📚 Table of Contents
- Introduction – Why This Even Matters
- The Golden Rule of Capitalization
- Real Holidays vs. Fun Holidays
- Tricky Phrases: When to Capitalize “Day”
- Greetings Like “Happy Holidays” – Yay or Nay?
- Social Media & Style: Does It Matter There?
- Quick Holiday Capitalization Cheat Sheet
- Final Thoughts – Keep It Classy (and Correct!)
1. Introduction – Why This Even Matters
Ever typed “happy national pizza day” in a caption and paused—wondering if you should’ve gone with “Happy National Pizza Day” instead? You’re not alone. With quirky holidays popping up every other day, the question of what to capitalize and what to lowercase gets confusing fast. Let’s fix that once and for all.
2. The Golden Rule of Capitalization
Here’s the simple rule:
👉 Proper nouns are capitalized. That includes specific names of people, places, and yes—holidays.
Examples:
- Christmas ✅
- Thanksgiving ✅
- Halloween ✅
So if it’s a recognized holiday name, capitalize each significant word.
3. Real Holidays vs. Fun Holidays
In the age of Instagram and food-themed calendars, holidays like National Avocado Day and World Sleep Day feel just as important as traditional ones. But are they capitalized the same way?
Yes, they are.
Even if the holiday is informal or internet-made, if it’s a named event, it still qualifies as a proper noun.
Examples:
- National Pizza Day ✅
- World Book Day ✅
- International Cat Day ✅
4. Tricky Phrases: When to Capitalize “Day”
If “day” is part of the holiday’s official title, capitalize it.
✔️ Happy Veterans Day
❌ Happy Veterans day
Think of it this way: if you’d find the whole phrase on a calendar, capitalize all the main words.
5. Greetings Like “Happy Holidays” – Yay or Nay?
Here’s where it gets festive and a little fuzzy.
- “Happy Holidays” – capitalize both words if you’re referring to a general festive greeting.
- “Happy holiday!” – lowercase “holiday” if you’re just saying you’re having a nice one.
Tip: If the phrase replaces a specific holiday name, treat it with more respect and give it caps!
6. Social Media & Style: Does It Matter There?
Technically, yes. But stylistic choices do matter depending on your platform or brand.
All caps or lowercase might be cute:
- happy national pizza day! 🍕🎈 (casual tone)
- HAPPY NATIONAL PIZZA DAY 🔥 (shouting in excitement)
But for formal writing, blogs, press releases, and school essays—stick to proper capitalization.
7. Quick Holiday Capitalization Cheat Sheet
| Phrase | Correct? | Why |
| Happy New Year | ✅ | Official holiday name |
| happy new year | ❌ | Should be capitalized |
| National Ice Cream Day | ✅ | Recognized fun holiday |
| happy holidays | ✅ | General seasonal greeting |
| Memorial day | ❌ | “Day” should be capitalized |
| World Emoji Day | ✅ | Official title, proper noun |
8. Final Thoughts – Keep It Classy (and Correct!)
Holidays, whether traditional or made-up, deserve a little grammatical celebration. 🎊
When in doubt, treat holiday names like royalty—capitalize them and let them shine.
So next time you’re typing up that festive post, go ahead and say:
“Happy National Pizza Day!” with pride (and proper grammar). 🍕