Feb26 Fun Holiday – Tell a Fairy Tale Day

Tell a Fairy Tale Day is on February 26. The unofficial holiday encourages celebrators to read, tell, and listen to fairy tales from around the world.

Fairy tales are a genre of literature that features fantastical and magical characters. Usually in the form of short stories with fairies, elves, trolls, and witches as central characters, fairy tales are set in a magical world with events that take place "once upon a time."

Oral Tradition

A form of folk tales, fairy tales have a strong oral and written tradition all around the world - with cultures adopting whole or parts of tales from other cultures.

Before the 17th century, fairy tales often had themes unsuitable for children and were written mostly for adults.

Children's Genre

Today, fairy tales are considered to be a genre of children's literature and the term fairy tale is used to refer to happy events and happenings, such as a fairy tale romance or a fairy tale ending.

The holiday is also known as National Tell a Fairy Tale Day in the United States.

How to Celebrate?

• Set your imagination free on this very fantastical holiday and re-read all your favorite fairy tales.
• If you have children in your lives, why not introduce them to some of the world's most famous fairy tales?
• Bring out your inner writer and pen down a fairy tale. Who knows, you could be the next Hans Christian Andersen!
• Watch movies based on fairy tales.
• Host a fairy tale party. Instruct your guests to come as their favorite fairy tale character, decorate the venue as if you were in an enchanted land of fairy tales and serve foods from all your favorite fairy tale stories. Some ideas include caramel apples (Snow White), pea salad (The Princess and the Pea), pumpkin soup (Cinderella) and porridge or rice pudding (Goldilocks and the Three Bears).

Did You Know…

… that at least 500 versions of Cinderella have been found around the world?

Tell a Fairy Tale Day Observances

Fun Holiday: Tell a Fairy Tale Day Observances
Year	Weekday	Date	Name
2024	Mon	26 Feb	Tell a Fairy Tale Day
2025	Wed	26 Feb	Tell a Fairy Tale Day
2026	Thu	26 Feb	Tell a Fairy Tale Day
2027	Fri	26 Feb	Tell a Fairy Tale Day
2028	Sat	26 Feb	Tell a Fairy Tale Day
2029	Mon	26 Feb	Tell a Fairy Tale Day
2030	Tue	26 Feb	Tell a Fairy Tale Day
2031	Wed	26 Feb	Tell a Fairy Tale Day
2032	Thu	26 Feb	Tell a Fairy Tale Day
2033	Sat	26 Feb	Tell a Fairy Tale Day

See all Fun Holidays