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National Handshake Day

When is National Handshake Day

About National Handshake Day

When is National Handshake Day? This holiday is celebrated on the last Thursday in June

Today is National Handshake Day. It celebrates the handshake in all of its forms, as a way of greeting, and in a business where professionals around the world, “seal the deal” with a handshake, before putting the agreement into writing.  Your handshake is your first impression. It is a sign of peacefulness and agreement is used around the world.

People have been shaking hands for thousands of years. A form of shaking hands dates back to at least 5,000 B.C. Roman soldiers and medieval knights shook hands, to check the forearms of their opponents for daggers and other hidden weapons. Handshakes are used around the world upon meeting or greeting someone. It is a universal sign of friendship. There are countless examples of the use of a warm handshake to disarm wary adversaries or end feuds and battles. Native Americans incorporate the handshake in “blood brother” rituals. 

All Kinds of Handshakes

Is there a right way or a wrong way to shake hands? We will stay out of this debate. But, we will admit there certainly is a wide variety of handshaking styles.

In Western culture, a strong, firm handshake is the most common. In business, the professional handshake consists of one to two pumps, with a firm, hard grip.  It generally indicates a strong, positive, successful, and determined individual. In a variation of this, the “military” handshake is quite similar, adding a vice grip-like squeeze to display the strength of the individual. Outside of business, a handshake with the ladies is usually quite light and almost dainty. With that said a businesswoman may well pride herself in a strong, firm shake of the hand. Other handshake variations include the “wild pump”, with fast and excessive shaking of hands. And, let’s not forget the wimpy or fishy shake. Not all cultures prefer a firm handshake. For example, in Asian culture, a light handshake is the norm.

Clubs and societies have historically had their “secret” handshakes consisting of any number of twists and moves in contact with open or closed hands, elbow, or forearm contacts. When it comes to secret handshakes, kids are very creative.

Modern Hand Shakes? More recent times have brought newer forms of handshakes, or ways of greeting. They include high fives, low fives, and the fairly recent “fist bumps”. With the advent of the COVID-19 Coronavirus in early 2020, the “elbow bump” was substituted for handshakes or other forms of greeting to minimize physical contact and the spread of the disease.

How to Celebrate National Handshake Day

Here are some ideas on how to celebrate National Handshake Day:

  • Give a firm handshake to people you meet.
  • When you agree with someone, shake on it.
  • Practice your handshake. make it firm, by not crushing. 
Handshake Day

Today's Quote

“here is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.” – – Thomas Aquinas

History and Origin of National Handshake Day

This special holiday was created by Miryam Roddy of Brody Professional Development in Jenkintown, PA. This holiday was created around 2005.

There is no congressional order or presidential proclamation.

Definition of “National” Days – and why it is important to distinguish true National days.



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