Few things are as soothing and relaxing as a bubble bath. This is especially true if the bather decides to elevate their bubble bath experience with scented bath oils. Because bubbles form an insulating layer on top of the water, bubble baths also tend to stay warmer longer than ordinary baths. With that said, let’s look at a holiday called National Bubble Bath Day—a day that celebrates the joys of these baths and is observed on January 8th every year.

The History Of National Bubble Bath Day

It would appear that this is a very elusive holiday because we haven’t been able to determine exactly who started it or when it was started. We did find references to it as early as the late 1990s, so we’re going to assume that’s when the holiday was officially launched. We think that somewhere between 1997 and 1999 is a pretty accurate timeframe for when this holiday was probably invented.

The History Of The Bubble Bath

Although soap is a substance that has been used since ancient times, it wasn’t the same type of soap used today and probably didn’t produce many bubbles. Baths were important to the Greeks and Romans, but most of the time, oil, not soap, was used to dissolve dirt and grime on the skin. Sometimes this oil would be mixed with fire ashes, which creates a primitive soap that dissolves dirt and oils.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe entered the Dark Ages, and bathing fell out of fashion. That’s because suspicion and myths arose around the act of bathing, and many households only had access to primitive soaps made with wood ash and water. Unfortunately, this had a terrible effect on public health. As bathing declined, the public became more prone to various diseases and plagues, which continued until the Renaissance.

During the Renaissance, scented bath oils became extremely popular, but they were only enjoyed by the aristocracy and they didn’t produce a significant amount of bubbles. Fortunately, during this time, bathing also increased among the lower classes. However, the types of soaps used by the upper and the lower classes differed greatly. While the upper classes enjoyed high-quality scented soaps made from olive oils, the lower class had to make do with lye-based soaps made from rendered animal fats.

Bubble baths as we know them today began with the invention of soap flakes, which occurred around the turn of the 20th century. By the 1930s, bubble baths had become a widespread practice, and their popularity continued to increase from the 1940s onward. Today, a variety of bubble baths are produced and enjoyed by people all over the world.

Celebrating National Bubble Bath Day

Celebrating National Bubble Bath Day is as easy as drawing yourself a bath, making sure to get it nice and bubbly, and then soaking in it for a while. It’s also a good day to prepare a bubble bath for your children or to purchase a new brand of bubble bath for yourself. And while you’re relaxing and enjoying the day, you might want to use the hashtag #NationalBubbleBathDay to let everyone know that you’re participating.