Ding-a-Ling Day

What the day is

National Ding-a-Ling Day is observed on December 12. It is an informal, lighthearted day with no documented founder, and it has two obvious meanings. One is the sound of a bell. The other is the old slang term ding-a-ling, a harmless word for a silly or scatterbrained person. The day invites both: ring something, and allow yourself to be a little ridiculous.

It falls in the middle of the busiest part of the year, when a short break from seriousness is welcome.

Origin and background

The date and the name both come with no traceable history, which is typical of the informal holidays that spread through calendars of quirky observances. What is clear is that the bell has a long and affectionate place in December. Sleigh bells, church bells and handbells all signal the season, and the Salvation Army's red kettle bell ringers, who first set up a kettle in San Francisco in 1891, have been a familiar sight outside stores for well over a century.

The telephone adds another angle. Early telephones rang with a bell, and the ring was a distinctive sound for generations of callers. Calling someone on the phone, which is increasingly rare, has become a pleasant surprise rather than a routine.

The slang word is a mild one, and the day is a reminder that being a little silly is healthy, particularly when it makes other people laugh.

How to take part

• Ring a bell: a bicycle bell, a handbell or a bell on a gift, and pass it around a room.
• Call a friend instead of texting, and begin by saying ding-a-ling.
• Do something silly and harmless at work or home, such as wearing a ridiculous hat for the day.
• Drop a few coins into a bell ringer's kettle if you see one.
• Tell a story about the silliest thing you ever did, and invite someone to match it.