National Red Mitten Day

I was so proud to have the chance to be able to represent Canada at the Olympics in Vancouver.

Patrick Chan

If you want to take part in a historical tradition, then why not do it with National Red Mitten Day. This day is all about supporting Canadian athletes and helping them prepare for the Olympics by buying red mittens to show off your Canadian pride. Wondering why such a day exists? Read more to learn about its history and see how you can celebrate it here.

History of National Red Mitten Day

It all began with the Hudson’s Bay Company, a Canadian retail business group that has been around since the 17th century as a fur trading company for the country of France. Although its history is extensive, its modern history involves its development and dive into general merchandise rather than fur trading. As it set up shops and acquired company locations all over Canada, its clothing retail investments started to increase. From there, the company became the official outfitters of clothing for Canada’s Olympic athletes throughout the past decade.

What does this have to do with red mittens? In 2010, HBC’s apparel for the 2010 Winter Olympics held in Vancouver proved to be extremely successful. Their success in part was due to the fact that Canada was the host country for the Winter Olympics as well as their athletes had a record medal haul. One of their pieces of apparel was their “Red Mittens”, which were red and white mittens featuring a large maple leaf. Sold for $10 CAD, the mittens helped create a successful business for HBC and as a result, one-third of the proceeds went to the Canadian Olympic Committee. Since then, Red Mittens Day is a day that has helped celebrate the most pride for Canadian Olympic pride.

How to celebrate National Red Mitten Day

If you are a fan of Canadian athletes and wish to support them in the Olympics, then go online and try and purchase these famous gloves. If you can’t find them or find them too expensive, you can always learn how to knit red mittens and design your own so you can continue your support for Canada. You can also celebrate the holiday by sharing the news of it with your friends. Use the hashtag #redmittensday and let your friends know what day it is on your favorite social media websites and share your Canadian pride.