Even parents need a break, and sometimes the break they need is from playing with the toy Barbie or having to watch Barney & Friends with their kids yet again. According to several informal surveys given to a random assortment of parents, Barbie always seems to top the list of the most annoying toys, and Barney tops the list as the most annoying children’s television character.

That’s why parents are encouraged to celebrate Barbie & Barney Backlash Day on December 16th every year. After all, sometimes parents need a break too.

The History of Barbie and Barney Backlash Day

Barbie & Barney Backlash Day was invented by Tom and Ruth Roy. They didn’t give a real explanation about how this holiday is to be celebrated or why it’s celebrated. In fact, on their website, it says that if they have to explain this holiday to you, then you probably don’t have kids yourself. While we’re not sure when this holiday was invented, we think that it was invented sometime before 2010.

Fun Facts About Barney and Barbie

We know that both Barney and Barbie can be very annoying to parents, but we also know that to everyone else, these characters have some interesting history and facts behind them. We’ve listed some of those facts below and hope that everyone can appreciate them.

First, Facts About Barney:

• Barney was created for a series of videos entitled “Barney & The Backyard Gang” in 1987.
• Barney was originally conceived to be a bear. It wasn’t until after the creator of the show took her son to a dinosaur exhibit that Barney became a dinosaur.
• What kind of dinosaur is Barney? He’s a T-Rex.
• The Barney theme is set to “Yankee Doodle.”
• Barney & Friends originally ran from 1992 through 2010.
• Barney has been criticized for his overly optimistic message.

Next, Facts About Barbie:

• Barbie was born on March 9, 1959. That would make her a Pisces.
• Barbie was invented by Jack Ryan—an engineer who originally designed missiles for the Pentagon.
• Barbie was based on a German doll known as Lilli. Lilli was an R-rated doll.
• Barbies were named after the daughter of Mattel’s founders.
• The Ken doll was named after the son of Mattel’s founders.
• There was also a doll named Tutti, but that doll disappeared from the market in 1971.
• The first Barbies only cost $3. That same Barbie in mint condition would now be worth $25,000 at auction.
• Barbie’s signature color is pink.

Observing Barbie and Barney Backlash Day

Anyone wishing to observe this holiday can do so simply by abstaining from playing with Barbies or watching Barney & Friends. Just take a day off from those activities. Do another activity with your children, such as taking them for a walk, reading a book to them, or watching another children’s television show.

All of these are legitimate ways to enjoy Barbie & Barney Backlash Day. Also, be sure to use the hashtag #Barbie&BarneyBacklashDay on your social media posts to spread the word about this holiday.