Canadians observe "Northern Hemisphere Hoodie-Hoo Day" as harsh winter drags on

Friday, February 20, 2015, 1:22 PM - Winter-weary Canadians proved they're willing to do anything to get some relief from the recent extreme weather - even jump around outside yelling "Hoodie-Hoo!" on "Northern Hemisphere Hoodie-Hoo Day."

It may sound ridiculous, but Northern Hemisphere Hoodie-Hoo Day is recognized as an official holiday in Chase's Calendar of Events, considered the definitive guide to special days around the globe. It is celebrated every February 20th as a way to shake off the winter blahs and usher in spring, which officially begins one month later. 

Hoodie-Hoo Day was first conceived in the 1980s by Thomas Roy, an actor and former radio announcer based in Pennsylvania. Roy frequently consulted Chase's Calendar of Events to find inspiration for his radio show, and one day came across a form in the back of the book to submit new holidays to the guide. He initially suggested Hoodie-Hoo Day as a joke, but to his surprise, his made-up holiday appeared in the following year's edition of the calendar. 

Roy and his wife Ruth are also credited with inventing "Stay Home Because You're Well Day" (November 30th), "Take Your Houseplants for a Walk Day" (July 27th) and "Be Bald and Free Day" (October 14th) along with dozens of others.

As record-breaking cold temperatures and historic snowfall amounts continue to dominate headlines across much of Canada, we at The Weather Network decided to encourage our social fans to take part in Northern Hemisphere Hoodie-Hoo Day, figuring at the very least all that jumping around would warm them up. 

Reaction to the request was mixed, with some people expressing skepticism:

But many more people admitted they're just fed up enough of winter to give the Hoodie-Hoo a try.

And a few brave (and unselfconscious) people actually shared their Hoodie-Hoo attempts with us - including The Weather Network's Rachel Schoutsen.