National Mad Hatter Day celebrates the Mad Hatter, from Alice In Wonderland. The original picture of the Mad Hatter by John Tenniel in Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland (more commonly known as Alice In Wonderland, by Lewis Caroll) always depicts him wearing a hat, bearing the note “In This Style 10/6”. Although we know this is really an order from the time the picture was drawn to mean a hat in that style cost 10 Shillings and Sixpence, we take this as inspiration to act in the style of the Mad Hatter on 10/6 (In the UK this would point to the tenth of June, but as the day was founded in America it is the 6th of October).
How to celebrate National Mad Hatter Day
As well as being a day to celebrate silliness, recent celebrations include looking for something completely sane in your everyday life. How sensible is it to tie a noose around your neck every day to look important at work?
One way to celebrate National Mad Hatter Day is to have a fancy dress party! You will easily be able to find a Mad Hatter costume online today! Alternatively, you can put one together yourself. You are going to need a green top hat, with a light pink ribbon. You will want to paint your face white and grab a curly and vibrant orange wig. You will then need a brown coat, with striped brown trousers, and some black boots. Make sure you finish the look off with a colourful sash and bow-tie! You could opt for an Alice in Wonderland theme, or you could go for a general fancy dress so that you have a lot of exciting outfits.
Another way to celebrate National Mad Hatter Day is by having a Mad Hatter inspired afternoon tea. This is something that you will find on London’s famous Oxford Street at the Sanderson Hotel. Of course, you don’t need to travel to London in order to benefit from this treat. You can create a delicious afternoon tea instead. There are so many fun and exciting treats that can be created. For example, some of the dishes that the Sanderson offers include Mad Hatters lost carrot meringues, Wonderland marshmallow magic mushrooms, Mad March Hare vanilla pocket watch macaroon, Tweedle Dee lemon curd financier, and Queen of Hearts rose and strawberry Jammy Dodger! Is your mouth watering yet? Sounds pretty tasty, right? If you don’t live anywhere close to London, you can use this afternoon tea as inspiration for your own. Get a few friends around and celebrate National Mad Hatter Day together!
Aside from the suggestions that have been mentioned so far, another way to celebrate National Mad Hatter Day is by watching Alice in Wonderland or by reading the book! There may even be a production of Alice in Wonderland in your local area, so why not take a quick look online to see if this is the case?
Learn about National Mad Hatter Day
National Mad Hatter Day is the perfect opportunity for you to bring out your daft side. If you have ever seen Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland or read the book, then you will know all about the Mad Hatter. He is a silly character, who was originally illustrated by Sir John Tenniel. He is a funny character that is known for his ridiculous riddles. He’s a lovable character, and one that brings us in tune with our silly side. That is what National Mad Hatter Day is all about!
Did you know that the Mad Hatter is actually just called the Hatter? It’s simply that everyone else refers to him as the Mad Hatter! The character is not only a part of the Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland series, but he has been featured in a lot of other media as well. This includes Once Upon a Time, Pandora Hearts, Alice in the Country of Hearts, Shrek: The Musical, Futurama, Alice’s Warped Wonderland, and even Batman.
History of National Mad Hatter Day
In 1986 some computer-folk in Boulder, CO celebrated a general day of silliness, inspired by the drawings of the Mad Hatter by John Tenniel in Alice In Wonderland. It was announced that year on computer networks, becoming more popular as people realized its value – some people did less damage by celebrating silliness than if they had done their jobs.
In 1988 it was first recognized as an unofficial holiday and received its first national press coverage.
“Mad as a hatter” is a colloquial phrase used in conversation to refer to a crazy person. In 18th and 19th century England mercury was used in the production of felt, which was used in the manufacturing of hats. People who worked in these hat factories were exposed daily to trace amounts of the metal, causing some workers to develop dementia caused by mercury poisoning. Thus, the phrase became popular as a way to refer to someone who was perceived as insane.
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