Shades Day

Shades Day is the Family Holiday Association’s national fundraising and awareness day, when we encourage everyone to wear a pair of shades, no matter if the weather chooses to cooperate or not!

History of Shades Day

Many families with dependent children are living paycheck to paycheck and cannot afford to take even a one week holiday away from work to have a rest or dip their toes in some water. The UK group Family Holiday Charity, is a non-profit organization that raises funds to help provide holidays for those families who couldn’t otherwise afford to take one.

The Family Holiday Charity recognizes that families need a break. Many of the kids from these families can’t remember the last time they saw their mom smile or have never had a family vacation. This charity established Shades Day as an important opportunity for folks around the UK to show support for families who need support to go on a holiday.

Shades Day was intentionally placed on the closest Friday to the UN’s International Day of the Family, and the day it is important to recognize that thousands of struggling families across the country never enjoy even the simplest break away from home.

So dig out that pair of sunglasses and get ready to participate in Shades Day, because it all goes to support a worthy cause!

How to Celebrate Shades Day

Shades Day is a fun and easy time to get involved in helping families in need to receive a much needed vacation from the pressures that are building up over time.

Raise Awareness for Shades Day

Get your friends, family and colleagues together and encourage everyone to dig out a pair of shades and make a donation in celebration of Shades Day. Garner attention by telling coworkers, shopworkers or other folks you randomly come across about Shades Day so they can get involved too. And don’t forget to share those snapshots with the world on social media to get even more involved in raising awareness for the day!

Host a Shades Day Event

In addition to raising awareness, perhaps it would be a good idea to also raise some financial support to donate to this good cause of helping families who need a break. Invite friends, family members or coworkers to participate in a fun-filled Shades Day to help grow the amount of support that is given to the Family Holiday Charity. Hold a bake sale, car wash, rummage sale or other fundraising event – all done while wearing sunglasses, of course!

Refer a Family for a Holiday

Those folks who live in the UK might want to consider referring a family who is in need of a holiday but hasn’t been able to get one. The Family Holiday Charity provides resources that remove barriers and allow mums, dads and kids to take a much needed break! Learn more about referring a family through the organization’s website. 

Help a Family

Perhaps it’s not possible to be the one who helps a family get an entire holiday to support them, but maybe it is possible to help out a little. Shades Day might act as a reminder that some parents of children could use a break once in a while. Especially those with single parents or grandparents who are full time caregivers for their grandchildren. Offer to babysit for a neighbor. Cook them a meal on a busy weeknight. Or help the kids with their homework. Sometimes just a little bit of help goes a long way!