National Garfield the Cat Day
Settle in with some coffee and lasagna as a nod to the pop culture icon Garfield, the cat who captured our hearts first as a comic strip, then in movies and more.
Garfield is a famous, fun-loving, fictional cat from the famous comic strip Garfield which was created by writer Jim Davies. The character was named after Jim Davis’ grandfather, John Arbuckle and his lovable pet dog Odie. In the comic strip, a beagle named Odie makes a regular appearance as Garfield’s co-character. Apparently, Odie (who has his own day in August) was originally owned by John’s roommate before John decided to adopt the cute canine as his own.
History of Garfield the Cat
Many people don’t know this, but the world-renowned comic strip featuring Garfield is set in Muncie, Indiana. Muncie, Indiana has a population of around 70,000, but the cat population of the city currently remains undiscovered (shall we try and find out?!). Jim Davis is said to have taken all of the human faculties, that we do not like discussing and anthropomorphized them in our ginger friend. Seems like it was a good idea as Garfield the Cat is now well-recognized in households all over the world.
Garfield, the ginger-furred feline comes with an array of endearing and exciting qualities. His adventures are memorable and his distinctive personality makes him one of the most lovable furry friends in cartoon history. You may not know some of the facts mentioned here; Garfield The Cat certainly has a whole lot of history!
So why is June 19 the day we celebrate Garfield the cat? Well, on this day, in 1978 the first publication of Garfield, which chronicles the life of the lead character was released.
Garfield The Cat Loves Food and Hates Mondays, But Who Doesn’t?!
Within the comic strips, some of the topical subjects focused on are obsessive eating, love for consuming food, and a distaste of Mondays (does anybody really enjoy Monday though?!). His absolute favorite food is lasagna and many people recognize this as his signature trait. He also regularly expresses his hatred for going on diets and getting up early. He is well known for his lazy attitude and is also a self-confessed coffee addict! Food and laziness definitely make Garfield distinctive compared to other famous cartoon cats over the world.
Garfield doesn’t just love to eat food but he also has a handful of cookbooks too. One of the most popular Garfield recipe books is called “Garfield – Recipes with Cattitude.” Some of the recipes in the book include lasagna (of course), pizza, meatball subs, potato salad, banana berry smoothie, the very best stuffing, smoky grilled corn, garlic oven friend, crispy bacon breadsticks and much more! Which recipe would you choose to try out first if you got your hands on Garfield the Cat’s famous cookbook?
Garfield The Cat Holds a World Record and Is a Bestseller!
You can see publications of Garfield in nearly 3000 newspapers, magazines, and online journals. Garfield the cat also actually holds the Guinness world record for being the world’s most widely syndicated comic strip too, which is pretty impressive!
Garfield has also been translated into seven languages and is well-recognized across many countries all over the world. In Sweden, Garfield is officially called Gustav. Finland and Norway also switched up the fun-loving felines name to reflect the local values and knowledge.
The popular book “Garfield At Large” made the New York Times bestseller list for two years. This was a major accomplishment and milestone for Garfield the Cat. The book was originally published by Ballantine Books in the United States in 1980. At one point there were seven on this list at the same time, which meant that the way the list was done had to be changed. Publishing houses were sending in complaints as other authors couldn’t get on the list due to Garfield the cat!
How to Celebrate Garfield The Cat Day
When celebrating Garfield the Cat day why not dress up as the cat himself? Organize a dress-up day at work where everybody has to come as a character from the well-known comic strip. You could donate the money raised to a local charity and make it a real event! Alternatively, you could set up a local competition whereby youngsters test out their artistic skills by drawing a three-frame cartoon strip based on Garfield.
Another way to observe Garfield the Cat day is to enjoy watching the original movie while eating lasagna and drinking coffee! You could use a hashtag on social media to spread your love of Garfield the Cat throughout online platforms. You could even treat yourself to some brand-new Garfield the cat merchandise such as a new notebook, pajamas or t-shirt.
All of these ideas are excellent ways to celebrate Garfield the cat. Spread the word to your family and friends if they aren’t already aware of this unique holiday. It may become a tradition that you never forget; Garfield the cat would be proud at the impact he has made on this day every single year!
Hopefully these fun and informative insights on Garfield the car has reignited your love for this plump, ginger feline. You could use Garfield the cat day to reminisce on your favorite comic strips or watch the movie with your closest family and friends.
