All have had a “near miss” moment in life. Maybe the bus or ride almost missed the stop for boarding passengers. Or, maybe the food for the cookout may have almost been left behind at home while in a rush. Some near misses, however, are bigger than others. On Mar. 23, 1989, all on earth had a near miss experience of death–that the world JUST missed the opportunity to celebrate the anniversary of this year. 

Celebrated on Monday,  Mar. 23, this year, Near Miss Day originated in 1989. All it took was a mountain-sized asteroid–duly named 4581 Asclepius–to pass within 500,000 miles of earth…dun dun dun. It was a closer call to death than a visit by Mr. Grim Reaper himself! Fun fact: Asclepius is named after the Greek god of medicine. And, Henry E. Holt with his trusty partner in space, Norman G. Thomas, were the ones to discover it. Who would have known that asteroids may have actually been the culprit behind the extinction of dinosaurs–and certain humans–at some point in history. This day–Mar. 23–is definitely worth celebrating the appreciation of having another day on earth. Too bad most missed it!

Avery McFarland, a Sophomore at Elkhart High School, expresses her feelings on having just learned about this day. “I feel very fascinated by the information I have read in this text [about the topic].” Having had no idea what Near Miss Day was, she proceeds to add on. “I definitely feel that we should celebrate this as a holiday or event next year,” as it is a day humans are “blessed” with another day that should not be taken for granted. 

While the majority on this planet missed Near Miss Day, all can begin preparations now for how to celebrate it in 2027. The day could be celebrated by simply being thankful for life and the many chances each has ever been given–of course, celebrating with loved ones will make it more special! For those who love learning new information, facts, and possibly even science, this day is ideal for them. Learn more about asteroids, dinosaurs, other planets–or any other mystifying aspect in this galaxy. Or, take a minute to relax, read, and possibly inform others about such a nationally lucky miss, that is here year round . 

“I definitely think this [holiday] is something worth spreading around,” McFarland claims, noting that spreading “great awareness” on past events may remind people that anything can happen when least expected. 

However, there are many other fun “holidays” on the National Day Calendar  that can keep people busy until the end of time: Dueling Dinosaurs Day (Apr. 25), Star Wars Day (May 4), Upsy Daisy Day (Jun. 1), Fortune Cookie Day (July 20), and even Waffle Day (Aug. 24). But, when scrolling through the widely used TikTok app, one will soon discover that every day can be a day to celebrate “something” or “someone”–no matter if it is designated on a calendar.

Perusing the list, McFarland chose two that spoke to her. “I would celebrate Near Miss Day and Waffle Day. I love waffles!” she insists. “But, I also would like to take a day to appreciate the day that could have caused a big disastrous impact on the world, and spend it with people I love and care for most.”

An overall lesson or message can definitely be taken from this passage, and it is this: “Nothing in life is forever or for certain; celebrate everyday as if it is your last.” 

 In addition to the homespun holidays, here are also a few upcoming holidays that are marked on the world calendar for April:  

• April Fools Day–Wednesday,  Apr. 1, 2026
• Good Friday–Friday,  Apr. 3, 2026
• Easter–Sunday, Apr. 5, 2026
• Orthodox Easter–Sunday,  Apr. 12, 2026 
• Tax Day–Wednesday, Apr. 15, 2026
•  Earth Day–Wednesday,  Apr. 22, 2026