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A little reason to celebrate

National Color Day

Fun · October 22

National Color Day looks at the hues around us, from paint chips and crayons to sky and food, and the simple pleasure of noticing them.

National Color Day falls on Friday, October 22, 2027. That is 360 days away.

Color is what our eyes make of light. Objects absorb some wavelengths and bounce others back, and the light that reaches us is the shade we see. A ripe tomato looks red because it reflects red light and soaks up most of the rest.

Most people carry a quiet loyalty to one or two colors. It shows up in a mug, a sweater worn until the elbows thin, or the crayon that always ran out first. Paint stores know this well, which is why one gray can come in forty names that sound like weather reports.

Marking the day is mostly a matter of paying attention. Some people wear their favorite color on purpose. Others sort a drawer of markers into a rainbow, cook a plate with as many colors as they can fit, or take a walk and try to find something in every hue.

The rainbow order (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) comes from how white light spreads apart when it passes through a prism or a raindrop. Each color bends a slightly different amount, so they fan out side by side.

Mixing paint works differently from mixing light. Blend red, green and blue light and you get white. Blend lots of paint colors and you tend to get a muddy brown, which anyone who has rinsed a watercolor brush has seen in the water cup.

Ways to celebrate

• Wear your favorite color from head to toe, or at least your socks.
• Take a walk and find something in every color of the rainbow.
• Cook a meal with at least five different colored foods.
• Sort your crayons, markers or bookshelf by color.
• Ask friends their favorite color and why they chose it.

Dates

All national days on October 22

Also on October 22

• National Nut Day
• National Make a Dog's Day
• Global Champagne Day
• International Caps Lock Day

Categories: Fun days