Every March is celebrated as National Umbrella Month, and this month is dedicated to an invention that’s been around for thousands of years. Historians believe that the first umbrella was invented some 4,000 years ago and was used in Egypt, China, and Greece.

The first umbrellas were used to protect people from the damaging effects of the sun, but over the years, they have been used to protect people against rain. In the West, it would become an invention primarily used by women, but that changed after the 16th century when both sexes used them.

Of course, most umbrellas didn’t fold up, so they weren’t carried by many people, regardless of their sex. This would change during the 1920s when the first foldable umbrella was invented.

The History of National Umbrella Month

National Umbrella Month was first established in 2003 by Thomas Edward Knibb of Frederick, Maryland. However, it didn’t start out as a whole month celebration but only as a one-day celebration known as National Umbrella Day.

And he didn’t establish this holiday to celebrate the umbrella but instead used it to dispel the myths and folklore behind the umbrella, particularly the myth that opening an umbrella indoors is “bad luck.” Over the years, the origin of this celebration was lost, and it eventually grew to encompass all of March and not just a single day.

Some Fast Facts About Umbrellas

Below are all of the facts about umbrellas that we were able to unveil during our research for National Umbrella Month. We hope the following facts are not only entertaining to anyone reading about this month but are also educational.

• The word “umbrella” comes from the Latin word “umbra,” which means shadow.
• Originally, 15th-century nobles used umbrellas made of green or blue silk.
• In the U.S., over 33 million umbrellas are sold every year.

Observing National Umbrella Month

Learning more about the umbrella is a great way to observe this month. However, if a person really wants to celebrate this month in the spirit of its creation, then the best way to observe it is by opening up an umbrella in the house.

Let everyone see that there is no such thing as bad luck and that opening an umbrella in the home won’t have negative consequences. While observing this month, we encourage everyone to use the hashtag #NationalUmbrellaMonth to spread the word about it.