Even when life is challenging, work is hard or relationships are difficult, any day can be made just a little bit better with a smile or two. And that’s what Share a Smile Day is all about!

History of Share a Smile Day

Share a Smile Day has origins that date back to 1997, though obviously people have been smiling for much longer than that! This day was established with the purpose of creating opportunities for fostering a good mood and happiness throughout families, workplaces and communities. Finding its place on the calendar in early March, this time, after making it through to the end of winter is just when a smile is most welcome.

Smiles have the power to break down barriers of culture and language, since they don’t actually require any words at all. It’s not even necessary to bare teeth, because a smile can be subtle and natural. Plus, there’s not really any time commitment because a smile can easily be given on the go and in the moment, usually without any need to stop whatever activity is happening at the time.

Show some love and appreciation for someone close, like a family member or friend, or make the world a better place by smiling at random strangers or people encountered throughout the community on this day. No matter what, Share a Smile Day is sure to add some sunshine and bring a smile to many faces. Because everyone knows it is almost impossible not to smile back at someone who smiles at you!

While smiling is certainly something that can be done to make others in the world happy, it’s also an activity that benefits everyone – including the smiler. Smiling has actual physical health benefits, including relieving stress, reducing pain, preventing illness, lowering the blood pressure, and even allowing a person to live a longer life. So save the world – and save yourself– by engaging with Share a Smile Day, not only on this day but as a habit throughout the calendar year.

How to Celebrate Share a Smile Day

Have a perfect excuse to exercise those facial muscles just in time for Share a Smile Day! Bring some light and joy to a person’s day, including your own, by making a point of celebrating this day with some fun and delightful ideas, including these:

Share a Smile

Of course, every day is a good day to show off those bright and shiny smile muscles, but Share a Smile Day is even more special. It’s a time to be more aware and make an effort to smile at someone. Smile at a neighbor, at the grocery store clerk, at a taxi driver, a family member or a coworker. Anyone in the immediate vicinity deserves a smile. Keep the day a secret and make them wonder what you’re up to or, even better, tell them that it’s Share a Smile Day and request that they pass their smile on to someone else!

Listen to Some Songs About Smiles

Having trouble getting in the mood to make smiles contagious? That’s okay! Get prepared for Share a Smile Day by making and listening to a playlist that encourages joy, happiness and smiles. Hop on to Spotify, Apple music or some other platform and create a list of songs that make it hard not to smile. The list could be much longer, but it’s easy to get started with some of these:

• Just to See You Smile by Tim McGraw (1997)
• Smile Like You Mean It by The Killers (2004)
• I See Your Smile by Gloria Estefan (1993)
• You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile from the musical Annie (1982)

Read a Book About Smiles

Looking to learn more and grow in the conversation about smiling? Well, reading a book is always a good way to gather information and get more deeply involved with a subject. In celebration of Share a Smile Day, get connected by heading over to the local library or independent bookstore and see what sorts of books about smiling are on offer, including some children’s books. Check out some of these book titles to get started with:

• Augustus and His Smile by Catherine Rayner (2007)
• Smile: The Story of a Face by Sarah Ruhl (2021)
• 365 Reasons for Smiling: In Thoughts and Pictures by White Star (2015)
• Something to Smile About: Encouragement and Inspiration for Life’s Ups and Downs by Zig Ziglar (2009)