Grav Mass Day

Grav Mass Day is a day that’s observed on December 25th every year, so it’s likely that this holiday is overlooked by most people as it just so happens to fall on Christmas Day. That’s probably why it’s not as popular as it should be. This is a holiday that celebrates the existence of the physical law of gravity.

It’s a day that’s not-so-conveniently placed on Isaac Newton’s birthday—which just so happens to be December 25th—and it’s a day that encourages everyone to give just a little bit of thought to one of the most fundamental forces of nature: gravity. How do you celebrate a day that celebrates gravity? Well, it depends on you, of course, but we do have some ideas of our own that we’ll outline a little bit later on.

The History Of Grav Mass Day

No one really knows who created this holiday, but it has been mentioned a few times in works of fiction—specifically, works of science fiction. The holiday first comes up in a short story called Merry Gravmas by James Hogan that was published in June of 1988 in Mind, Machines & Evolution.

Facts About Isaac Newton

Since this holiday celebrates gravity, we thought that it might be appropriate to take a few moments of our time and give everyone some easy-to-digest facts about gravity.

  • Isaac Newton was born prematurely on December 25, 1642.
  • His mother wanted him to be a farmer.
  • When Cambridge University closed its doors due to a bubonic plague outbreak in 1665, Newton had to return home to Woolsthorpe Manor.
  • After returning to Woolsthorpe Manor, he was sitting in the garden when he saw an apple fall from a tree. This prompted him to formulate his law of universal gravitation.

Observing Grav Mass Day

People can observe Grav Mass Day in several different ways. They can learn more about Isaac Newton, or decorate one’s homes with apples. They can also wish people a “Merry Gravmas” or send out special greeting cards to friends and family. Many people celebrate this holiday as an alternative to the religious holiday of Christmas, but some people celebrate it in addition to this holiday.

When is it?
This year (2023)
December 25 Monday
Next year (2024)
December 25 Wednesday
Last year (2022)
December 25 Sunday
Topic
Science