When is International Nose Picking Day? Always April 23!
This holiday is an International Observance celebrated each and every year on April 23; which means that people all over the world can and will be celebrate this unusual holiday!
Origin of this Holiday
Our research did not find the creator, or the origin of this day. We did however find that this weird holiday has been celebrated for years. There is plenty of documentation to support that this holiday does indeed exist. In fact we found it listed on the International holiday list at wikipedia.com! We did not find any congressional records or presidential proclamations for this day. Even though we didn't, this is still a holiday that is publicized to celebrate. So have fun with it!
We found recognition about this holiday from:
Calendar sites and personal Internet sites that blog and share information about this holiday. Many of the sites that list it are comedy related websites-
How can this holiday be celebrated?
- You can celebrate this holiday by having a nose party! Play games and give clenex for prizes. (Party Planning )
- Everybody has those funny glasses with the big nose and wearing them on International Nose Picking Day is just the thing!
- The highlight of the party has to be when everyone sits down to tell the latest nose picking stories for the year- Oh yes we all have witnessed people picking their nose and it really makes for some great entertainment- (read the bottom of the page for a nose picking story of our very own)
- Nose Hair Maintenance Day - September 8 (ecard)
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Definition of Nose Picking:
"Nose-picking, or rhinotillexis (Greek, rhino "nose" + tillexis "habit of picking"), is the act of extracting dried nasal mucus and/or foreign bodies from the nose with a finger. This is an extremely common habit, with some surveys indicating that it is almost universal, with people picking their nose an average of about four times a day. Nose-pickers are often called "pointers" in modern slang. Although a very common habit, it is somewhat of a mildly taboo activity in most cultures. While nose-picking appears to be an almost universal practice among humans, the observation of the activity in another commonly provokes mixed feelings of disgust and amusement. A 1995 study into nose picking, requesting information from 1,000 randomly selected adults, gathered 254 respondents. It defined nose-picking as "the insertion of a finger (or other object) into the nose with the intention of removing dried nasal secretions". Of those who responded, 91% said they were current nose pickers (but only 75% of these believed everyone did it) and two people claimed to spend between 15 to 30 minutes and one to two hours a day picking their noses."
Reasons for nose-picking:
"The mucous membranes constantly produce wet mucus that is exposed to the air. Once dried, the mucus typically causes a sensation of irritation that leads to the compulsion to dislodge the itch by picking."
"Extreme nose picking resulting in severe nasal trauma is termed rhinotillexomania (etymology: Greek, rhino "nose" + tillexis "habit of picking" + mania). Rhinotillexomania is a Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior that may be caused by Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Most cases do not meet this pathological threshold."
"An unusual popular culture reference may be found in the 1968 Mothers of Invention song, "Let's Make The Water Turn Black." The song tells a true story of an adolescent acquaintance of composer Frank Zappa who habitually saved his own extracted mucus on the pane of his bedroom window."
Medical risks:
"Nose-picking, according to conventional wisdom, may carry a number of medical risks, thus some doctors recommend against it and encourage the use of a tissue instead, although others claim the finger is more sensitive, and is more indicated. Risks may include nasal infections, occasional nosebleeds (in 25% of those who pick their nose, considering that most of the population picks their nose occasionally) and in rare cases perforation of the nasal septum (self-induced ethmoidectomy). Nose picking, however, should not affect the sense of smell, as the nasal cavity where the olfactory nerves are located is too high up to reach. Also, due to the special nature of the blood supply to the nose and surrounding area, it is possible for retrograde infections from the nasal area to spread to the brain, although this scenario is unlikely to arise from normal rhinotillexis. For this reason, the area from the corners of the mouth to the bridge of the nose, including the nose and maxilla, is known to doctors as the "danger triangle of the face."
Health benefits:
"Friedrich Bischinger, a lung specialist at Privatklinik Hochrum in Innsbruck, claims that nose-picking combined with nasal mucus eating is beneficial for the immune system."
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Nose Picking
By: Pam Svoboda, webmaster of www.gone-ta-pott.com
Friday night my husband and I went out to a local sporting event. While sitting in the bleachers we counted 22 people picking their nose within a 15 minute period, and most of them were adults. We were delighted to see that a small little girl was partaking in her own sporting event by picking her nose and then throwing it out to the crowd below here. She defiantly had a good arm for the sport.
Saturday night we went out to eat at the local steak house and during supper there were a total of 15 people who we noticed were picking their nose over the dinner table and some of which were employees that were serving us our meals. To our delight we were able to watch the man cutting up the meat in his big chef hat. To our not so delight we were able to watch him all through our meal wiping his nose on the sleeve of his pretty white coat or either wiping his nose on the back of his hand then wiping it off on his pants. We were also blessed by being seated beside what looked like a wonderful family enjoying a family meal together. It was interesting to see that the young boy of the family, who seemed to be around the age of 10, was picking his nose and with each pick he would roll it up in a ball then line it up on the dinner table. Yes this was just what I needed to see to make my meal that much more enjoyable.
Sunday morning we went to the local church for the morning preaching. 10% of the congregation was tentatively listening to the preacher and his sermon. 10% were staring up at heaven. Another 10% were drawing pictures. 2% were crawling under the church pews and 10% were... You guessed it, picking their nose.
Monday was a day where I visited the local apartment complex where the elderly lived. It was the day for the weekly bingo and a count of 30 seniors were gathered around the tables enjoying their hour of games. Not only were they enjoying the bingo game but 9 of them were also having a really good time with their nose.
Now this whole week brought back memories of years ago when I was in high school. I remember my prim and proper English teacher. She was always dressed so nice and she always had her long 2 inch finger nails manicured and painted the color to match what ever she was wearing for the day. Her nails were so long that she actually had to concoct a certain way to position her hand so she could hold her ink pen in her hand. Not only was she the picture of perfect but she was also the picture of a perfect nose picker too. It was very hard for the class to study when the distraction of nose picking was a daily thing but we tried to get passed it. She would sit up at her desk with her back held straight and her legs crossed. She would then take her favorite nose picking finger, which was her pinky finger, and dig round and round. Yes she would actually go rounded in a circle. You see she had style even at nose picking. The class mates and I found it interesting that Miss Teacher would never dispose of the boogers that she got out of her nose. Nope! She let them build up underneath her long finger nail as if she was saving them for a rainy day. She was very proud of her booty of treasure too! On occasion she would take her pinky finger, hold it up in the air and look at it to see what lay inside.
From our observation this week it�s very obvious that nose picking is the favorite pass time of the young and old alike.
Author : P. P. Svoboda, webmaster of www.gone-ta-pott.com
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Are there other Nose related Holidays? Yep!
Nose Hair Maintenance Day - September 8 (ecard)
See Also:
Mucus / Hygiene / Nasal irrigation / Bad habits /
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