January 16th is National Appreciate a Dragon Day, and it’s a day to appreciate a mythical creature that has existed in the collective consciousness for thousands of years. These creatures have appeared in the folklore of cultures all around the world.

In Eastern cultures, dragons are often depicted as wingless, serpentine creatures with four legs, while in Western cultures, dragons have often been depicted as having wings and horns.

Regardless of which type of dragon people identify with, they should take the time to pay homage to them through this holiday. After all, who doesn’t like dragons and the stories in which they appear?

The History of National Appreciate a Dragon Day

This holiday was created in 2004 when author Donita K. Paul wanted to celebrate the publication of her first fantasy novel, “Dragonspell.” Although this holiday was slow to gain popularity, with the release of shows such as Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, it’s a holiday that has recently gained traction. It’s now a holiday that gives all of us an excuse to celebrate one of the coolest creatures in mythology that has ever been imagined.

Some Fun Dragon Facts to Consider

Sorting through all the instances of dragons in mythology and popular culture can be quite a task, so we decided to do it for everyone reading today. We’ve done a bit of research and have come up with the following fun facts about dragons that we think people will find interesting. Okay, they’re more like random facts about dragons, but we believe everyone will appreciate their inclusion in this article.

• The mouths of Western dragons were symbolic of the gates of hell.
• In China, emperors were often believed to have descended from dragons.
• Historians believe that dragons in both Asia and Europe developed independently of one another.
• Dragon’s Lair is a video game franchise that first appeared in the U.S. in 1983.

Observing National Appreciate a Dragon Day

All a person has to do to enjoy National Appreciate a Dragon Day is to take the time to enjoy dragons in books, TV shows, and/or movies. Dragons can not only be found in ancient mythology but can also be found throughout popular culture. From Tolkien’s legendarium through to House of the Dragon.

There are so many instances of dragons in popular culture it would be impossible for us to list them all. So we’ll just finish up this article by saying that everyone should take the time to spread their love of dragons and dragon-inspired media by using the hashtag #AppreciateADragonDay on social media.