Celebrated every year on January 12, International Ginger Day or Kiss a Ginger Day is an unofficial holiday. The day was initiated in 2009 and is dedicated to celebrating people with red hair. Kiss a Ginger Day encourages people to show their love and affection to people with red hair. The day raises awareness of harassment and discrimination against redheads. It’s a fun and playful commemoration that challenges stereotypes and encourages people to appreciate the rarity and beauty of redheads. In the rest of this article, we explore the different facets of this day.
Origin and history of this special day
The origins of “Kiss a Ginger Day” can be traced back to an initiative launched by Derek Forgie. This was in reaction to another controversial event, “Kick a Ginger Day”, which was a tasteless joke circulating on social networks. This joke unfortunately led to acts of violence against people with red hair. To combat this negativity, “Kiss a Ginger Day” was created to promote tolerance and the celebration of diversity. Since then, the day has grown in popularity, inspiring individuals around the world to join in and positively support the ginger community.
The importance of acceptance and diversity
International Ginger Day emphasizes the importance of valuing and accepting all the physical characteristics that make each person unique. It embodies widely shared values such as social inclusion, respect for differences and celebration of diversity. Participants convey a message of love and harmony through a gesture as simple as a kiss. This gesture aims to combat stereotypes and prejudice. Representing around 1-2% of the world’s population, redheads remain a small community. International Ginger Day was therefore initiated to celebrate this rarity and combat stigma, while encouraging positive appreciation of people with red hair.
How to celebrate Kiss A Ginger Day 2025?
Celebrating World Redhead Day could be a fun and enjoyable experience. If you’d like to get involved, find below a few ways to help celebrate this special day.
- Share a kiss: if you have someone with red hair in your circle, whether a friend or family member, to show your appreciation, give them a friendly kiss on the cheek or forehead. You can also give them a big hug to show your love.
- Send a card: If you can’t see them because of the distance, to let them know you’re thinking of them on this special day, send your redheaded friends a fun and cheerful card.
- Post on social networks: use the hashtag #KissAGingerDay to spread love and positivity by sharing photos and stories of your ginger friends.
- Wear red: to celebrate their vibrant hair color, wear red clothing or accessories, it shows your solidarity with the redheaded community.
- Compliment and appreciate: let them know how much you appreciate them, take a moment to compliment them on their unique and beautiful hair.
You can also celebrate Kiss a Ginger Day by taking part in the community events organized around the day. You can check online communities to find out if there are any gatherings planned in your city. You can also participate virtually on social networks by using hashtags and sharing awareness-raising content.
Be aware that for any action you wish to take that day towards a red-haired person in your circle, it’s important to have their consent. When sharing your International Day of People with Red Hair celebrations on social networks, we recommend using these hashtags:
- #KissAGingerDay
- #RedHairAppreciation
- #UniqueHair
- #Jan12th
By using these hashtags, you’ll be able to connect with others taking part in the celebration.
Some redheaded celebrities
Jessica Chastain
Whether it’s Hollywood productions like Interstellar, Alone on Mars, Crimson Peak or independent dramas like Mademoiselle Julie released in 2014 or Le Grand Jeu released in 2017 where she plays strong female characters. Jessica Chastain has demonstrated her talent and versatility on many occasions. Her greatest feat is undoubtedly her performance in Zero Dark Thirty, a film released in 2012 in which she played the character of Maya, a CIA agent. Her performance in this film earned her the title of Best Actress at some 15 film festivals, including the 2012 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards and the 2013 Golden Globes for Best Actress in a Dramatic Film!
But beyond being a talented actress, Jessica Chastain, is also a committed artist. Indeed, since 2016, she has run the production company Freckle Films, a structure dedicated to social issues such as gender equality and mental health. In 2012, Jessica Chastain was selected by Times magazine for its list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Christina Hendricks
Drive, Léonie, Ginger et Rosa, Crooked House and Lost River are just some of the hits that have marked the former supermodel’s career. Christina Hendricks first came to prominence in 2007 with the series Mad Men. In this series, she plays Joan Holloway, a luscious New York secretary who works for an advertising agency in the 60s. This role earned her no fewer than 11 awards and 23 nominations (including the Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series) between 2008 and 2016. Between 1999 and 2020, she appeared in 29 films and 27 TV series.
World Ginger Day is a unique opportunity to show your support for someone with red hair, as a way of celebrating their uniqueness. In addition to gestures of affection, Kiss a Ginger Day is also a time to raise public awareness of the issues faced by people with red hair.
