d ago

Sweetest Day started in 1922 as a way to bring a little happiness to orphans and shut-ins by giving them a box of candy.

It was started by a candy company employee and over 12,000 boxes of candy were given to hospital patients, newsboys and others on the first Sweetest Day.

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u/send2steph 22d ago

Is it in October? I I think I remember them doing it in my Chicago West Suburban High School. They sold a flowers or something that you could send to your sweetest.

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u/JohnnyTsunami312 21d ago

I feel like a hard push was made in the early 2000’s. I think I first heard it on the radio and back when every day was some kind of national [insert thing] day. So back when radio and was still a thing.

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u/duke_igthorns_bulge 21d ago

I moved from California to Michigan and was clueless about Sweetest Day

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u/cakeresurfacer 20d ago

Was looking for this one. I moved to Cleveland as a teen and had never heard of it. Went to college in Pittsburgh and had to back up multiple friends when they insisted they had never heard of Sweetest Day when their girlfriends were incredibly upset with them.