National Open An Umbrella Indoors Day

Everybody knows that opening an umbrella indoors is supposed to be bad luck.

But is there any truth behind this age-old superstition? Fortunately for those spending sleepless nights pondering this question, there is actually a wacky holiday dedicated to finding out the truth!

History of National Open An Umbrella Indoors Day

Whether it’s called by a nickname such as brolly, canopy, or parasol, an umbrella offers protection from the elements of nature.

Most traditionally, it protects people from getting wet in the rain, but it’s also useful for protection from the sun as well as a light snowfall.

The idea of using a piece of fabric, a canopy, or even large leaves to protect oneself from the weather dates back many centuries.

It is thought that the ancient Egyptians, Romans, Chinese, Greeks and other cultures made use of some variation of the umbrella. In fact, the concept that opening an umbrella inside might bring bad luck might be traced to the Ancient Egyptians who believed that this action would offend their sun god.

On the other hand, it’s quite possible that some mother somewhere came up with the idea simply to keep her child from poking his sister’s eye out!

The aptly-named National Open An Umbrella Indoors Day was introduced in 2003 by a man called Thomas Knibb. Knibb allegedly hoped to defy silly superstitions by encouraging people to open their umbrellas indoors and observe the (non-existent) consequences.

So now is the time to put superstitions aside, engage in some more logical thinking and celebrate National Open An Umbrella Indoors Day just for the fun of it!

How to Celebrate National Open An Umbrella Indoors Day

The best thing about this bizarre day is that anybody can take part! Consider some of these fun ways of engaging with the National Open An Umbrella Indoors Day:

Open An Umbrella Indoors

The most blatantly obvious way to enjoy this day is unbelievably easy! Just follow these four simple steps:

1. Find an umbrella and check that you are, indeed, located indoors.
2. Position yourself in a place that is clear of breakable objects and/or people who value their eyesight.
3. Take a deep breath, grasp the umbrella handle firmly with one hand and open the umbrella with the other hand.
4. Observe any bad luck that occurs in the following days or weeks.

Note: People who take part in this holiday do so at their own risk.

While in the process of discovering the results of this situation, some extremely brave people might also want to follow up the experiment with breaking a mirror or letting a black cat cross their paths.

Buy a New Umbrella

More than just purely functional anymore, umbrellas can also function as a fun accessory that reveals just a bit of personality.

Choose an umbrella in a color or design that is fitting to a particular style. Buy one that matches a raincoat, trenchcoat or other outerwear. Or just get one with fun patterns and prints because it’s trendy and brings a smile.

Not in need of an umbrella at the moment? That’s okay. Perhaps it would be appropriate to give the gift of an umbrella to a friend or family member in celebration of National Open an Umbrella Indoors Day!

Listen to Some Umbrella-Related Songs

Put a little spring in that step when celebrating National Open An Umbrella Indoors Day at work or at home. Create a little playlist and enjoy some song titles that are easy to sing along to and make a perfect soundtrack for the day. Perhaps it would be fun to do a little dancing with an umbrella – opened indoors, of course.

Get started on a playlist on Spotify or Apple Music with some of these delightful song titles:

• Umbrella by Rhianna (2007)
• Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head by B.J. Thomas (1969)
• Singin’ in the Rain by Gene Kelly (1952)
• Blue Umbrella by John Prine (1973)

Facts About National Open an Umbrella Indoors Day

Parasols Began as a Status Symbol, Not a Rain Shield

The earliest umbrellas were actually parasols used for shade and social display, not for keeping dry.

In ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, canopies of palm leaves, feathers, or cloth were held over rulers in processions to mark rank and protect from the sun, and similar status parasols later appeared in Assyria, Greece, and Rome before the rainproof umbrella evolved.  

How Ancient China Turned Parasols into Collapsible Umbrellas

Ancient China is credited with some of the first truly waterproof and collapsible umbrellas.

By around the first millennium BCE, craftspeople were coating paper or silk with oil, wax, or lacquer to repel rain and engineering frames with multiple ribs and sliding mechanisms so the canopy could fold, a concept that underlies modern folding umbrellas.  

Religious Power and the Sacred Umbrella

In several Asian religious traditions, an umbrella symbolizes divine protection and authority rather than mere shelter.

In Hinduism and Buddhism, parasols held above deities, relics, or high-ranking clergy mark sacred status, and in some Buddhist iconography a tiered umbrella above the Buddha represents spiritual sovereignty over the earthly realm.  

From Ladies’ Sunshade to Everyday Accessory in Europe

In classical Greece and later in Rome, parasols were closely associated with women and elite leisure, used mainly to preserve pale skin and carried by servants.

They fell out of favor for centuries in parts of Europe, only to reappear in the 17th and 18th centuries as fashionable ladies’ sunshades before eventually becoming a practical unisex rain accessory in the 19th century.  

Umbrellas Indoors Really Can Be Hazardous

While the superstition focuses on “bad luck,” real data show that umbrellas are a genuine injury risk, especially in confined spaces.

A Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit study in Australia recorded nearly 100 emergency department visits over four years for umbrella-related injuries, more than half from people being hit, struck, or crushed, with several cases occurring in homes, cafes, or other indoor settings.  

A Modern Umbrella Innovation: Steel Ribs Changed Everything

The familiar compact rain umbrella only became practical after the invention of steel ribs in the 19th century.

English manufacturer Samuel Fox is often credited with popularizing the use of thin, flexible steel supports, which made umbrellas lighter, less bulky, and more durable than the earlier whalebone or wooden-ribbed versions that could be awkward and dangerous to open in tight indoor spaces.

Japanese Wagasa Umbrellas Blended Ritual and Everyday Life 

Traditional Japanese paper umbrellas, known as wagasa, emerged between the Heian and Kamakura periods and initially appeared in religious and aristocratic contexts, sometimes shading Buddhist statues or high-ranking figures.

Over time they spread into theater, festivals, and daily use, becoming both a practical rain or sun cover and a cultural symbol associated with elegance and ceremony.