by Sandra Murphy

Inspire peace and unity by participating in National Hugging Day, January 21. The Los Angeles location wants to set a new Guiness Book World Record but if you can’t make it to LA, plan your own hugging party. The three World Record categories are:

The most nationalities in a group hug—50 or more nationalities will engage in a group hug (50 are needed. The intent is to break 100).

The first hugs from space. A NASA astronaut at the International Space Station will appear on the jumbo screen to give virtual hugs from space to honored attendees wearing kinetic sensor vests provided by Scio Arts, the creators of out-of-this-world-games and VR.

The most 21 second hugs. Long hugs release oxytocin, benefiting the human stress response, immune function, sleep patterns, blood pressure and self-esteem.

What kind of celebration can you have? Music of course, food, set a record—if not a World Record, at least for your neighborhood, a “celebrity” hugging booth, collect Huggies diapers for homeless shelters or churches to distribute to those in need. Invent hugging games like Rent-a-Grandma for hugs.

For more information about the Hug Alliance, go to www.thehugalliance.net
Visit The Hug Store at www.thehugstorebook.com

For more information, please also visit www.TheHugMob.com
www.facebook.com/thehugalliance
twitter.com/thehugalliance
www.instagram.com/thehugalliance

Sandra Murphy lives in the shadow of the Arch in St. Louis Missouri. She writes about eco-friendly topics, pets and wildlife for magazines and reviews mysteries and thrillers for KRL. A collection of her short stories, published by Untreed Reads, From Hay to Eternity: Ten Tales of Crime and Deception can be found at all the usual outlets. Each one is a little weird and all have a twist you won’t see coming.