A little reason to celebrate
Fruitcake Toss Day
Fun · Food · January 3
Fruitcake Toss Day treats the dense holiday fruitcake as something to throw, with friendly contests to see how far a loaf can fly.
Fruitcake Toss Day falls on Sunday, January 3, 2027. That is 68 days away.
A fruitcake is a heavy, dense cake packed with candied fruit, nuts and sometimes a splash of spirits. It keeps for a long time, which helps explain how so many of them end up passed along unopened. On this day, also called the Great Fruitcake Toss, the loaf leaves the shelf and goes airborne.
The idea is simple. People gather outside, mark a line, and see who can throw a fruitcake the farthest. Some throw by hand, some use homemade slings or small catapults, and a few just roll theirs down a hill and call it a technique. A fruitcake makes a good projectile because it holds together. It is compact and firm and rarely crumbles on landing.
Not everyone wants to throw theirs. Plenty of people quietly like fruitcake, sliced thin with coffee or tea, and the day works just as well as a tasting. A well-made one has a chewy texture and a warm, spiced flavor, and it tends to improve as it sits wrapped for a few weeks.
If you do toss one, pick an open space with nobody downrange, and bring a bag for the pieces afterward. Birds and squirrels will find leftovers quickly, but sugary candied fruit is not good food for them, so it is kinder to pick it up.
The heaviest loaves usually travel farthest, since a little extra weight helps them hold a line through the air.
Ways to celebrate
- Measure how far you can throw an old fruitcake in an open field.
- Build a simple sling or cardboard catapult and test its range.
- Slice a fruitcake thin and taste it with coffee or tea.
- Pick up every crumb afterward so wildlife skips the sugar.
- Bake a small fruitcake from scratch with your favorite dried fruit.
Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Saturday, January 3 |
| 2027 | Sunday, January 3 |
| 2028 | Monday, January 3 |
| 2029 | Wednesday, January 3 |
| 2030 | Thursday, January 3 |
All national days on January 3