Did your parents ever reprimand you for jumping on the bed? Yeah, mine did too. What about smacking up your friends and siblings with a boxing-style bash-up with all your pillows? Right?! Mattresses, pillows and blankets were the staples for all things creative when we were young. Think about tent-making, fort nights, and of course, the all-too-good late-night pillow fight. Hey, that rhymes.
Pillow Fighting Throughout History
If you were to open any history book, do you know what you would find written there? War. You thought I was going to say “pillow fighting”, didn’t you? Probably not. Pillow fighting is actually more common than just a childhood activity done behind closed doors after lights out. In fact, pillow fighting has grown into adulthood with the kids who enjoyed it. Special pillow fighting events take place every year in many different locations around the world.
Pillow Fighting Throughout History
International Pillow Fight Day
With International Pillow Fight Day just around the corner (April 7th), more than 20 cities worldwide are taking part in the action. Cities like Barcelona, New York, Orlando, Vancouver, Rotterdam and Melbourne invite the public to get on board with this fun initiative. The idea is to bring people from all different backgrounds together, and simply put, to have a massive pillow fight together.
International Pillow Fight Day
With Great Fun Comes Great Responsibility
This event sounds like enough for anyone, but are there any rules? Glad you asked, because there sure are, although most are pretty obvious. Participants may only swing their pillows lightly, and only at other participants holding pillows of their own. Additionally, all participants are required to bring a bag to help clean up the mess at the end of the event. Some attendees encourage others to use synthetic pillows and not feather, but each to their own.
Amateur Turned Pro
So far it has all sounded like fun and games, but the Japanese have taken it a step further. They have transformed this fun thrilling past-time into a full-on sporting event. Pillow fighting is now an actual sport in Japan and the locals are loving it! Two teams position themselves across from one-another and then start throwing pillows at each-other. Each side has a player with a blanket that serves as a shield, while the others throw pillows with the intention of “getting another player out” by hitting him. Sounds like dodgeball a little.
Amateur Turned Pro
Spreading The Sport
It’s just started in Japan now, but how far will it reach thereafter? If a sport like this is introduced into schools, will we see a different outlook on all sports in general? For now we don’t know much about where pillow fighting will go, but after all this pillow talk, I think I’m ready for a nap.
