Today is National Absurdity Day: Celebrating the Unusual and Bizarre
November 20th marks National Absurdity Day, when the odd and the bizarre are celebrated. This day serves as a reminder of history’s strange and sometimes inexplicable events.
One of the most peculiar historical occurrences flagged on National Absurdity Day involves the U.S. Postal Service. In its early days, it was common to find children being sent cross-country via parcel service. This practice, which now seems utterly absurd, was a reality when the postal service began in 1913.
Parents would send their children, who fell within the shipping weights, to places like their grandparents’ homes, some for as low as 15 cents plus insurance.
The U.S. Postal Service has acknowledged such events. One notable instance from 1913 involved an 8-month-old baby in Ohio who was mailed by his parents to his grandmother a few miles away. The baby arrived safely, but this incident and others like it led to regulations being swiftly put in place to prevent the mailing of children through the U.S. Mail.
National Absurdity Day serves as a whimsical reminder of these bizarre chapters in history and encourages people to embrace the unusual and unexpected aspects of life.
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However, it’s important to note: do not try to ship your kids to see if it will work!