National Hug Day or National Hugging Day is an annual holiday created by Rev. Kevin Zaborney. It occurs on January 21 and is officially recognized by the Hugging Committee of the City of London, as well as the United States Copyright Office, but is not a public holiday. The holiday was launched on January 21, 1986 in Clio, Michigan, USA, and has since spread globally. The purpose for the holiday is to encourage everyone to hug family and friends more often. Reverend Zaborney cautions to ask first if one is unsure of the response. While National Hugging Day and the Free Hugs Campaign share many similarities, there is no actual association between the two. Whether you hug a family member or a friend or a stranger, the mental and physical health benefits are the same.

Kevin Zaborney is credited for creating the holiday in 1986. The date of January 21 was chosen because it marks a midpoint between Christmas and Valentine’s Day, where people are figured to be at their emotional low. The holiday was created because Reverend Zaborney felt like Americans are embarrassed to show their feelings in public and hoped that a National Hugging Day would change that.