Updated February 22, 2022 at 12:32 PM ET
Today's date is 2-22-22, aka "Twosday."The extremely rare date is full of opportunities for palindrome enthusiasts as well as wedding chapels, eateries, all sorts of businesses and — of course — regular people going about their (did we mention numerically extraordinary?) day.Aziz Inan, a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Portland, tellsMorning Edition that it's worth celebrating however you can."These symmetric dates have what I call magic power," he says. "It's amazing how when you share, you know, you have to wait a hundred years to experience this again ... I can't imagine it doing anything else but spread positive energy and make people have fun."He points out that if you write the date in full according to the calendar system in which the day goes before the month, it comes out to 22-02-2022: another rare, eight-digit palindrome date."Such full dates do not repeat," he adds.As neat as the numbers on the calendar are, they don't necessarily signify anything on their own. Barry Markovsky, a professor emeritus of sociology at the University of South Carolina, says finding meaning in today's date says more about humans' ability to find patterns than anything else. The capacity to recognize animals' footprints and distinguish predators from prey could mean the difference between life and death in primitive times, he explains. Today is not exactly about that, though."There's nothing of consequence, really, associated with the day itself," Markovsky adds. "Our calendar itself is kind of arbitrary and so those dates don't necessarily signify anything on any particular day, but it is just kind of a fun thing to notice."It's also a fun day for weddings, discounts and other celebrations — especially because today happens to fall on National Margarita Day in the U.S. Here are some events and suggestions for how to mark the day.
It'll make for a great anniversary date
Today is, unsurprisingly, a popular day for weddings.Sacramento, Calif., is holding what it calls its "biggest, once-in-a-lifetime collective wedding event" at the State Capitol, in which 222 couples will tie the knot in a ceremony concluding at 2:22 p.m. local time.In Las Vegas — where county officials just issued its 5millionth wedding license — wedding chapels are reporting limited availability for services due to heightened demand. Officials say Feb. 22 is likely to be Nevada's busiest wedding day in recent history, especially considering the drop in demand during the pandemic.In fact, the Clark County Marriage License Bureau decided to keep itstemporary popup facility at the Harry Reid International Airport (which is traditionally available for travelers coming to get married around Valentine's Day) open through Feb. 22 to accommodate the surge.The Contra Costa County Clerk's Office in Richmond, Calif., says it's performing 22 weddings today — almost double the number of ceremonies it typically offers.And for East Coast couples looking for something a little lower key: Kindred Spirits Weddings, a justice of the peace service, is offering $22 deals for anyone eloping in the Seacoast, N.H., region today.
Hotels and airlines are offering limited-time discounts
Hotels and airlines are capitalizing on the rare date, offering limited discounts for people who book travel plans today.Among them: The Great Wolf Lodge family of resorts is offering rates as low as $222 for a two-night stay in a standard suite booked today for any date before May 26. And Atlantis Paradise Islands Bahamas is offering a 22% discount, starting at $222, for guests booking a Caribbean getaway in the next two days.Australia's low-cost carrier Jetstar is slashing fareson 22,000 tickets to just $22 one way for certain travel dates in October and November. And United Airlines is offering discounts to United MileagePlus members who book flights today on any of its 22 nonstop routes between the U.S. and London from March 1 to Nov. 15. The flights are just 22,000 miles each way plus taxes, according to The Points Guy.
Fast-food chains and delivery apps are also getting in on the deals
Between Twosday, Taco Tuesday and National Margarita Day, many eateries and food delivery services are offering limited deals, too.For example, Burger King is giving rewards members 22% of purchases of $2 or more through the end of the week, while participating Krispy Kreme stores are giving customers a dozen glazed donuts for $2 when they order any dozen donuts or a 16-count of minis.Chili's and Ruby Tuesday are offering discounted margaritas for restaurant diners. Those who favor takeout can get 22% off their Grubub delivery today.Here are lists of deals from Thrillist and USA Today.
Celebrate with a simple Google search
The simplest and most immediately gratifying way to celebrate is right at your fingertips. Just type 2/22/2022 into the Google search bar and keep your eyes on the screen.
The audio version of this story was produced by Lindsay Totty and David West, and edited by Danny Hajek.The digital version of this story originally appeared in the Morning Edition live blog. Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.