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A little reason to celebrate

National Crayon Day

Hobby · Fun · March 31

A day for crayons, the wax sticks of color behind refrigerator art, coloring books and a great many first drawings.

National Crayon Day falls on Wednesday, March 31, 2027. That is 155 days away.

A crayon is a stick of colored wax, usually wrapped in a paper sleeve so small hands stay clean. Press it to paper and the wax rubs off in a line of color. That is the whole mechanism, and it has kept people drawing for generations.

Crayons are forgiving tools. They do not spill, smudge much or need sharpening very often, which is why they show up in classrooms, restaurant kids' menus and the bottom of nearly every junk drawer. They also reward a little technique. Light pressure gives a soft, grainy layer. Heavy pressure builds a waxy shine. Layering one color over another makes new shades, and scratching through a dark top layer reveals the colors underneath.

Most people mark the day by simply drawing. Adults who have not picked up a crayon in years often find the smell alone brings back a school hallway. A coloring page, a blank sheet or the back of an envelope all work. Rubbings are another old favorite: lay paper over a leaf or a coin and drag the side of an unwrapped crayon across it until the texture appears.

Broken crayons still work fine. Peel the paper off a stub and use the long edge for wide, even strokes of color, which is often easier than coloring with the tip.

Ways to celebrate

• Color a page with no goal beyond filling it in.
• Make a leaf or coin rubbing with an unwrapped crayon.
• Try layering two colors to mix a new shade.
• Draw a picture with a child and swap halfway through.
• Sort an old crayon box and keep the stubs for rubbings.

Dates

All national days on March 31

Also on March 31

• National Tater Day
• National Clams on the Half Shell Day
• National Little Red Wagon Day
• National Prom Day
• World Backup Day
• National Bunsen Burner Day
• Eiffel Tower Day

Categories: Hobby daysFun days