International "Hug A Holmesian" Day is tomorrow, Thursday, March 11th. Get ready!
In a last minute attempt to be like blog-interviewer Rob Nunn, I ignored the six hour time difference between the US and the UK, and harassed a sleepy Paul Thomas Miller, the world's foremost expert on the holiday with some questions. He did his best to fight off sleep and answer, so here you have it, everything you ever wanted to know about International "Hug A Holmesian" Day if you only got to ask questions that I made up:
1. Has Hug A Homesian Day an official policy for masking, vaccinations, and other conditions for hugging during These Unprecedented Times?
This year the International Hug-A-Holmesian Day celebrations will mostly be taking place online. Fortunately, providing you have anti-virus installed, internet hugs are perfectly safe. Where Holmesians share a bubble, it may be possible for Real Life Hugs, but this is not to be encouraged. That's how trouble starts.
9. Is there any hope of a Hug A Holmesian Day festival one day?
2. I note that it is "Hug a Holmesian" and not "Shag a Sherlockian." Does the old thought of "Holmesians" being British and "Sherlockians" being American affect who we should target our hugs at? And has the holiday committee identified a day for shagging Sherlockians?
There has never been an International Shag-a-Sherlockian Day. At one point March 12th was destined to become Shove-A-Sherlockian day, but had to be cancelled due to the frailness of typical Sherlockians.
The festival is very much an International affair. Americans (who, I understand, in many ways are just like real people) are encouraged to join in the fun, but to refrain from using the incorrect term "Sherlockian" for just one day.
3. What is the status of fans of Oliver Wendell Holmes or Katie Holmes on Hug A Holmesian Day? Hugs or no hugs?
To steal a motto from The Baker Street Babes "All Holmes are good Holmes." Apart, possibly, for Henry Howard Holmes.
4. Are bears allowed to participate in Hug A Holmesian Day?
I can't see a single good reason why not. I encourage all Holmesians to go hug a bear. From what I've seen of Paddington, Rupert and Winnie The Pooh, it should be fine.
5. Since the curse of the Baskervilles began with non-consensual hugs from Sir Hug-o, is there a danger that hounds from hell will visit those who practice non-consensual hugs on Hug A Holmesian Day?
As a general rule, it is perfectly fine to practice non-consensual hugging online, but it is not a very good idea in Real Life. Be sure to get Real Life consent from Holmesians and bears before Real Life hugging them.
6. Are Hall Pycroft half-night self-hugs acceptable on Hug A Holmesian Day, or does hugging end at sundown?
International Hug-A-Holmesian Day runs from midnight to midnight, local time. Any hugging of Holmesians on 12th March is rendered null and void.
7. Is there a particular food or beverage associated with Hug A Holmesian Day?
This varies by region, but I understand the French invented the ring doughnut specifically to be used to hug engineers' thumbs every March 11th.
8. What is the current record for the largest number of Holmesians hugged by a given individual on Hug A Holmesian Day?
The day is usually filled with such carnage and abandonment of reason that no official count has ever been made. However, one photograph found in London Library Archives clearly shows an orangutan in a deerstalker hugging four sailors at the same time.
No. Or yes.
So there you go. "Hug A Holmesian" Day, a day of hope and dreams, and hopefully warm acceptance from
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