Happy Birthday Harry Potter

Saturday, July 31st, 2021

Happy Birthday, Harry Potter! Today the boy wizard turns 41 (he was born in 1980, according to part-time sleuths/ obsessive fans on the internet.) Here's hoping his birthday is a good one; if you'd like to celebrate but can't make it out to the Wizarding World of Happy Potter, Mugglenet has some fun ways to celebrate the day. And if you've ever wanted to throw your very own Harry Potter birthday themed party, check out our officially licensed Harry Potter store!



Hello, Friends – It's International Friendship Day

Friday, July 30th, 2021

BFFs, Besties, Squads, and Tribes. No matter the label, friends make the world a little sweeter. While the internet wants you to think this is a day invented by the greeting card industry, our sleuthing shows the day originated with the UN General Assembly in 2011. International Friendship Day originated from the powerful idea that "friendship between peoples, countries, cultures, and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities."

Of course, with our technology today, even friends who are far away can keep in touch in real-time. But we kind of miss those days when pen pals connecting from faraway lands were a thing. Luckily, technology has come through in all sorts of ways; this Travel and Leisure article shares seven websites where you can connect with pen pals from around the world. Penpal postcards, anyone?



On the Road Again

Thursday, July 29th, 2021

Road trips are one of our favorite ways to get out of our routines, get in some downtime, and get to see the sights. We love to file away articles, apps, and anything else we can get our hands on to help us scratch our road tripping itch. One of our favorite resources, The Broke Backpacker, has a great list of the 20 best US Road trips to get those adventures crossed off the bucket list. Then there's the Roadtrippers app, an all-in-one way to plan the journey, find stops along the way, share with friends and family, and all other road tripping goodness.

Then there are the snacks. If there was ever a reason to get a custom Igloo cooler on Zazzle, it's for the snacks. As far as road trip snacks go, that's all about personal preference. But one of the best tips we've gotten and used over the years is always pack two coolers. We recommend a designated cooler for beverages and another one for food & condiments! That way you have more than enough cold storage if you end up acquiring more food and drinks along the drive!



Readers are Leaders

Wednesday, July 28th, 2021

We stumbled upon these Readers are Leaders designs the other day and had to share in the spirit of back to school. What a tremendous and vital sentiment to impart upon kids today! It's not just the kids, though; reading is essential for all of us. Far be it for us to lecture, but the ability of books to transport us to other worlds or to recognize our inner world is magical. Not to mention a proven way to reduce stress, build empathy and improve our listening muscles. In fact, according to a study from Yale that we read about in Inc Magazine a few years ago, readers live longer. In the spirit of longevity and leadership, get your book on today!



Could You Use a Custom Tapestry? Yes!

Tuesday, July 27th, 2021

Sometimes we feel the urge to take a moment to share our Zazzle finds with the world that you might not be aware of. Today we have to take a moment to let you know about our custom wall tapestries. Yes to having a wall tapestry for a special event or welcome banner alternative. Yes to creating your own custom backdrop for photos. Yes to a custom tapestry that embodies your plant loving boho cool decor.

We love all the ways to get creative with custom tapestries. This Zazzle Ideas article talks you through a few alternative ways to use tapestries! Now get to creating!

Today is Aunt and Uncle Day

Monday, July 26th, 2021

Aunt and Uncle Day exists. Who knew? Well, now you do so, let's honor the role that Aunts and Uncles play in our lives.

First, let's face it, they're the best at sharing embarrassing stories about your parents as kids. They might be a second parent; in some cultures, aunts and uncles can be disciplinarians. And in some cultures, calling someone Aunt and Uncle is a sign of respect. In pop culture, we've seen Uncle Phil, and Aunt Viv school the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Aunt May support Peter Parker, and Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon make Harry Potter's life all the more challenging. For today, in your real life, give a thought to the aunts and uncles who support and celebrate you with a shout-out for today.

Back to Campus Collegiate Pride

Sunday, July 25th, 2021

Many of us get a lot of joy in repping our college alma mater in various ways. We know that very well on Zazzle as we've grown our collection of colleges and universities to honor and celebrate current students and graduates with all kinds of custom goodies. The word – "college" is derived from the Latin "collegium," which means community or society. Which kind of fits when you think about the concept of collegiate pride and wearing one's school colors or branding.

At Zazzle, we take the collegiate pride very seriously, hence our dedicated list of colleges with officially licensed logos and branding for Stanford, Temple, Notre Dame, Brown, UConn, and many more. What makes their Zazzle presence extra special is that many colleges have items that are hard to come by at the college bookstore. Officially licensed college merchandise, wrapping paper, napkins, and golf balls, anyone?

Let the Games Begin

Saturday, July 24th, 2021

The Olympics are underway and are a window into the sheer determination, skill, and dedication it takes to make it to the world stage of athletics. For these Olympics, four sports make their Olympic debut Skateboarding, Surfing, Sport Climbing, and Karate. Plus, two more sports are back in play- Baseball and Softball. This NBC article describes how each sport will join the program for these Olympics.

All in all, on last count, there are 41 sports in these Olympics with a total of 339 contested medal events. While this is a very different kind of Games this year, let's cheer on the athletes from afar as they reach for their Olympic dreams.

The Masks We Wear

Friday, July 23rd, 2021

We know that masks are a much-discussed topic, and we're not here to poke that bear, although, please stay safe, everyone. Instead, we were fascinated by the history of masks in this online Encyclopedia Brittanica entry that was sent our way outlining the history of masks worldwide and across the centuries. (Side nostalgia note: remember encyclopedias? - For those who don't, they were Wikipedia before the online wiki part.)

The power and ritual associated with masks in different cultures is a fascinating read. And then we get to the therapeutic part, which we know all too well. That said, we learned that "masks with human features are classified as anthropomorphic and those with animal characteristics as theriomorphic." Ooo, so while it might not technically count, we are here for the theriomorphic adjacent qualities of this dog face mask, or this famous dog (Scooby Doo) face mask. Are bears more to your liking? Or perhaps a cat? Well, there's a face mask for that on Zazzle.

Roar into Leo Season

Thursday, July 22nd, 2021

Leo Season is roaring in with all the energy and star power that Leos bring to the world. Leos are a fire sign; the zodiac symbol is a lion, and with that comes all the bold, fierce, regal Leo energy the world needs.

Creative, passionate, and confident, Leos can also be a heady combo of a lot of ambition and attention-seeking. Famous Leos include Barack Obama, Jennifer Lopez, Mick Jagger, Dua Lipa, and Andy Warhol. Natural leaders, Leos are typically loyal, generous, and here to celebrate. Let's celebrate them right back this Leo season.

Parenting in Practice Around the Globe

Wednesday, July 21st, 2021

Mother's Day and Father's Day are behind us, but it's every day that we want to celebrate the trials and triumphs of parenting. One thing is for sure, as a parent, there is no shortage of opinions coming your way on how to raise your brood. What makes parenting even more interesting is factoring in different cultures and communities and their approaches to parenting.

One of our favorite article series is 'Parenting Around the World' on Cup of Jo, which talks to mothers raising their children in other countries, usually as expats. Over the years, Cup of Jo has spoken to American mothers raising their children in Sweden, Congo, Turkey, South Korea, and more. Eye-opening and beautiful to hear about traditions, customs, and ways of child-rearing differ in these countries. It's worth a read, and to get started, you can check out this overview article from Cup of Jo which captures some of the comments and learnings from the many articles they've covered over the years.

Showering Them with Love

Tuesday, July 20th, 2021

Bridal showers are back on, and we know that no host wants to be off their entertaining game. Enter our beneficial Zazzle Ideas article with bridal shower ideas to make that shower memorable. One thing we've always wondered, though, is why is it called a shower? Are we showering them with gifts or well wishes? Maybe that's why?

Well, we weren't too far off. Our deep dive into bridal showers uncovered that bridal showers originated in the Victorian era, where small gifts were placed in a paper parasol and showered over the bride. While the showering part might not be part of the festivities today, a meaningful gift certainly is. And hey, if you want to have them rain down on the bride's head to bring the tradition back, we won't stop you. But maybe have some 'advice for the bride' messages shower over her instead just to be safe.

Dreaming of a Bright Christmas? Christmas in July is On

Monday, July 19th, 2021

Today Zazzle is celebrating Christmas in July with a fantastic promotion! But did you know that it might have been a movie from the 1940s titled, yup, wait for it...'Christmas in July', that might have brought the concept into our pop culture pantheon. It was even earlier, in 1933 to be exact, that a summer camp in North Carolina first celebrated Christmas in July, according to this fascinating article from Better Homes and Gardens.

Today, Christmas in July is one more reason to have a merry summer, whether you want to get a head start on Holiday shopping, host a Christmas in July themed party, or even have a seasonal Elf on the summer shelf for the kiddos. So many ways to stay cool for the summer and celebrate the season!

Ice Cream Chillin Chillin – It's National Ice Cream Day

Sunday, July 18th, 2021

We know the press has been chided for reporting on President Biden's ice cream habit, but if there was ever a day to put down the pitchforks and pick up the spoon (or grab the waffle cone), it's National Ice Cream Day.

Apparently, ice cream flavor preference is a personality type indicator, according to this article from Readers Digest; just like astrological profiles only yummier. Oh, and if you're curious about President Biden's go-to ice cream treat, it's double scoop chocolate chip in a waffle cone (according to the latest news).

Express Yourself – World Emoji Day

Saturday, July 17th, 2021

Is it weird that we kind of don't remember life before emojis? No wonder that today is World Emoji Day because speaking emoji might be a language that unites us. However, even that is a bit extreme because it turns out that emojis need translating too. Ya, so that 'thumbs up' emoji means something very different in parts of the world like Greece and the Middle East.

This article from the BBC outlines a bit more on how emojis need cross-cultural interpretation. That said, the expert cited concludes that emojis do bring us together more than they keep us apart. Let's keep that in mind as we celebrate World Emoji day today and emoticon on!

It's Our Birthday

Friday, July 16th, 2021

Hey, hey, it's Zazzle's birthday celebration! We are turning sweet sixteen and very excited to celebrate our birthday with a sitewide discount for all of you! And you can feel free to serenade us with the birthday song all day long if you'd like. That's because the Happy Birthday song is now back in the public domain. Indeed, before 2016, the song was considered copywritten material requiring a licensing fee "for every use in film, television, radio, and anywhere open to the public," and, get this, "for any group where a substantial number of those in attendance were not family or friends of the performer."

Now you know why you never saw or heard the Happy Birthday song on tv or in movies on the regular. Not to mention that restaurant chains were prohibited from singing that song to celebrate customers. Because the copyright owners, Warners/Chappell Music, would legit come for people who did not pay up the licensing fee. Luckily for all of us, a director who wanted to make a documentary about the history of the Happy Birthday song decided to bring a class-action lawsuit which eventually put the song back in the public domain!

There are many articles about how this went down back in 2015, but this one from the Journal of Intellectual Property sums it up nicely. Now, back to our birthday celebrations!

Saddle up for National I Love Horses Day

Thursday, July 15th, 2021

Today is the day we get to celebrate our love for the magnificent horse. As hippophiles (which means one who loves horses; hippos is the Greek word for horse), we might express our love from afar or as equestrians who like to saddle up. Perhaps one of the most impactful ways to learn from our horse friends is through equine-assisted therapy. Horses have a unique ability to sense human emotions, and they're excellent communicators and experts at setting boundaries.

This article from VeryWellMind outlines the impact of equine therapy; the father of medicine, Hippocrates, wrote about the therapeutic benefits of horseback riding. If that's not for you, you can experience horses through the screen with this YouTube video of horses from around the world for stress relief and meditation. Or check out this "Definitive Pony Playlist" we found on Spotify for all sorts of horse-themed songs to gallop to today.

Vive La France – It's Bastille Day

Wednesday, July 14th, 2021

Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité; today is Bastille Day. For the non Francophiles among us, July 14th is a national holiday in France to mark the storming of the Bastille and the French Revolution. This article from History.com explains all the intricacies around the day.

Can't make it to France for the festivities, don't regrette rien because Bastille Day festivities can be found around the US as a celebration of French culture including food! Think of it as a great reason to partake of your favorite French wine, cheese, chocolate, croissant, macaron...well you get the idea. Delicieux!

Pure Imagination – Willy Wonka is on Zazzle

Tuesday, July 13th, 2021

Scrummdiddlyumptious, we got the golden ticket when we launched our new Willy Wonka store on Zazzle! And it's not just Wonka; the store has designs featuring Violet, Veruca Salt, and a whole lot of Oompa Loompa.

This is perfect timing given the recent announcement that Timothee Chalamet will be starring in a Willy Wonka prequel. According to Deadline, Timothee will get to showcase his singing and dancing skills with a host of new musical numbers! For now, we are showcasing our love for the OG Willy Wonka as a music maker and dreamer of dreams.

Back to Cool

Monday, July 12th, 2021

It's already that time of year for parents everywhere to think about getting those kiddos back to school. Allow us to share a special blast from the past that illustrates those feelings – this Staples commercial from 1996 calling back to school the most wonderful time of the year (for parents) gives us all the feels for the season.

But for those who want less feeling and more action, we have this Zazzle Ideas article, 'Top Back to School Supplies for 2021'. It's not too early to get the lists going.

A lot of A lot – World Population Day

Sunday, July 11th, 2021

Today is World Population Day, an annual event that originated with the United Nations to bring attention to global population issues. If you're curious, multiple online resources have us at approximately 7.9 billion people worldwide.

One of our favorite online destinations for populations visualizations, Populationpyramid.net, has several visual charts showing everything from growth maps to carbon emissions by country. Take a look when you get a chance to see how and where our world is changing as we speak.

No Kitten Around – It's National Kitten Day

Saturday, July 10th, 2021

There can never be too many cat-themed designs in our Zazzleverse. Taco cats, Grumpy cats, pictures of your own kittens - it's a feline world, and we're just living in it. National Kitten Day came about to bring awareness to shelter kittens and remind folks to adopt, don't shop. Show some love to your local shelter today and hug some kittens while you're at it.

Black Widow

Friday, July 9th, 2021

We've watched the trailers, we've read the early reviews, and now the day is here. Black Widow is out in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access! We are here for the backstory of how Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, came to be. The trailer is giving us superspy thriller vibes, plus the cast is stellar. "We have unfinished business," or so the trailer says, and now our business is to get watching.

Personalize these killer designs from our officially licensed Black Widow store!

Don't Stop, Won't Stop, Flip Flops

Thursday, July 8th, 2021

Here in North America, we are in peak flip flop season. Since custom flip flops are a Zazzle favorite, we went on a fact-finding mission to uncover more about flip-flops' legacy. In addition to learning that flip flops might be the oldest documented shoe style, as witnessed in Egyptian murals from 4000 BC, we also learned that how to wear flip flops depended on your location. Yes, apparently, the ancient Greeks wore the toe strap between their 1st and 2nd toes, Romans wore the strap between the 2nd and 3rd toes, while Mesopotamians wore the strap between the 3rd and 4th toes. No matter which way you chose to wear your flip-flops, it seems psychologists might feel like wearing flip flops is emblematic of 'enclothed cognition' wherein what you wear impacts your psyche.

This Psychology Today article explains the impact flip flops could have on your mental well-being. Think feeling free, relaxing, and having fun. Of course, we highly recommend a unique touch with Zazzle's personalized flip flops. Try this search for that summer vibe. And wear your flip flops your way!

It's World Chocolate Day

Wednesday, July 7th, 2021

We never need a reason for chocolate. But World Chocolate Day is as good enough as any to allow for guilt-free consumption of our favorite food group. We're not the only ones as the global chocolate market is predicted to grow to USD 41.15 billion from 2020 to 2024, according to analysts at Technavio. Today, in the spirit of World Chocolate, we raise a bar to the fantastic variety of chocolate from around the globe.

Now, we're not sticklers for technique, but we did find that our local Bay Area favorite, Ghiradelli, has an article on their website about how to taste chocolate as the professionals do. They also have a page dedicated to recommended chocolate and herbal tea pairings. BRB while we run to put our kettle on.

Season of the Crab

Tuesday, July 6th, 2021

We're halfway through the zodiac sign of Cancer from June 21 to July 22. Cancerians are thought to have a profound combination of emotional intuition with clear-cut leadership ability. Represented by the Crab, Cancerians might pinch when they feel threatened, though there is a warm, soft center that comes through in their loyalty and their domestic talents. Ruled by the moon, those with Cancer sun sign, ascendant, and/or Cancer moons in their chart might be a bit more sensitive than they want the world to know.

One thing Cancerians have in common is the love for a sentimental gift. Crabs carry their homes on their backs, and Cancerians in your life might appreciate something personalized from Zazzle's selection of home decorations. A cozy, personalized pillow might be the perfect Crab companion.

Reunited and It Feels So Good

Monday, July 5th, 2021

We're always excited and honored that Zazzle is part of so many family reunions. Those reunions are extra special this year as vaccinations mean travel and in-person events can carefully resume. And we're not humblebragging when we say that Zazzle just might have the best selection of items to make that reunion even more special.

Custom coasters, beer coozies, cornhole sets plus t-shirts, flip flops, bunting and tote bags – you can find all sorts of creative ways to come together for a family reunion on Zazzle.

Happy Independence Day!

Sunday, July 4th, 2021

Wishing everyone a Happy 4th of July! Today we give thanks for our freedoms and remember the sacrifices of the Americans who came before us. Here's to BBQs, parades, picnics, and backyard festivities as we come together on the nation's birthday!

The Oh So Sweet Fruit Trend

Saturday, July 3rd, 2021

Watermelons, lemons, and strawberries – oh my! When in doubt deck it out in fruits, is a fun rule of thumb for summer decor, party invites and accessorizing. What's just as fun is to see what fruit is trending. There was a lemony summer a few years ago (perhaps influenced by a certain female, superstar singer), pineapples had a moment two years ago, and this year, people can't seem to get enough of oranges and clementines.

Whether it's avocados, lemons or tutti-fruiti mixes, we can't get enough of browsing the sweet and tangy designs all over the Zazzle site. Some of our favorite site searches for fruits include fruit themed office supplies and fruit designs for the outdoors.

It Came from Outer Space – World UFO Day

Friday, July 2nd, 2021

If you believe, well then today is the day for you. World UFO Day originated as a day to spread awareness of and share in watching the skies for unidentified flying objects. This year, fresh off the heels of multiple global reports on UFOs and aliens and the release of Pentagon briefing reports, we might be looking at this day a bit differently.

You know it's serious when last we checked, Vegas betting odds on making contact with aliens were down from 200 to 1 to 20 to 1. In case you want to host a welcome party, Zazzle creator, The Art of Vikki has some really fun summer alien goodies for your alien summer party planning needs.

Oh Canada – Happy Canada Day

Thursday, July 1st, 2021

Happy Canada Day to our neighbors in the north! We cherish many things about Canada including our Canadian teammates. We also love poutine, Ryan Reynolds, national treasure Celine Dion, cottages in Muskoka, Ryan Gosling, Banff National Park, and Tim Hortons.

We're equally lucky to have officially licensed CBC/Radio Canada content on Zazzle to celebrate Canadian arts and entertainment. We're talking Hockey Night in Canada, vintage CBC logos and more are perfect way to show some love and appreciation for all things Canadian Zazzle teammates.