Friendship Month

Things are never quite as scary when you’ve got a best friend.

Bill Watterson (Creator of Calvin and Hobbes comics)

Almost every one of us relies on their friends in one way or another, at some time of life or another. Most of us require at least one friendship to help us feel emotionally happy and socially fulfilled. Friendship Month is all about highlighting the importance of what friends mean and celebrating what friendship brings to all of our lives every day!

Friendship Month is something you can recognize privately by spending more time with your friends and appreciating them. Or even getting back in touch with people who you used to be friends with but have since lost touch with.

For other people, Friendship Month is an opportunity to reach out to new people and make friends with them. We’re never too old to make new friends and that’s something that more people are now realizing; in part, thanks to Friendship Month.

History of Friendship Month

It’s now been 10 years since Friendship Month started and many new friendships have been forged in that time. Taking time to honor friendships during the month has also encouraged many people to finally reach out to old friends they’ve been meaning to reconnect with for a long time.

Friendship Month began with the intervention of some people known as The Oddfellows. They are officially known as The Grand United Order of Oddfellows Friendly Society (GUOOFS), an international fraternity that is believed to have been established in 1730s England.

Odd Fellows came up with the idea of Friendship Month to bring people together and help people to beat loneliness by meeting other people looking for new friendships. It continues to thrive and it’s no surprise when you consider just how important these social ties are to us all.

How to Celebrate Friendship Month

Friendship Month is in September, which gives everyone 30 exciting days that are filled with opportunities to celebrate everything that is amazing about Friendship! Try the following ideas to get started. Of course, it’s also possible to celebrate Friendship Month in your own ways, with your friends, or with family who also function as friends.

Join an OddFellows Activity

People can usually expect there to be a wide range of activities and events organized by Oddfellows that it’s easy to get involved with from just about anywhere in the world! These involve meeting new people and having interactions with all kinds of people from all kinds of places. It’s a fun and safe way to meet new people and everyone is in the same situation.

A relaxed atmosphere is created and there’s lots of tea to drink too! You’ll have a good time and meet regulars who attend each year. Oddfellows has also connected with the Campaign to End Loneliness, an initiative that works to help people make connections that can turn into friendships. It’s a delightful way to get involved in celebrating Friendship Month.

Tell a Friends How Much They Are Appreciated

Social connections can keep problems at bay and ensure that people are happier and more well balanced as they move through life one day at a time. It’s important to stop from time to time and recognize the impact of friendships to be sure that they aren’t underappreciated or taken for granted.

It might not be a Hallmark holiday, but Friendship Month is still a great time to send a hand-written card to someone to tell them what a good friend they are. Other ideas might include taking a friend out to lunch or a movie, enjoying a favorite activity together, or just inviting them over to hang out. Whatever is done, spending time with friends is probably the very best way to celebrate the essence of Friendship Month!

Reconnect with an Old Friend

As mentioned above, contacting old friends and having a long-awaited meetup is a nice thing to do during Friendship Month. It’s easy to lose contact with old friends, but it can be just as easy to get back in touch once again.

Friendship Month is certainly the ideal time to try to reconnect with friends who have become distant over time. Social Media sites such as Facebook and Instagram make it even easier to get connected with those who have faded away over the years. Just post on a wall or send out a private message and remind that person how much they were appreciated when they were in your life.

Make New Friends

In addition to connecting with old friends, Friendship Month might be a great time to make new ones. Meeting new people in a safe and comfortable setting is easy with the help of the events hosted during Friendship Month by Oddfellows, so don’t hesitate to make the most of those opportunities.

Be Kind to Others

Another simple but effective way to meet new people is simply to be aware and attentive to the humanness of other people. In the rush of daily life, it’s easy to overlook the human behind the teller at the bank, the person taking a fast food order, or the cashier at the grocery store.

Taking just an extra moment to offer a smile, give a kind word, or ask how their day is going can make all the difference in helping someone feel loved. Why knows? They might even turn into a new and lasting friendship! Friendship Month is a great time to create the new habit of always looking to find a friend in anyone that might be nearby. A lot of things change in life, but one thing that never goes away and never loses its importance is friendship. We all need it and we all cherish it. The time we spend with friends is vitally important and those are the times we value most of all. Celebrating Friendship Month is the perfect way to remember and make time for friendships that mean so much in life!