Umbrella Cover Day encourages us to give recognition to the umbrella covers, sleeves, cases, slipcovers, and sheaths every July 6. This day is dedicated to cover those umbrellas that cover us, protecting us from rain and the sun.
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Date of Umbrella Cover Day Observance
6th of July.
History of Umbrella Cover Day
Umbrellas Introduced to the World
It happened around 4000 years ago when the world witnessed the umbrellas for the very first time.
From ancient Egyptians to the Indians and Persians, umbrellas have been serving the humans, giving shade for a long time.
As per the ancient drawings and carvings available now, they suggest that the people of ancient Egypt, Persia, and India found shade under the umbrellas.
Earlier, the powerful rulers and the wealthy and high-status families used to flaunt the leather umbrellas.
Umbrella in Churches
When the Pope used ‘umbraculum’, a yellow-red umbrella for having the shade, it didn’t take much time to become a fashion in the worldwide churches. People begin to use the replica of the design for enjoying the shade.
Umbrella Canopies in Trend
Despite correlating the umbrellas with femininity, ancient Romans and Greeks used the umbrella canopies to cover the large cinema, theatres, and stadiums. They named these hanging umbrella coverings as — ‘velarium’. These sun-proof and rainproof umbrella canopies remained quite popular in that era for covering the massive coliseum.
The Invention of Waterproof Umbrellas
During the 11th century, the Chinese came up with waterproof umbrellas. For making them, they used wax and lacquer covering on the thin-paper umbrellas.
Stardom of Umbrellas
During the 16th century, umbrellas saw their stardom in Europe as well. Nobles used umbrellas for finding shade in hallways and areas falling between carriages to entrances.
Umbrellas Came Out of Gender-Dividing Shell
Along with Romans and Greeks, English also associated umbrellas with women only. During the 1700s, umbrellas banged among males too.
The scenario changed when Jonas Hanway, a philanthropist brought the trend of umbrellas for men by using them himself for finding protection from the rain.
Umbrellas couldn’t find a space in the hands of men for about 30 years but eventually, men also started to take the services of the umbrellas. Some English entitled the umbrella as ‘Hanway’ as well.
Soon this trend caught popularity in France also. The umbrella-makers used cotton and silk as the prime material for making the umbrellas light weighted. Though they used to get damaged quickly.
Frenchman Samuel Fox became the first one to manufacture the umbrellas in bulk. He not only used the whalebone frame as a lighter material but also innovated the strap function for closing the umbrella.
The invention forced the umbrella to sustain for about two years, making its life longer.
No turning back! The umbrellas hit the popularity meter around the world after this.
Umbrellas Published in the Book
Daniel Defoe, an author and also a journalist, brought the umbrellas in limelight by penning their praises in “Robinson Crusoe”, his famous novel. He mentioned their importance in cooling the protagonists while walking in the heat of the sun.
Compact Folding Umbrellas
In 1929, Slawa Horowitz, a student came up with the prototype for the compact folding umbrella
They Got Patented
In 1969, Bradford E.Phillips, in North American patented his innovation — ‘working Folding umbrella’.
Tribute to Umbrellas
Nancy 3 Hoffman is one of those very few who realized the need for recognition in the case of umbrella covers. She didn’t even realize the importance of the umbrella covers but also took an action for giving tribute to them.
When she found that she has got many different types of umbrellas in a closet, she decided to showcase them. This made her showcase the Umbrella Cover Museum that found glory in Portland, Maine, the U.S. in 1996.
Now along with umbrella covers, the umbrella stories and experiences of their owners are also exhibited in the museum. As time has changed much and digitalization is spreading its feet everywhere, this museum also left no way behind. Now its exhibitions are exhibited both offline and online.
What about the History of the Umbrella Covers?
History offers the journey of umbrella quite clearly but how and when the umbrella covers came into the scene, there are no glimpses of this story.
Although it’s not hard to guess too that the pricey umbrellas of that era would have brought the need of keeping them safe in a cover for increasing their lifespan. The second reason behind keeping the umbrellas in cover might be their safety from the everyday dust.
Well, whatsoever was the reason behind the invention of the umbrella covers; today, all types of umbrellas come with covers. It is the normal umbrella or patio umbrellas, golf umbrellas, or any other umbrella model, we can’t even imagine buying them without covers now.
Umbrella Cover Day Celebration Ideas
Cover Your Rainproof Devices
There can’t be a better tribute to the umbrella covers than using them for the purpose they are made of. Realize that they do not deserve to reside among the waste products in the trash or a storeroom. They are made with the purpose — protecting the umbrellas that protect you. Let them do for what they have come into the existence in this world.
After all, it’s not about just the covers, it’s about the umbrellas that serve you against adverse weather conditions.
So make sure that you do contribute to let your umbrellas meet their companions on the Umbrella Cover Day.
Make the Most of Your Umbrella Covers
If you have got some extra coverings of umbrellas, having no umbrella to cover with them, then let them serve you in another way.
Mostly, umbrella covers all quite strong and a little waterproof as well. So they can be used for several purposes such as storing the:
Plastic utensils Makeup Planters Loose change Garbage bags, etc.And you can also use them as ear-warmers and give a shield to the ears of your pets.
Get a New Learning
Do you remember where is the covering of your own umbrella?
It’s not just about the umbrella cover but also about many such tiny things that we buy and forget. Give tribute to all such small things by collecting them and placing them at the right place or using them for the right purpose.
If you find some stuff that is of no use, spare some time to recycle them. It will make you feel lighter and clearer.
Why is Umbrella Cover Day Celebrated?
It Saves Us from Guilt
We have a poor feeling for an umbrella or the umbrella covers, the fact is — they both are made for each other and must be together while their resting time.
The Umbrella Cover Day gives us an opportunity to recognize the right place for umbrella covers.
It Gives Us a Mighty Lesson
Even usually underestimated, neglected, and overlooked tiny thing has also got a purpose behind its existence.
Where at the one hand, it encourages us to appreciate the little things around us; on the other hand, it plays symbolically to our lives as well.
Many a time failures make us feel worthless and small. Many of us feel small because of our bank balance, status, position, designation, or the situation in life as well.
While recognizing the importance of a small piece of cover, we also realize that even if we find ourselves small in some context, we are important. It gives a new perspective to our existence and worth.
We value or not, like umbrella covers, we all are important and with a purpose behind our existence in this world.
From Waster to Upcycle
Umbrella Cover Day motivates us to recycle the umbrella covers in a useful way. It’s a very small yet sensitive initiative taken for our beloved environment.
You might think that how recycling just your own small piece of umbrella cover can contribute to the environment. But think about our population in the world. Even if we assign one umbrella cover to each; if you will see the number of umbrellas in the context of the world, it's massive.
Significance of Umbrella Cover Day
Umbrella covers not only protect our beloved umbrellas from the dust but also from insects and moths. They preserve them from getting damaged.
On top of that, they are also helpful in carrying wet umbrellas. If you have your umbrella covers, you can place your umbrella in your bag as well.
Not only the basic use, but their multiple extra usages also make them versatile and worth appreciating.
5 Interesting Facts about Umbrella Cover Museum
World’s First Umbrella Cover Museum
It’s in the US.
The Treasurer of Umbrella Covers
Could you imagine how many covers does museum receive? It had got more than 2000 covers by July 2015.
The Contributors
Has how many countries would have contributed to collect such a massive number? It’s whopping 71 countries.
It Was Someone’s House
We know now after probing into the history that the founder behind this umbrella cover museum was Nancy 3. Hoffman.
The house she used to showcase her umbrella covers initially turned into the museum and a point of attraction for many.
It’s the Largest One!
The museum collection by Nancy 3. Hoffman has also secured a place in the Guinness World Records for being the largest of its kind.
This World Records also Holds a Story
Nobody would have thought that umbrella sleeves can also hold a place in Guinness World Records. Indeed, no one would have thought of such a category also.
Realize the greatest challenge in front of Nancy 3. Hoffman too. She spent about five years trying for the Guinness World Records.
