January 11 National Days

January 11, 2026, is the 11th day of the year, with 354 days remaining, and it falls on a Sunday in the second week of the year.

This date brings together many meaningful observances. It marks the release of the 1964 U.S. Surgeon General’s report that reshaped public understanding of smoking, celebrates a hot toddy as a traditional winter remedy, commemorates the first home delivery of milk in sterilized glass bottles, and encourages families to reconnect by reviving the tradition of Sunday dinner.

Below is a list of all 15 national and international days observed on January 10, each explained briefly.

National & International Days on January 11

Cigarettes Are Hazardous to Your Health Day marks the release of the 1964 U.S. Surgeon General’s report that first confirmed smoking causes serious disease and shifted tobacco use into a public health issue in the United States. Broader global action today is led by World No Tobacco Day on May 31, coordinated by the World Health Organization and observed in more than 190 countries.

🖨️ To support quitting efforts, a free 30-day no-smoking tracker is available to help people stay motivated and track progress day by day.

Cigarettes Are Hazardous to Your Health Day

International Parity at Work Day promotes workplace equality and fair treatment across gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, and ability. Founded in 2017 by Ishreen Bradley, creator of the Parity Pioneers Movement, the observance highlights fair pay—alongside Equal Pay Day on September 18—inclusive work cultures, and the need to accelerate progress toward parity, which the World Economic Forum has warned could otherwise take generations to achieve.

International Thank You Day encourages people to express gratitude to those who positively influence their personal and professional lives. The observance is widely credited to Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith, a Chicago-based eventologist who established the modern version of the day in 1994 as part of her series of “holidates.” She envisioned it as a meaningful occasion focused on gratitude, well-being, and stronger social connections, originally designed as a week-long celebration in mid-January.

National Arkansas Day celebrates Arkansas, the 25th state to join the United States in 1836, and highlights its heritage, landscapes, and natural resources. Founded in 2017, the observance draws attention to what makes the “Natural State” distinctive, from the Buffalo National River, the first national river in the country, to its mountains, forests, and hot springs. Arkansas is also home to the only active diamond mine in the United States and to Mount Ida, known as the Quartz Crystal Capital of the World for its high-quality quartz deposits.

National Girl Hug Boy Day offers girls and women an opportunity to hug the boys and men they care about and show affection that is often overlooked in a fast-paced, digital world. Celebrated since the late 2010s, the day encourages warm, respectful connections between friends, family members, and partners and is often seen as a lead-in to broader observances such as National Hugging Day on January 21.

National Hot Toddy Day celebrates the classic warm drink associated with winter and often used as a home remedy for sore throats and congestion. A hot toddy is typically made with whiskey (or rum or brandy), hot water, honey, and lemon. Its origins date back to the 18th century and are often traced either to Scottish medicinal tonics or to a British adaptation of an Indian palm-sap drink known as “taddy.”

National Learn Your Name in Morse Code Day introduces people to Morse code, an early communication system that uses dots and dashes to represent letters. Created by the Brownielocks holiday website, the day is observed on January 11 to mark the 1838 public demonstration of the electric telegraph by Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail. Its purpose is to keep Morse code from being forgotten by encouraging people of all ages to learn it in an easy and fun way, starting with spelling their own names, while showing how this simple system once transformed communication and is still used in emergencies today.

National Milk Day is a U.S. observance that marks the 1878 introduction of sealed, sterilized milk delivery, a change that made milk safer and more reliable for households. The day also recognizes milk’s role in everyday diets and the work of dairy farmers who support its production. It is separate from UN’s World Milk Day that takes place on June 1.

National Milk Day

National Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day celebrates carefree fun and encourages people, especially children and the young-at-heart adults, to enjoy a bit of outdoor mischief. The day offers an excuse to splash in puddles, if you can find one during the cold, often icy days of January. The observance has been mentioned online since at least 1998 and became more widely recognized after appearing in the 2012 Children’s Book-a-Day Almanac and later on national day calendars.

National Sunday Supper Day* (Second Sunday in January) was founded in 2012 by Isabel Laessig, who created the Sunday Supper Movement after realizing how meaningful shared family meals were when her oldest daughter left for college. The day encourages families to slow down, unplug from distractions, and reconnect over a home-cooked meal, reviving the tradition of Sunday dinner as a way to strengthen relationships and create lasting memories. It also marks the start of National Sunday Supper Month, which continues throughout January.

Paget’s Awareness Day raises awareness of Paget’s disease of bone, the second most common metabolic bone disorder after osteoporosis. Founded by the Paget’s Association, the day was first observed on January 11, 2019, marking the 205th anniversary of the birth of Sir James Paget, who first described the condition in 1877. Because the disease often shows few early symptoms, it is frequently missed or misdiagnosed, even though it can cause pain, bone deformities, and fractures if untreated. The observance focuses on early diagnosis, research, and better understanding of long-term management for patients and healthcare professionals.

Secret Pal Day encourages people to show kindness and appreciation anonymously to friends, coworkers, or members of their community. Often observed in schools, workplaces, and volunteer groups, the day involves sending secret notes of support, cards, or small gifts to brighten someone’s day. Its focus is on strengthening connections and practice generosity without expecting recognition in return.

World Sketchnote Day celebrates sketchnoting, a visual note-taking method that mixes words, drawings, and symbols to help people understand and remember information. The day was founded in 2016 by the Sketchnote Army, led by Mike Rohde, who coined the term “sketchnote,” with the idea inspired by Mauro Toselli. January 11 (1/11) was chosen because the three ones resemble pens, the essential tools of sketchnoting.

National Human Trafficking Awareness Day raises awareness of modern-day slavery and the exploitation of vulnerable people worldwide. It was established in 2007 by the U.S. Senate through a resolution led by Dianne Feinstein, John Cornyn, Barack Obama, and Dick Lugar. The day focuses on educating the public about the warning signs of human trafficking, including forced labor and sex trafficking, while encouraging support for survivors and stronger laws. It also serves as a key observance within National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, recognized each January in the United States.

No Longer New Year’s Day marks the informal end of the New Year’s holiday period. It signals a shift away from extended “Happy New Year” greetings and encourages people to move fully out of holiday mode and back into regular routines.