10 February: “International Umbrella Day”
Did you know that amongst the quirky international days of celebration is “Umbrella Day”?
It’s the day set aside to honour the humble umbrella for its admirable duty of shielding us from the elements.
And ….. given that over the past week or so, we’ve dusted off our umbrellas to welcome the rain, it really is time to celebrate the umbrella’s welcome place in our lives.
Umbrellas are sometimes also called parasols although primarily the purpose for a parasol is to shield us from the sunshine rather than protect us from rain.
The tradition of celebrating the day of the umbrella, is believed to have originated in the United States, however, given we’ve been dusting off our umbrella as we’ve welcomed rain over the past week, now seems opportune the exact right time to honour the humble umbrella as we welcome it back to work.
Appreciating the history
The word “umbrella” is derived from the Latin, “umbra”, meaning shade or shadow.
There is evidence of umbrellas in the ancient art and artefacts of Egypt, Assyria, Greece and China. From ancient times, umbrellas have had a place in our lives including playing an important part in religious ceremonies and rituals.
The Chinese are credited with being the first to use umbrellas to protect from the rain. To make their traditional paper parasols water resistant they applied a layer of wax and lacquer.
It wasn’t until the 18th century that umbrellas became popular amongst the nobility where it was as much a fashion accessory and a device to protect from the elements.
It’s believed the first retailer of umbrellas was James Smith and Sons, where in 1830 the proprietors offered umbrellas for sale in their Oxford Street, London store. The store still operates at the same location today.
Initially the umbrella was a cumbersome thing, often heavy and not particularly fit for purpose. It wasn’t until 1969 that Bradford E. Phillips, the owner of Totes Incorporated of Loveland, Ohio, obtained a patent for the first “working folding umbrella.”
The modern umbrella, thanks to advances in technology, is a lot lighter and much more wind and rain resistant.
Common superstitions associated with the umbrella
If you’re just a little bit superstitious, you’ll know that opening an umbrella indoors invites bad luck.
Explanations
- One explanation dates back to the time when umbrellas, commonly called parasols, were carried as protection from the sun. Opening the umbrella inside was an insult to the sun god.
- The second explanation is that the umbrella protects us against the storms of life. When we open it in the house, we insult the guardian spirits of our home, causing them to abandon the home.
How to observe #NationalUmbrellaDay
Right now, with our skies bursting with rain again, it’s surely time to welcome the umbrella back into our lives and celebrate this special day.
Here’s some ideas to celebrate:
- Carry your smartest umbrella and accessorise it with your outfit.
- Pose for photos with your work team and their favourite umbrellas – then go splashing in puddles together to welcome the rain.
- Post your photos on social media.
- Invent a cocktail and trim it with a cocktail umbrella.
- Watch a movie with a scene famous for its umbrella scenes.