In hindsight, Men at Work’s Down Under was a pretty average song. Thankfully, the country has provided so much more over the years. Hug an Australian Day is a perfect time to show gratitude and appreciation while simultaneously spreading a little love across the world. In a world where people are often made to feel more divided than ever, the simple gesture can make a huge impact.

Like throwing a boomerang, the good vibes will return very quickly. Aside from participants living or vacationing in Perth, Melbourne et al. Hug an Australian Day needn’t impact the entire day either. It’s fun, simple, and an event that everyone can join regardless of where they are.

It’s certain to be a g’day for everyone involved.

Learn about Hug an Australian Day

The concept of Hug an Australian Day is truly as simple as it sounds. Hugs are a friendly signal of affection that is scientifically shown to have a positive psychological effect on both parties. Whether from a loved one or a stranger, a quick and kind embrace can significantly enhance a person’s day. Hug an Australian Day allows participants to enjoy those rewards while also feeling that they are taking part of a social event. And, let’s not ignore the fact that it’s great social media content too.

Hug an Australian Day isn’t limited to Australians by birth and current Australian citizens. Australians that have emigrated count. Individuals with Australian heritage count. Even people that have married into an Australian family tick the box. Ultimately, the annual celebration is just a bit of fun that encourages people to connect with each other while simultaneously promoting positive vibes and a little gratitude towards the country that provided so many great pop culture icons.

Every hug is a step towards repairing the damage that Bart Simpson caused when dropping his pants to the Aussie government anyway…

Hugs are ultimately a physically symbolic gesture that represents love for Australia’s culture and people. Those sentiments can quickly grow by showing an interest. Talking about kangaroos and koala bears is great. Meanwhile, it’s a great opportunity to enjoy a little banter by explaining that Tim Tams will never reach the standards of Twinkies.

Hug an Australian Day could equally be known as “Show Some Love and Appreciation to Australian Friends Day”. Wouldn’t like quite as good on a t-shirt, though, would it? Likewise, very few people would be interested in typing out that URL.

History of Hug an Australian Day

Despite being a fun and lighthearted celebration, Hug an Australian Day is actually a copyrighted holiday. The annual event was launched by Thomas and Ruth Roy, who are the co-founders of Wellcat.com too. The couple are behind dozens of fun and crazy events and vacation ideas like The Monitor Liberation Day, Answer Your Cat’s Question Day, Yell ‘Fudge’ at the Cobras in North America Day, Take Your Houseplants for a Walk Day, and more. So, the Australian-hugging day is actually a pretty tame idea by their standards.

The day was launched by the pair simply with the humble goal “to show our great appreciation for all the love and support the Aussies have given us over the years” and has grown at a rapid rate in conjunction with one of the most popular times in the year for visiting the land Down Under. It started out relatively small scale but has gained major press in recent years while the word has spread particularly fast on social media and other online channels.

Participants of the annual event are advised to spoil Australian friends with Koala bear or kangaroo toys and imported snacks. However, it’s a great excuse for individuals to stock up on those items for themselves. As well as a day of appreciation, it can be a day of discovery. The day is also a family-friendly event that enables kids to teach their kid about all things Australia too – thank the internet gods for YouTube.

The day is now celebrated by millions of people across several countries and continents while it additionally gains a fair level of interest in Australia too. The history of the celebration is still in its infancy, but there’s no doubt that people are increasingly aware of everything the day stands for.

How to celebrate Hug an Australian Day

There’s no prizes for guessing the answer to this one. The clue is in the title; hugging an Australian is the best way to celebrate by far. Anyone thinking it’ll be Kylie should be so Lucky, Lucky, Lucky, but it shouldn’t take long to find a friend, colleague, or distant relative that fits the bill.

Anyone wanting to capture the magic of the Australian fixation of the 1980s can build their day’s activities around all things Australian. Whack on the Kylie CD, watch Crocodile Dundee or Steve Irwin, open a tin of Foster’s or Castlemaine XXXX, and go play with a boomerang in the garden. Hug an Australian Day does require an Ozzie to complete the obvious task. However, it is possible to celebrate the people and culture of the land Down Under all alone if preferred – or with non-Australian friends.

Others will create artistic homages to Australia or wear the flag, potentially as a face paint design. Whichever way it is celebrated, the #HuganAustralianDay hashtag will trend on social media throughout the day.

Australia is a highly popular once-in-a-lifetime holiday destination too. When combined with the pleasant climate and off-peak pricing, an increasing number of people plan their visits to Australia around the event. The atmosphere on the day itself is certain to be a winner, while the memories created during that time exploring the Outback are incredible.

There’s no one right or wrong way to celebrate the annual event. However, it is important to take the feelings of the recipients into account. The universally accepted protocol is to say “happy Hug an Australian Day” before asking whether they’re happy to be hugged. Simple.