A sock monkey is a stuffed toy that resembles a monkey and is made out of socks. Yep, that’s all there is to it. It’s something unique to North America but does have its origins in Victorian England, as we’ll get to a little bit later. Although we didn’t think that making sock monkeys was all that popular, our opinion changed when we learned about Sock Monkey Day.

This holiday is observed every year on the 7th of March and is celebrated by people all across the U.S. and Canada. It’s a day for people to get a little cheeky and create sock monkeys that can be used to entertain friends and family members.

The History of Sock Monkey Day

It’s believed that the sock monkey owes its current existence to the Victorians. During the 63-year period that spanned from 1837 to 1901, the craze for stuffed animals began to sweep Europe.

This craze was imported into Canada and the United States, where it combined with the Arts and Crafts movement that was on the rise at the same time. In 1894, Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” and “Just So Stories” came out, inspiring many crafters to start designing and making exotic animals. One of these stuffed animals was the stuffed monkey.

Observing Sock Monkey Day

Anyone who is observing this holiday and not making a sock monkey is not celebrating this day in the spirit it was intended to be observed. This is the day for people to make their own sock monkeys and share these delightful creations with friends and loved ones. People can also take pictures of their sock monkeys and post them on social media using the hashtag #SockMonkeyDay. This is a great day to repurpose socks and do it in a fun way.