by Ruth Storkel.
Here’s another new holiday I did not know existed: National Umbrella Day! Certainly, we need to acknowledge it here in Western Washington, where we would not survive without umbrellas!
I recall moving to “this side of the mountains” from eastern Oregon when I was in Jr. High School. That was a shock! We were not used to so much precipitation. In Centralia, going from home to school was a sad and soggy situation……… hairdo ruined, lunch sack falling apart, and my sandwiches squishy! I don’t remember having an umbrella………… I rather doubt we owned any. They weren’t cheap, and there were 7 children in my family……. just not affordable! Nowadays, one can even buy an umbrella at the dollar store, which is much less costly.
The word “umbrella” is English, being derived from the Latin word “umbra,” meaning “shadow or shade.”
There are numerous slang terms for the umbrella, depending on your location worldwide. A whimsical American term from about 200 years ago is “bumbershoot”. In the 18th century, men in England took to calling their umbrellas “Hanways” after a Persian traveler, Jonas Hanway, who began carrying an umbrella during his travels (up to that time, only women had been using them).
The most common name has been “brolly” (called this in the UK, Australia, Kenya, Ireland, etc.) In England, umbrellas were also called “gamps” after a woman in a Charles Dickens novel, Mrs. Gamp, who was known for always carrying an umbrella.
Umbrellas were probably first used to protect people from the sun. Archaeological records from 5,000 years ago show people using palm leaf or papyrus umbrellas for sun protection in the Mesopotamian civilization in West Asia. (In that area of the world, the sun was a much greater “enemy” than wind or rain). Umbrellas at that time were huge and very heavy, sometimes requiring multiple people to carry them.
Ancient Chinese people were the first to wax and lacquer their paper umbrellas, proving these tools could be used as protection from rain (in addition to sun.)
With the establishment of extensive trade routes, umbrellas made their way into Europe from Egypt, Greece, and Rome. By the 1750s, umbrellas were being commercially produced and used by many women; no longer just owned by upper-class women, many women used them regularly in the wetter climates of Northern Europe.
In 1830, James Smith opened London’s first umbrella shop, calling it “James and Sons.” In the 1900s, it sold 2 million umbrellas a year. This shop is still in business today at 53 New Oxford Street, London.
The umbrella has gone through a number of transformations, from heavy and unwieldy to now being foldable and pocket-sized, easily put in a briefcase or handbag. There is a worldwide demand for them.
As of 2008, most umbrellas are made in China. One city, Shangyu, boasts of more than 1,000 umbrella factories. In the United States, around 33 million umbrellas are purchased yearly.
Celebrating Umbrella Day on February 10:
You can celebrate Umbrella Day in a variety of ways. My favorite idea would be grabbing my umbrella, going outside on the sidewalk, and doing a rendition of “Singing in the Rain” (singing and dancing with my umbrella!)
Other ideas:
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- Create a colorful piece of artwork with umbrellas in it.
- Get out of the house with your friends by going out for coffee/ lunch and walking, while carrying your umbrella.
- Plan an umbrella dance or party for your children.
- Check out some library books with umbrella themes. Here are a few:
“Ella’s Umbrellas” by Jennifer Lloyd
“My Red Umbrella” by Robert Bright
“The Umbrella” by Jan Brett
5. Take a trip to town; look around Burien to see which stores are selling umbrellas, and buy yourself a new one (or get one for a child who has not yet had his own personal umbrella).
6 Go on an umbrella “I Spy” hunt with friends or your child, and see how many umbrellas you can spot in a designated time period. (Take pictures of some umbrellas you see too.)
I have several umbrellas: the “Costco” top-quality fold-up umbrella, a golf umbrella (huge!), a designer umbrella with the Eiffel Tower on it, an umbrella with “cats and dogs on it,” and one probably designed for fishermen, with many fish on it.
Here in Burien, we are definitely in an “umbrella culture.” However, not everyone gets to enjoy using umbrellas. I remember a comical moment regarding umbrellas while visiting Southern California several years ago. A rainy day is rare there, but the weatherman had said it was going to rain. Those poor rain-deprived Californians NEVER get to use their umbrellas, so they were excited to hear rain was coming. Finally, a raindrop or two fell. I looked over at a nearby house to see a person marching out of their home with a good-sized umbrella, going to their mailbox. Then, immediately, the rain was over; it stopped! She had gotten to use her umbrella for about 30 seconds. Oh, joy!
( Note: This month, perhaps many Californians have used their umbrellas in view of the 100-year flood and overwhelming amount of rain that has recently come down.)
Usually, it isn’t an umbrella-friendly place there (unless you use it for sun protection). I had a good laugh…… using your umbrella to go out and get the mail?? Hmmm……. so different from our Western Washington climate!
Tell us about YOUR favorite umbrella, or even send us a picture! And whether it rains or shines, have a Happy Umbrella Day!
