Today is, apparently, NATIONAL HANDWRITING DAY. I just had to look that up, being a lover of words, and a lover of things handwritten. And having recently enjoyed perusing a vintage AUTOGRAPH BOOK that my friend Ann Deakers now owns ... it's full of charm.
So I GOOGLED it and here's what I found:
National Handwriting Day is "celebrated" on John Hancock's birthday, "to encourage more legible handwriting". Problem is, there are some (quite reliable) sources that place John Hancock's birthday on January 12 (1737), and not on the 23rd, but let's not quibble.
Here's a quick reminder of just how lovely & legible the old John Hancock signature really was:
The signature of John Hancock on the Declaration of Independence is the most flamboyant and easily recognizable of all. It is, then, no surprise that the story of his part in the revolution is equally engaging. Few figures were more well known or more popular than John Hancock. (courtesy of www.ushistory.org )
Pentel of America is celebrating National Handwriting Day 2010 with a CONTEST ... Describe how you declare your independence, what independence means to you, in 500 or less handwritten characters and submit to Pentel of America. Five (5) people will be chosen by Pentel and given their own Independence Day. See Pentel's website for contest rules and information:
http://pentel.com/handwriting_day_rules.php !
And here's a link to the FOUNTAIN PEN NETWORK (again, I never knew such a thing existed; did you?!):
http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5152&pid=252256&start=&st=#entry252256
The FOUNTAIN PEN NETWORK site has links to cool handwriting stuff.
If you want to have a little fun with this whole handwriting business, you can visit an online HANDWRITING ANALYSIS site, such as:
http://www.handwritingwizard.com ... they offer a free "personality analysis". Hmmm.
or
http://www.handbehindtheword.com/SelfEval.shtml
And last but not least, these fun ideas for how YOU and your CHILDREN can celebrate National Handwriting Day, courtesy of www.ehow.com ...
Bake a Cake for JOHN HANCOCK and share it. Have everyone SIGN THEIR NAME with frosting on top first !!!
Check out a book from the LIBRARY on handwriting and have fun analyzing your friend's signatures, as well as your own.
Learn a little bit about John Hancock and the Declaration of Independence.
Have everyone you know and love sign a page for your scrapbook. If you have an old-fashioned AUTOGRAPH BOOK, all the better !!!
Handwrite a letter to someone you love who lives far away (or even just around the corner) and sign it with a big beautiful signature !!!
Enjoy National Handwriting Day, everyone, and remember:
"Never believe that any document you sign
your name to is unimportant."
-- Davielle
