Many years ago, our library had the idea to celebrate National Polkadot Day…but as a secret among the adults on campus. We dressed up and decorated the library doors…and waited to see who noticed.
(Fun fact: Jole — our Director of Library Services — just reminded me that this was the first time we realized we could decorate our doors, a permanent tradition now, that changes with the feels we want to deliver….)
Through informal channels it became clear that people loved polkadot day — they asked us if we could do it again. We decided it should not be the same, so secretly celebrated National Stripes Day, instead. We witness the joy it brought our colleagues, because that next year, more people dressed up:
Over the years (all this was back in maybe 2015-16-ish), we have periodically had another employee National Polkadot Day secret celebration. It is always fun when, partway thorough the day, students start asking questions.
This year, Jole proposed the idea of having an employee spirit week. Our colleagues were IN. We sent out a list of themes and selected which ones to use by vote. Because our Edible Book Festival was on Monday, and Tuesday was April 1st, we launched spirit week on Tuesday with monochrome:
Today, we are enjoying denim-on-denim, and will be taking another group photograph, as we will tomorrow with Funky Socks and Sandals Day and on Friday with, of course, Polkadot Day.
Students are starting to give us side-eye, and apparently decided yesterday that it could be nothing intentional (how could All. That. Yellow. not be intentional??) because if we did dress intentionally in monochrome, then wouldn’t we have done Monochrome Monday? Why would we dress in monochrome on a Tuesday? This morning, when a bunch of colleagues in denim were talking, at least one student seemed to have a dawning realization.
Overall, though, it is good for our adult community. It helps us find joy and a united sense of purpose. Enough people are not opting in (or don’t own enough denim, for example) that there is no shame in not doing it.
You can find a lot of ideas by searching for [staff underground spirit week]. It has been a great thing for us, and I think we can all use a little joy!
Love this idea!
Just learned that a History teacher heard about this practice, and asked us if we thought we could implement it. We can!! I’ll probably just pop more pictures in for the fun of it as the week progresses.
This is so fun! Thank you for sharing!