Before Valentines Day, 'Hug A Tall Person Day' Is February 11th.

Valentine's Day is this Sunday. It's one of the most celebrated days of the year, especially among sweethearts young and old. It would be a pretty safe bet that along with an exchange of gifts, perhaps some chocolates, flowers, jewelry or bottle of wine, and a romantic dinner, that someone will warmly embrace someone else.

But wait, there is another, perhaps lesser-known day of honor which is commemorated on February 11th, as almost a 'warm-up' for the festivities on the 14th. I'm speaking of 'Hug A Tall Person Day'.

Alright, so, there seem to be several special designations of varying significance for any day of the year. The origin of 'Hug A Tall Person Day' is not exactly clear, but the best source of information I found was on the website: tallslimtees.com. Here, they explain:

Back in 2011, a group on Facebook with more than 1.2 million members worldwide declared February 11 to be international “Hug a Tall Person Day” and somehow it stuck. It appears that the voice of the people was heard. The group defined tall as 6′ plus for men and 5'10″ plus for women.

Great news! I'm 6'3" so I'll likely be fighting people off with a stick, provided this days' designation is widely publicized and observed. During this time where the pandemic we're facing is requiring us to be more careful than normal, wearing masks and keeping our distances, we, the tall, may well have to settle for virtual hugs. Better than nothing I guess.

Here's a fun video I discovered on YouTube which provides ample instruction for those who are puzzled about how to participate in the hugging of a tall person, especially those who may be vertically challenged.