February is a great month because it contains a very important holiday that allows you to celebrate your one true love.
And no, you sap, we are not talking about Valentine’s Day. We are talking about National Pizza Day, which falls on February 9. (Quick note: most of these National Whatever Days are totally fake. But we’re not going to turn down the opportunity to celebrate pizza. So here we are.)
You’re probably planning to observe this important day by just scarfing down a slice after work. But you can do so much more than that to truly honor the glory of pizza. Here are some suggestions.
1. Go on a pizza crawl. Do a little research to find the best pizza joints in your city and then plan out a route. We believe in you and your pizza-eating abilities, but make sure you don’t end up in a debilitating food coma. Keep hydrated throughout the day and maybe walk instead of driving or taking public transit when possible. You can handle this. (If you live in a city like New York or Chicago, you could also check out guided pizza tours.)
2. Wear pizza clothing. All day. Remember that time Beyoncé wore a head-to-toe pizza outfit? You can totally rock that too. Pizza high-top sneakers? Yes. A pizza bucket hat? Absolutely. A straight-up PIZZA JUMPSUIT? If you’re willing to drop $100 on it, by all means.
3. Challenge your friends to a pizza bakeoff. If you host the event at your house, you get to be the judge. Group your friends into teams beforehand so they can strategize and shop for ingredients, and then sit back and wait for them to wow you. Taste is obviously the most important criteria here, but you should also factor in creativity, presentation, and passion. Passion is key.
4. Give your friends pizza-themed gifts. People give each other gifts on holidays like Christmas—so why not on National Pizza Day? If you have a group of seven friends, we recommend this brilliant pizza slice friendship necklace. Or some pizza lip balm.
5. Bring pizza to work. Since National Pizza Day falls on a Tuesday, you’ll probably be at work. Order some pizzas to the office and be a true hero. (Or just invite the people you actually like to visit the nearest pizzeria at lunchtime.)
6. Cook a multi-course meal where every course is a form of pizza. For your hors d’oeuvres as your guests arrive (or for you to munch on alone, no judgment): pizza lollipops or mini deep-dish pizzas. For your appetizer: pizza soup or a white pizza with an arugula salad on top. For your main course: whatever kind of pizza you desire. We recommend one classic, like pepperoni, and one fancy one, like this pear, prosciutto and gorgonzola pie. For dessert: Nutella pizza. All the way.
7. Come up with Pizza Resolutions. Think of this as the first day of the new pizza year. What are you pizza-related goals for the next 12 months? Some resolutions could include: eat healthier pizza (arugula on top! do it!), expand your pizza horizons and try different styles, be better about sharing pizza with your friends, overcome your fears and try toppings you don’t think you like, etc.
8. Buy a rat and train it to drag pizza around your apartment. You’ll go viral, and then once you figure out how to monetize your virality, think of how much money you’ll have to buy more pizza!
9. Give pizza to a baby for the first time. Imagine getting to witness a human being experiencing pizza for the very first time. Consider recording the baby and, again, you could go viral. Make sure you get permission from the baby’s parents.
10. Give back to the pizza community with Random Acts of Pizza. There’s a magical section of Reddit called Random Acts of Pizza where people join together to deliver a pizza to someone in need. Help send the joy of pizza to someone who just lost their job and can’t afford to feed himself—or even just someone who’s feeling kind of lonely and could use a smile. (Just, uh, beware of con artists.)
11. Spend some quality time alone with pizza. Just you and pizza. Turn off your phone, put away your laptop, dim the lights, and remember why you fell in love in the first place.
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