National No Rhyme Nor Reason Day is a holiday observed annually on September 1st and encourages people to be a little bit more playful with their use of the English language. Break into a song or a poem for no reason whatsoever, or make a list of all the words that don’t rhyme with anything.

The name of this holiday is based on an idiom that has existed since the mid-15th century. “No rhyme or reason” is an idiom that’s currently used and has been used by billions of people around the world. So, go out there and have fun on this day by using language in an interesting and fun way.

The History of National No Rhyme Nor Reason Day

Although we don’t know who specifically created this holiday, we do know quite well where the term “No rhyme nor reason” comes from. This phrase was first used in the book “The Boke of Nurture” by John Russell, which was published around 1460.

It was then used in the 17th-century pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare known as “As You Like It.” These two uses of the phrase would cause it to become a popular idiom. It has since been used by billions of people all around the world and has now become a part of the name of this holiday.

A Look at Some Popular Idioms

Since this day is basically a holiday that’s been made out of an idiom, we thought that we’d take a few moments and list some other popular English idioms that people use nowadays.

• It’s as easy as pie.
• It’s a piece of cake.
• Kill two birds with one stone.
• Go back to the drawing board.
• Hit the sack.
• We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
• Time flies when you’re having fun.

Observing National No Rhyme Nor Reason Day

National No Rhyme Nor Reason Day can be observed in a wide variety of different ways. People can make up some free verse to share with friends and family members, can throw a rhyming contest, or invent their own idiom. People can also use the hashtag #NoRhymeNorReasonDay to spread the word about this holiday all over the internet.