International Mirth Month - The month of March is designated as International Mirth Month. Its fundamental purpose is to teach individuals how to utilize humor to deal with less-than-funny situations.

International Mirth Month 2025 – March 2025

International Mirth Month is celebrated in March of every year. Created by Allen Klein, affectionately named Mr. Jollytologist, the month is set aside to help us find humor in stressful situations. While there are enough of those, there are also plenty of ways to laugh and release the stress that comes with daily existence. Laughter makes us feel better and is even used to treat illnesses. So, this month, get together with friends and family for some laughs by watching humorous movies or TV series, or simply doing something enjoyable!

History of International Mirth Month

Mirth is defined as ‘gladness or gaiety as shown by or accompanied by laughter.’ In other words, it is the expression of joy, pleasure, and happiness through laughter and amusement. Originally an old English word, ‘Mirth’ remains applicable to our daily lives even today. It is closely related to laughter, a pleasant physical reaction consisting usually of rhythmical, often audible contractions of the diaphragm and other parts of the respiratory system. Laughter is a feature of human behavior that is controlled by the brain. It helps people explain their thoughts in social interactions and gives conversations an emotional context. Laughter is a symbol of belonging to a group, as it indicates acceptance and positive relationships with others. Laughter is sometimes seen to be contagious, and one person’s laughter might cause others to laugh as positive feedback.Life tends to get serious and challenging, and it can often be difficult to pull through the difficult times. This is where Allen Klein steps into the picture. Allen Klein is a pioneer in the fields of gelotology and therapeutic humor. Klein’s wife died of liver illness when she was just 34 years old, and the fact that she maintained her sense of humor to the end encouraged Klein to leave his prior work as a theater and television scene designer and pursue a degree in human development. Klein is an author and lecturer who specializes in the stress-relieving effects of humor and lightheartedness. Klein served as president of The Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor from 2005 to 2006 and is the author of eight books about the therapeutic use of comedy, happiness, and positivity.Klein emphasizes the importance of mirth and happiness even during bad days or in the most mundane life. He declared March to be International Mirth Month to encourage everyone to set aside time to do something fun and joyous and find the silver lining in life. Most importantly, to have fun!

International Mirth Month timeline

1938
Mr. Jollytologist is Born

Allen Klein, also known as Mr. Jollytologist, is born.

1964
A Dose of Laughter

Norman Cousins develops a treatment for his collagen disease consisting of Vitamin C and doses of laughter.

2005
The Happiness Research

A study discovers links between laughter and healthy blood vessels in humans.

21st Century
The International Mirth Month

Allen Klein declares the celebration of International Mirth Month every March.

International Mirth Month FAQs

What is mirth?

It is an emotion associated with joy, happiness, and laughter.

Can you learn to laugh?

Humans are born with the capacity to laugh. The syllables ‘ha-ha,’ ‘ho-ho,’ or ‘he-he’ are part of the universal human vocabulary, and all cultures recognize them.

What is a synonym for mirth?

The word ‘mirth’ is synonymous with words such as laughter, rejoicing, amusement, fun, etc.

International Mirth Month Activities

  1. Watch something funny

    What better way to get some laughs than to watch your favorite comedy movie or TV show? Put away everything else, find the show or movie that cracks you up like no other, and have yourself a mirthful night!

  2. Go to a comedy club

    International Mirth Month is your chance to finally go to the local comedy club that you’ve been planning to go to for ages. March is the time to go for it.

  3. Celebrate with friends

    Invite your friends and family for some shared bonding. Spend a fun day planning games, sharing funny stories and anecdotes, and just having a good time.

5 Facts About Laughter

  1. It needs company

    People are 30 times more likely to laugh in a group than alone.

  2. It can go on for hours

    The world’s longest comedy show was over 40 hours long.

  3. It comes first

    Humans learn to laugh before they learn to speak.

  4. It is not just for us

    Animals such as rats and monkeys laugh too.

  5. It starts young

    Humans laugh the most exuberantly between the ages of five and six.

Why We Love International Mirth Month

  1. There are health benefits to it

    Mirth and things associated with it can have health benefits. For instance, a burst of heavy laughter brings in much more oxygen to the lungs than normal breathing would do. Laughter reduces the risk of heart disease, and 15 minutes of laughing a day can make you lose weight.

  2. It can change the mindset

    When life gets tough and challenging, we can often get stuck in a downward spiral of negative thoughts and feelings. A month like this is a reminder that we control our minds and can rewire them to focus on the positive.

  3. It strengthens relationships

    Having fun together is proven to result in stronger bonds and relationships. This does not only apply to couples but parent-child relationships and friendships as well. Those who laugh together, stay together.

International Mirth Month dates

Year Date Day
2023 March 1 Wednesday
2024 March 1 Friday
2025 March 1 Saturday
2026 March 1 Sunday
2027 March 1 Monday
World Compliment Day
National Peanut Butter Lover's Day
St. David's Day
National Pig Day
Baby Sleep Day
Self-Injury Awareness Day
National Wedding Planning Day
Share a Smile Day
National Black Women in Jazz and the Arts Day
Independence Movement Day
World Music Therapy Day
National Dadgum That's Good Day
Refired Not Retired Day
Yap Day
World Civil Defense Day
National Fruit Compote Day
National Horse Protection Day
Zero Discrimination Day
International Ideas Month
Asiatic Fleet Memorial Day
Tsagaan Sar
National March First Day
National Texas Stress Day
World Seagrass Day
International Martisor
Public Risk Management Awareness Day
National Sage Day
Endometriosis Awareness Day
National Hotel Slipper Day
National Minnesota Day
Plan a Solo Vacation Day
Peace Corps Day
National Welsh Corgi Day
Earth God's Birthday
Ramadan Begins
Baba Marta
Mărțișor
International Women of Color Day
Justin Bieber's Birthday
Kenny Redneck Tv's Birthday
Frederic Chopin's Birthday
Sawyer Sharbino's Birthday
Philza's Birthday
Kesha's Birthday
Ron Howard's Birthday
Wonho's Birthday
Universal Human Beings Week
Hearing Awareness Week
North Dakota Winter Show
National Will Eisner Week
National Write a Letter of Appreciation Week
National Ghostwriters Week
Festival of Owls Week
Iditarod Race
National Aplastic Anemia & MDS Awareness Week
National Invest in Veterans Week
International Women’s Week
Poison Prevention Awareness Month
Irish American Heritage Month
National Caffeine Awareness Month
National Celery Month
National Crafting Month
National Frozen Food Month
National Kidney Month
National Noodle Month
National Nutrition Month
National Peanut Month
National Sauce Month
National Cheerleading Safety Month
National Umbrella Month
National Flour Month
March Madness
Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month
National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
National Social Work Month
Brain Injury Awareness Month
Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month
Workplace Eye Wellness Month
Trisomy Awareness Month
National Crochet Month
Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month
National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month
Dolphin Awareness Month
Red Cross Month
National Color Therapy Month
Ramadan
National Endometriosis Awareness Month
National Reading Month
Colic Awareness Month
Veggie Month
National Athletic Training Month
National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
Save Your Vision Awareness Month
National Women's History Month
National Eye Donor Month
Berries and Cherries Month
National Ethics Awareness Month
NZ Book Month
Alport Syndrome Awareness Month
Exotic Winter Fruit & Leeks and Green Onions Month
Listening Awareness Month
Gardening, Nature and Ecology Books Month
Middle Level Education Month
Women’s Month (Philippines)
Marie Curie Great Daffodil Appeal
Vascular Anomalies Awareness Month
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Awareness Month
National Deaf History Month
American Red Cross Month
Endometriosis Month
Gender Equality Month
Read an E-Book Month
National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
Mad for Plaid Month
Youth Art Month
National Breast Implant Awareness Month
National Bed Month (U.K.)
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month
Greek American Heritage Month
Birth anniversary of Samaon Sulaiman
Supply Management Month
National Optimism Month
Employee Spirit Month
Humorists are Artists Month
National Essential Tremor Awareness Month
Spiritual Wellness Month
Academy Awards Month
Sing With Your Child Month
National Professional Social Worker's Month
The Great Daffodil Appeal
Honor Society Awareness Month
Small Press Month
Malignant Hyperthermia Awareness and Training Month
Mental Retardation Awareness Month
National Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Month
International Mirth Month
Play the Recorder Month
Lent
National Music in Our Schools Month
National Clean up Your IRS Act Month
National Credit Education Month
Expanding Girls' Horizons in Science and Engineering Month
National March Into Literacy Month