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11 January: what is celebrated today
11 January is a day made up of simple yet decisive gestures. It is the date on which two seemingly opposing celebrations meet: gratitude —that intimate act that illuminates human relationships— and planning a holiday —the anticipated dream that prompts us to build a bridge towards a kinder future. Both observances share the same root: the need to pause for a moment, recognise what sustains us and choose carefully where we want to go.
International Day of Gratitude
Sometimes, a “thank you” seems too small for the weight it carries. Yet few words have the same capacity to transform a moment so gently. Although the origin of this observance is unknown, its meaning goes beyond any commercial speculation: celebrating gratitude is a reminder that our lives are made up of invisible help, everyday gestures passed from hand to hand like a silent current.
In a world that often rewards haste, giving thanks means stopping, looking at another person and recognising that nothing we do happens in isolation. It is an exercise in emotional memory: the kind greeting at the supermarket, the conversation that lightens a difficult day, the effort of someone who accompanies us without expecting anything in return. Gratitude is, in essence, a form of attention. When we give thanks sincerely, we do not merely return a gesture: we extend it.
That is why this day invites us to practise gratitude without protocols, without rigid formulas. A gratitude born of sincerity, not duty. Because giving thanks does not make us more correct; it makes us more aware. And perhaps a little happier.
Plan Your Holiday Day
That same 11 January opens another window: that of imagining a journey. Not just any journey, but the one we have postponed amid obligations and routines, the one that begins long before we board a plane. Planning a holiday is, in a way, allowing ourselves to dream precisely: deciding which landscapes we want to see, what climate will caress our free days, what stories we hope to tell when we return.
Choosing a destination is unfolding an emotional map. Some seek the serenity of the Greek islands, where the white of the houses seems to mingle with the blue of the Aegean. Others prefer the inexhaustible energy of New York, the mineral silence of the Alps or the warmth of Caribbean beaches. There are also those who find refuge in legendary cities such as Rome or Paris, where every corner seems to hold a history lesson or a promise of beauty. Travelling is not merely moving from place to place: it is entering into dialogue with the world.
But planning requires an art of its own: checking calendars, choosing dates, booking in advance, imagining what we will pack in our suitcase. Sometimes, that process of anticipation brings as much excitement as the journey itself. Switching off, even in thought, is already a form of rest. This day reminds us that holidays do not begin when you arrive, but when you decide you deserve them.