National Anthem Day

No matter what nation you hail from, there’s a song that everyone knows, and that touches the heart of every member of your country from young to old. That song is your National Anthem, and it speaks of culture and history, and often the very identity of your nation.

In many nations the song is song every morning by school children, and in places like America it is actually sung to open certain sporting events, especially American Football. National Anthem Day is here to celebrate the National Anthems of the world, from the obscure and forgotten to the ones that ring out every day.

How to Celebrate National Anthem Day

National Anthem Day is by far one of the easiest, and potentially the most fun, holidays to celebrate.

Learn About the National Anthem

It all starts at home, do the research to determine what your nation’s National Anthem is, and then take the time to learn all about it and its history.

Sing the National Anthem

Find out how it’s sung and when, if there are any hidden verses that you may not know about (It’s customary in use for only the first one or two verses to be used, but both “God Save The Queen” and The American National Anthem contain verses not often sung.)

Listen to Different Versions

Hop online to YouTube, Spotify or some other platform where a quick search will offer up a number of different versions of the song. Then listen to identify which is your favorite!

National Anthem day is your opportunity to learn a little bit more about your nation’s history, and perhaps to exhibit a little bit of pride in its history.

History of National Anthem Day

The origin of National Anthem Day is actually in the United States, where Francis Scott Key wrote the anthem for that fledgling nation while Fort McHenry was under assault by British forces. He himself was in the bay on a military vessel, and saw the entire assault happen.

It is from these events that some of the key imagery in the song originated, the ‘bombs bursting in air’. Of course, his time as a military man lent more to the tune itself, which was an old tavern song popular in the day.

Some nations, such as England, don’t actually have an official national anthem. Strange as this may seem, the people of the nation have adopted a song as their anthem. In the places where most national anthems would stand in, the song “God Save The Queen” is used, and that’s why you’ll hear it sung during sporting events and official events. Of course the UK is tricky in this case, given that it actually comprises not one but three Kingdoms, and each has its own anthem of preference!

But, typically, you can tell what song a country considered to be their national anthem when one of their athletes wins a gold in the Olympics because it is played in their honor!