On National Punctuation Day, all forms of punctuation are celebrated, especially the lowly comma. This day is celebrated on September 24th and is used to teach everyone about the importance of punctuation in their writing.

The addition or removal of punctuation can change the entire meaning of a sentence, so everyone needs to use this day to help improve their writing skills and write more clearly.

The History of National Punctuation Day

National Punctuation Day is an observance that was founded by Jeff Rubin in 2004. The purpose of this observance is to help people improve their use of punctuation so their writing is clearer. Nowadays, this day is observed by people all over the United States.

Fun Facts About Punctuation

Punctuation isn’t just something that has to be used to keep the meaning of a sentence in proper order; it’s also something that’s kind of fun. This is especially true when you consider that there are a ton of fun facts about punctuation that few people realize even exist. Let’s take a look at some of these fascinating punctuation facts.

A Question Mark Was Once a Word

When the Romans wrote Latin, they would often end questions with the word “questio.” This word was then eventually abbreviated to just “qo” to save time. This would be written with a lowercase “q” and “o.” Eventually, people just turned the “q” into a tailed loop and placed the “o” underneath it to save time.

The Symbol “&” Used to Be in the Alphabet

Another fascinating fact is that the “&” symbol used to be in the alphabet. It followed the letter “z” in the alphabet. Since it didn’t have a specific name, when children sang the alphabet, they would say “z and per se.” Eventually, this was slurred together as the word “ampersand,” and it was eventually dropped from the alphabet.

Celebrating National Punctuation Day

National Punctuation Day has its own website that issues challenges to participants every year. Contestants from schools are asked a punctuation-themed question, and some of the winning answers are then posted online.

For example, one year, contestants were asked which punctuation error bothered them the most and were tasked with providing examples. This holiday is also celebrated by Auburn Elementary School in Auburn, Michigan, every year.

Another way that people can celebrate National Punctuation Day is by creating food items in the shape of their favorite punctuation. This means that people can make “question mark meatloaves,” “comma cookies,” or “semicolon cookies.” That doesn’t include making “period-shaped cookies,” because those would simply be round cookies.

People can also observe this holiday in other ways. For example, they can spend the day fixing their own punctuation mistakes, or if they’re brave, correcting the punctuation of their friends and family. Some people also spend the day completing crossword puzzles or making punctuation-themed art.