National New Friends Day Timeline

1922

Greeting Card Association gets behind Friendship Day

On August 6, members of the Greeting Card Association votes to observe Friendship Day annually on the first Sunday of the month.

1930

Hallmark Cards pushes Friendship Day

Hallmark founder, Joyce Hall, sets up a Friendship Day marketing campaign targeting American consumers.

1935

Congress unites in the name of friendship

The United States Congress unanimously votes to designate August 6 as the annual observance of Friendship Day.

1998

Winnie the Pooh becomes the symbol of world friendship

On Friendship Day, the wife of the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, declares the fictional character, Winnie the Pooh, as the world’s Ambassador of Friendship.