April 25 - National Sense Of Smell Day

Happy National Sense Of Smell Day! Held on the last Saturday in April, today celebrates one of the five senses.  

Our sense of smell is more than a way to know when dinner is ready. It also plays a role as an early warning system, triggers memories, and interacts with our other senses.  

Did you know, scent cells renew every thirty to sixty days and are the only sense nerve cells that can regenerate.  

Those scent cells allow us to recognize smells from childhood, triggering memories of Play-Doh®, Grandma’s cookies or pipe smoke. It’s also the only sense directly connected to the brain where all those memories are stored. 

Take a woman when house shopping. She’s more likely to smell unwelcome odors such as smoke, pet urine, or mold before a man. Women naturally have a better sense of smell. 

While the loss of smell occurs naturally with age, it can also be a sign of illness, especially a neurological disorder such as Parkinson’s disease or an early stage of Alzheimer’s disease. 

A human’s odor is like a fingerprint. Even when we wear deodorant or fragrances, our scent combines with those for a unique combination. Babies recognize the smell of their mothers. Spouses know the scent of their partners as well. 

"I love the smell of napalm in the morning. It smells like...victory." ~Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore  

HOW TO OBSERVE 

Museums, children’s museums, and science centers across the country participate in celebrating this holiday by offering hands-on activities and informational displays about the sense of smell.  

For fun, do a smell test at home. Collect items such as the ones listed below. 

Place a small amount of each item in individual containers. Cover them with a cloth and then take turns blindfolding family members to see if they can pass the smell test. 

• 
  • lemon peel 
• • vanilla extract 
• • coffee grounds 
• • toothpaste 
• • chocolate 
• • oil 
• • sawdust 
• • flower petals 
• • someone’s soap 

Use #SenseOfSmellDay to post on social media. The nose knows! It just makes scents. 

HISTORY 

The research by National Day Calendar® has found that the Sense of Smell Institute sponsors National Sense of Smell Day. However, they were unable to find the year it began. 

What is your favorite smell?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_kDKuwTPD8

#SenseOfSmellDay 

@TheFragranceFoundation 

@nichecinema 

DATES 

April 24, 2021 
April 30, 2022 
April 29, 2023 
April 27, 2024 
April 26, 2025 
April 25, 2026 
April 24, 2027 
April 29, 2028 
April 28, 2029