May 25 - National Towel Day

Happy National Towel Day! Observed annually by fans of English author, screenwriter, essayist, humorist, satirist and dramatist Douglas Adams.  

National Towel Day commemorates the work of the author, most known for his comedy science fiction pentalogy series The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (1978–1980). 

First and foremost, it’s important to note for those who are unfamiliar with Adams, according to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, “A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have.” 

And that’s mighty important. Even we mere Earthly hitchhikers require towels for many immensely useful purposes. We dry our furry pets and roll towels neatly into coordinated rows.  

On long trips, they ease the kinks in our necks. Even our tiny humans use them to dry off after taking a swim. Though, perhaps not very effectively. It can also offer shade on a sunny day. 

National Day Calendar® has found that towels in small forms are effective for sport, too. 

Golfers and bowlers use them as well. Add a small towel to a footballer’s hip and call it a flag or wave a white one in a battle to surrender. 

In an emergency, a towel can stop bleeding or can carry the wounded. It also can cool a fever. 

Wrap it around you on a cool day. Wash a car or wipe up the oil. A really large towel might suffice for a toga party. However, in reality, it probably wouldn’t. 

The list of options goes on both here on Earth and beyond in every galaxy. The important lesson of the day is, don’t leave home without your towel. 

HOW TO OBSERVE 

Pack your towel to celebrate the day. And when you do, be sure to share all the ways to use your towel. Join the conversation using #TowelDay on social media. 

HISTORY 

In 2001, National Towel Day was created by Douglas Adams’ fans as a tribute to the author two weeks after his death from a heart attack on May 11 of that year. He was 49. 

#TowelDay 

#HHGTTG 

#DontPanic 

@douglasadams 

@nichecinema