6 Best Friend Day Ideas to Show Them How Much You Care
- Friendship Appreciation Team
- Jun 8
- 10 min read
Updated: Oct 27
As important as family and romantic partners are, friends matter just as much. In fact, science shows that strong friendships help people feel more satisfied with life and less weighed down by stress, anxiety, and loneliness. A best friend, new or old, makes everything better—the highs, the lows, and all the in-betweens.
So, how do you celebrate that kind of bond and tell your bestie, “I see you, I appreciate you, and I’m lucky to have you”? On June 8, aka Best Friend Appreciation Day, you have a chance to do just that. Keep scrolling to learn about this meaningful holiday and how a Friendship Box can help you show your ride-or-die your appreciation on this Best Friend Day and beyond.
When Is National Friendship Day?
While National Best Friends Day gets a lot of attention, there’s another special occasion worth marking on your calendar: National Friendship Day. This holiday is celebrated on the first Sunday in August each year. Whether you’re reminiscing with your childhood pals or raising a glass with your found family, National Friendship Day is all about celebrating every kind of friendship—new, old, near, and far.
For reference, here’s when it’s landed in recent years:
2018: August 5
2019: August 4
2020: August 2
2021: August 1
2022: August 7
So, if you love any excuse to celebrate your entire squad, or just want another reason to reach out to an old friend, you’ve got two friendship-focused holidays on your side!
What Is National Best Friends Day?
National Best Friends Day is a day each year to recognize and celebrate the people we call our best friends—the ones who stick by us, show up for the big stuff, and make life better just by being in it. The day originated in 1935, when the U.S. Congress dedicated a day to honoring close friendships and the role they play in our lives.
While the tradition as we know it today gained traction in the 20th century, the idea of celebrating friendship isn't new. In fact, Hallmark helped popularize National Friendship Day back in 1919, encouraging people to send greeting cards as a way to cherish and acknowledge their chosen family. The holiday faded during the Great Depression, but the spirit of honoring our closest friends never disappeared. In 1998, it got a whimsical boost when Winnie the Pooh—everyone’s favorite honey-loving bear—was named the world’s Ambassador of Friendship at the United Nations, shining a global spotlight on the importance of these bonds.
While its origins are rooted in recognizing those irreplaceable bonds, National Best Friends Day serves as a gentle reminder to let your best friends know just how valued and loved they are. Whether you call it National Besties Day, National Best Friend Appreciation Day, National BFF Day, or something else entirely, the spirit remains the same: taking a moment out of our busy lives to cherish the friends who mean the most.
Some people celebrate by spending time together, planning a fun outing, or simply reminiscing over inside jokes. Others might send a heartfelt message or surprise their bestie with a thoughtful gift. However you choose to mark the occasion, it’s all about making sure your best friend knows they’re appreciated—not just today, but every day.
Over the years, Best Friends Day has picked up different names: National Besties Day, National Best Friend Appreciation Day, National BFF Day, and more. However, the heart of it is the same: a moment to tell your best friend how much they mean to you by spending time together, sending them a loving message, or giving them a thoughtful gift.
So, whether you call it Best Friend Appreciation Day or National Best Friends Day, at its core, it’s about pausing to appreciate the people who make our lives brighter, one inside joke or spontaneous adventure at a time.
Other National Days to Celebrate Friendship
Of course, National Best Friends Day isn’t the only chance to let your favorite people know how much they mean to you. Throughout the year, there are plenty of other quirky, heartfelt, and just-for-fun holidays dedicated to friendships of all kinds. Here are a few to keep on your radar:
National Girlfriends Day (August 1) – A day for celebrating the cherished women in your life, be it your lifelong confidante or your newest brunch buddy.
National Make a Friend Day (February 11) – The perfect excuse to strike up a conversation and welcome a new friend into your circle.
National Send a Card to a Friend Day (February 7) – No need for a special occasion—just send a note to remind someone they’re on your mind.
National Hanging Out Day (April 19) – Celebrate the joy of simply spending time together, whether it’s couch potato time or an adventure out and about.
International Day of Friendship (July 30) – Recognized by the United Nations, this day is all about fostering connections and kindness across the globe.
National I Love You Day (October 14) – Not just for couples! It’s a sweet reason to tell your best friends you love and appreciate them.
National Kissing Day (June 22) – Another lighthearted holiday that’s often celebrated among friends and loved ones alike.
National Boyfriend Day (October 3) – While technically romantic, it’s a nice opportunity to shout out the best friend who doubles as your significant other.
With so many playful reasons to honor friendships, you’re never far from a perfect moment to reach out, reconnect, or just make someone’s day brighter.
When Is National Best Friends Day?
National Best Friend Day is celebrated every year on June 8. It’s not a public holiday, but it’s become a popular tradition in the United States, especially online. Each year, you’ll see thousands of posts with hashtags like #BestFriendDay and #BFFDay as people share photos, inside jokes, and appreciation posts.
However you decide to celebrate it, it’s a great opportunity to pause and appreciate the people who’ve seen you through your highest highs and lowest lows and still stick around.
Popular Hashtags for National Friendship Day
If you’re planning to join in on the social media celebration for National Friendship Day, a few hashtags will help your post find its place in the online party. The most popular choices include #NationalFriendshipDay and #FriendshipDay. These tags are guaranteed to connect you with fellow friendship-celebrators sharing throwback pics, notes of gratitude, and hilarious group selfies.
Whether you’re shouting out your favorite memories or tagging your own personal "chosen family," these hashtags are the go-tos for showing your appreciation far and wide.
When Are Other Friendship-Related National Days Observed?
If you're a fan of any excuse to celebrate the people who make life brighter, you'll be happy to know that Best Friends Day isn't the only friendship-focused date on the calendar. Throughout the year, there are several days dedicated to honoring not just besties, but all kinds of meaningful relationships and sweet gestures:
National Girlfriends Day: August 1 is the day to shout out your favorite female friends—surprise her with coffee, plan a girls' night, or just send a meme she’ll love.
National Boyfriend Day: On October 3, partners and close friends alike get a little extra love.
National Hanging Out Day: April 19, perfect for making memories just by spending time together—no elaborate plans required.
National I Love You Day: October 14, for sending heartfelt words to anyone you care about, platonic or romantic.
National Kissing Day: June 22, a chance for sweet gestures—whether that’s a peck on the cheek for your BFF or partner.
National Make a Friend Day: February 11, a prompt to reach out and connect with someone new.
National Send a Card to a Friend Day: February 7, ideal if you're a fan of snail mail and handwritten notes.
International Day of Friendship: Celebrated globally on July 30, this day reminds us that friendship transcends borders and cultures.
With all these days in your back pocket, you’ve got plenty of reasons to remind your favorite people just how much they mean to you.
Why Celebrate Best Friends Day?
If you’re wondering why Bestie Day matters, it’s simple: Real friendship deserves attention. Life gets busy, but the people who are beside us through thick and thin are worth slowing down for.
True friendship is rare, and Best Friend Day is a chance to say thank you, even with something small. Celebrating the day also helps us stay connected with what matters most, which for some can mean honoring their chosen family, while for others it might be about staying close to someone far away. No matter the distance or dynamic, Best Friends Day is a chance to show up for the people who always show up for you.
The Importance of Spending Time Together
Spending time with friends on National Friendship Day isn’t just about filling your calendar—it’s about making memories with the people who matter most. The little moments, whether it’s sharing laughs over coffee, going on a walk around your favorite city park, or just catching up on the couch, are what strengthen your bond and remind you why your friendship matters in the first place.
Time is the most meaningful gift you can give. Life gets busy and days fly by, so setting aside a day to be fully present with your favorite people shows them they truly matter. Whether your best friend lives around the corner or across town, making the effort to spend quality time together tells them, “You’re a priority.” Even simple plans—a phone call, a shared playlist, or a spontaneous ice cream run—can turn into the stories and inside jokes you’ll remember for years.
6 Creative Ways to Celebrate Best Friends Day
There’s no right or wrong way to celebrate Best Friends Day. What matters most is that you express your love for your bestie and make them feel seen. As long as it comes from the heart, you’re doing it right.
1. Plan a Fun Day Out With Your Bestie
If you’re lucky enough to live in the same city as your BFF, spending time together is one of the easiest ways to show you care. Take a walk, grab coffee, or head out on a day trip somewhere close. If you both prefer to stay in, enjoying a good movie, a backyard picnic, or dinner at home works just as well. Whatever you choose, remember: time is something you’ll never get back, so savor every moment with your friend.
2. Celebrate Long-Distance Friendship With Virtual Fun
If your best friend lives far away, there are plenty of other ways to stay close and celebrate your friendship. For example, you can send a care package filled with their favorite things, plan a virtual catch-up session, or have a FaceTime “happy hour.” You can also stream a show or movie together while video chatting or do a listening session on YouTube or Spotify. If you can’t sync your schedules, a heartfelt note, a quick phone call, or even a funny text can make all the difference.
Connect From Afar: Ways to Celebrate When You Can’t Be Together
Even if miles separate you and your bestie, it’s still easy to make National Best Friends Day feel special. Reach out with a heartfelt text, hop on a call to catch up, or surprise them with a funny voice note. Take a stroll down memory lane by swapping your favorite photos or sharing those “remember when?” stories in your DMs.
You can also post a collection of your most iconic moments together—whether that's a photo carousel of your greatest hits, a throwback selfie packed with inside jokes, or a reel that sums up what your friendship means to you. With just a few taps, you can brighten up their day and remind them how much you care, no matter the distance.
3. Share Best Friend Day Moments on Social Media
For something quick and easy that’s just as meaningful, you can post on social media, sharing stories with your favorite throwbacks, a photo carousel, or a reel that sums up what your bestie means to you with an inside joke, a funny memory, or a meaningful caption. Don’t forget to tag your friend and let the world know how much you appreciate them—and maybe dig up a few old pictures that make you both laugh out loud.
4. Make a New Memory Together
Sometimes the best way to celebrate a special friendship is by doing something you’ve never done before, like trying a new restaurant, signing up for a pottery or candle-making class, or taking a spontaneous mini road trip. You don’t have to spend a lot or plan weeks ahead. Something as simple as choosing a new hiking trail or visiting a part of town you’ve never explored can turn into one of those memories you’ll talk about for years while also strengthening your bond in the present.
5. Revisit Your Favorite Moments Together
Want to do something extra sentimental for your best pal? Think back to when your friendship first started and the small things that brought you closer. Maybe it was a shared obsession with a show, a night that didn’t go as planned, or a tough time that you got through together. You could pull out old photos, rewatch something you both loved, or even recreate an inside joke from the early days to reflect on how it all started, how far you’ve come, and how lucky you are to still have each other. Sometimes, just reliving those memories is the best gift of all.
6. Celebrate With a Sweet Gift They’ll Never Forget
A gift that comes from the heart can sometimes say what words can’t. Things like a shared playlist, a handmade gift, or a Friendship Box complete with a personalized note are presents that your bestie will cherish forever. Whatever you decide to do, remember that it’s the intention that counts, so the present itself doesn’t have to be big to truly matter.
However you choose to celebrate—whether you’re together or miles apart—don’t miss the chance to reach out to your friends and let them know how special they are. Even a simple message or shared memory can mean the world. Your time and thoughtfulness are the best gifts you can give.
A Friendship Box Says It All on Best Friends Day
Sometimes, expressing how much your best friend means to you isn’t easy, because there’s so much wrapped up in that bond, like years of memories, support, laughs, and a whole lot of growth. Showing your appreciation can feel a little overwhelming, especially when you want to keep it simple.
A Friendship Box says everything you’ve always wanted to say without needing the perfect words. And here at Friendshipbox.com, we choose every item carefully to reflect the connection, appreciation, and the kind of care that lasts.
Shop heartfelt gifts for your ride-or-die, discover our Bestie Box and Bro Box, and make this Best Friends Day one they’ll remember.
Because the best friendships deserve more than a like or a quick text—they deserve a moment.
With love,
The Friendship Appreciation Team 💛
P.S. Follow us on Instagram @FriendshipBox_ and on all other socials @FriendshipBox! Tag us with you and your bestie wearing your gear—we’d love to see what you picked out for your BFF or BRO!
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