National Hug Day occurs on January 21st every year. It was launched
by Reverend Kevin Zaborney in 1986 in his home state of Michigan (USA).
National
Hug Day is now also celebrated in Canada, Russia and China.
Did you know that French couples hug three times more than American couples do? It's true that Americans are often quite embarrassed about showing their feelings, even to the people they know. The idea of National Hug Day is to encourage people to express their affection by hugging their friends and the members of their family.
Hugging is also a good thing because there are mental and physical health
benefits: it can help build a good immune system, it decreases the levels of stress
and the risk of heart disease, and it also lowers blood pressure and heart rate.
January is a month when people often feel a bit depressed, so it was a
good idea to choose the middle of that month for this annual event.
Don’t forget: you should ask
first before hugging anyone!
Questions:
- Do you like hugs?!
- What is the idea of National Hug Day?
- In which year was it founded, by whom and where?
- In which countries is it now celebrated?
- How do you explain that the Chinese now celebrate this day?
- What are the benefits of hugging?
- Why is this day not celebrated in France?
- Would you take part in a Free Hugs Campaign?!
- Could hugging campaigns help solve the problem of social isolation do you think?
- Are there other ways for people to help other people to feel less lonely do you think?
Assignement:
- Research the meaning of the following terms: social anxiety, social alienation, social exclusion, anomie.
- Explain in a comment to this blog post who, in the area you live in, is socially excluded and what, if anything, is being done about it.
- Write about the life of a lonely person you know about for your school webzine (do not use real names!) to raise awareness about loneliness.
Talking about British not touching each other, check this out!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaUPhZ1L_DE
Do you like hugs?!
ReplyDeleteYes, of course I do!
What is the idea of National Hug Day?
The idea is to encourage everyone to hug family and friends more often.
In which year was it founded, by whom and where?
In 1986, by Reverend Kevin Zaborney (an ordained minister of a church), in the state of Michigan.
In which countries is it now celebrated?
In the USA, Canada, Russia and China.
What are the benefits of hugging?
It is a nice way for you to show your family and friends you appreciate them. Hugging is also good for your mental and physical health.
Why is this day not celebrated in France?
In France, hugging is much more common, so we do not need to have a special day to encourage people to hug!
Would you take part in a Free Hugs Campaign (cf. link)?!
No, I think it is ridiculous, perhaps even risky, to hug someone you do not know.
Could hugging campaigns solve the problem of social isolation do you think?
It might raise awareness a little about a worrying aspect of our societies: the fact that people are finding it more and more difficult to be accepted as part of a group. Hugging strangers could actually make things worse though, reminding them that they have no real friends to hug!
Are there other ways for people to help other people to feel less lonely do you think?
There are telephone helplines for young people, elderly people, rape victims, and people who are feeling lonely or suicidal. There are plenty of clubs and charities too where people can meet up and help each other. Also, people can simply be more courteous, smile at others a bit more, and lend a helping hand now and again…
Assignement : 2. "Explain in a comment to this blog post who, in the area you live in, is socially excluded and what, if anything, is being done about it."
ReplyDeleteI think that we all know people who are socially excluded. Nowadays, we live in a materialistic society. Everything is done to make us consume more and more, to take care of our image and to be fashionable. Thus, it is easy to only think about us only. Moreover, you can be rejected only if you look a bit different. We set the norm from us : anybody who globally looks like us seems “normal” but if someone is different, then, it is more difficult to accept him. As a result, I think about all the people who are a bit eccentric by their styles, their personality or their way of living. But it is in the nature of the Humans to judge on the appearances first. And it has always been the case. There are several examples of what extremes it led to in History : the Apartheid from 1948 based on racism, the conflicts in Middle-East since 1945 due to religious differences, the extermination of handicapped people during the Second World War … And even nowadays, there are still debates such as the question of the gay marriage. It is only to show that people who are socially excluded are very numerous, and that there are many forms of exclusion. Just walk in the street and look around you : do you think that this old lady still has someone to talk to ? And this homeless person, is he/she considered to part of the society ? And this man, who tells you that he does have a job ? There are many ways to belong to the group of humans called “society”. But we often forgot that it can be very easy to be put away from it.
Fortunately, many associations or groups, such as les Restaus du Coeur act against this social exclusion. But you don’t need to be part of any association to do something. You can also act on your own by little things in the everyday life. Only a smile can make a person exist : you feel recognised and it gives cheerfulness. To me, the hug day is a very good idea because it allows people from very different walks of life, backgrounds and origins to meet. Thus, you can touch people mentally and physically. It is the metaphor of the link that is created at that moment. Moreover, it is very funny to participate to this kind of events because you can meet people that you would have maybe never met in any other context. Do you really often see an old lady and a young baba-cool hugging ?
Marion B. (TL Massillon)