After celebrating the winter holiday season, it seems odd that we need a day to remember the importance of Handwriting. Many of us recently spent time writing holiday cards by hand and signing tags on presents we gave to our family and friends.

Besides the holiday season, there aren’t many days that we appreciate writing by hand. As technology becomes more and more interwoven with our daily lives, the less we find ourselves using our hands to communicate.

When was the last time you signed a genuine signature on the machine at a checkout counter? The truth is, technology encourages us to try less and less to perfect our handwriting.

Fortunately, we have National Handwriting Day on January 23rd to pull us out of such a lazy state!

So, What is National Handwriting Day?

National Handwriting Day is one day every year dedicated to celebrating the art of writing by hand, whether by pen, pencil, marker, crayon or ink. The day was established to give us pause on how writing has shaped history throughout the years, the inventions that celebrate the written word and how we still apply our handwriting skills today.

Why Does National Handwriting Day Exist?

It became quickly apparent to the members of the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association (WIMA) back in 1977 that our society would soon depend more on technology and less on the pen to communicate.

“Though computers and email play an important role in our lives,” said David Baker, executive director of WIMA, “nothing will ever replace the sincerity and individualism expressed through the handwritten word.”

The organization established the day so that at least one day a year, we remember the importance of writing by hand.

Why is National Handwriting Day on January 23?

The 23rd of January is also the birthday of a man with a famous signature: John Hancock. Because he was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence – with the largest signature – WIMA decided it was fitting to make both days coincide.

How Can I Participate?

There are many ways that you can participate on National Handwriting Day:

• Practice your cursive handwriting
• Write a story or a poem by hand
• Learn how to be ambidextrous
• Teach someone how to write
• Write letters or postcards to your family and friends
• Learn the history of the different fonts we write in, from Old English to Comic Sans
• Share your signature on social media with the hashtag #NationalHandwritingDay

For more ideas on how to participate in National Day on Writing, visit WIMA’s website.

How do you plan on celebrating National Handwriting Day? Share your plans below.