‘NATIONAL HANDSHAKE DAY” | Grandma’s Stories

Jun 25th ‘NATIONAL HANDSHAKE DAY”

NATIONAL HANDSHAKE DAY - Last Thursday in June

On the last Thursday of June each year, people across the nation observe National Handshake Day.

Of all the various forms of greeting, the handshake is perhaps one of the most ancient.

The origin of the handshake is hard to pinpoint. As it is a non-verbal mode of communication, it may have existed before written records. Theories suggest it was a way for medieval knights, Roman soldiers, and other weapon-carrying men to check for hidden daggers by grasping each other’s forearms in greeting.

Archaeological ruins in ancient Greece support this theory. The funerary stele depicts two soldiers shaking hands and dates back to the 5th century BC.

An even older record in Egypt suggests the handshake held a different sort of power – the power of giving. According to Babylonian custom, kings would grasp the hand of the statue of the god Marduk before taking the throne. This act was repeated annually during the festival of Zagmuk to carry his power over into the next year. Even conquering Assyria continued the tradition.

As during ancient times, modern-day handshakes have different customs around the world. Women didn’t usually carry weapons and therefore didn’t shake hands as a form of greeting. In the United States, Russia, Australia, Brazil, and the United Kingdom handshakes tend to be firm, but even those with firm greetings have lingering differences. However, in most Asian countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea, the grip is light, and there should be no direct eye contact. However, in the Philippines, they make eye contact while keeping the hold light.

Then there are the secret handshakes, those elaborate greetings signaling membership in a group, club, or society. One of the more famous societies known to use secret handshakes is the Freemasons.

HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL HANDSHAKE DAY

Shake the hand of at least one person that you would not have on any other day. You may just want to wish them a good day while doing so. It’s also a day to perfect your handshake. A grip that’s too firm may come off as aggressive, and one too weak may seem insincere. What impression are you trying to make?

Are you looking for alternative ways to offer greetings? Check out what our Ambassador, Priscilla Subrmaniyam of Positivity Pass it On shared with us:

Or you can try a silly approach.

Use #NationalHandshakeDay on social media.

HISTORY OF NATIONAL HANDSHAKE DAY

Miryam Roddy, on behalf of BRODY Professional Development, founded National Handshake Day. “This gesture is key to 1st impressions & relationships,” says Roddy regarding handshakes. The day has been observed since at least 2005.