Time To Show Your Favourite Redhead Some Love
‘Kiss A Ginger Day’ is an unofficial holiday that is celebrated all over the world on January 12th, started by Derek Forgie as a positive celebration of people with red hair. Sort of an antidote against the bullying and prejudice that redheads often encounter on a daily basis. After posting it on social media, Kiss A Ginger Day quickly took off and is now a holiday which is celebrated all over the world.
Redheads are some of the rarest expressions of genetics in the world, true red only being present in 1-2% of the population. The range of colors that can be seen range from Burgundy to bright copper, with a few instances of an unfortunate bright orange in between. Kiss A Ginger Day is your opportunity to steal a kiss from one of these amazingly attractive genetic rarities.
One of the most common assumptions made by people is that red hair had to originate in either Scotland or Ireland. It is believed that it originally began in central Asia. It came about due to a mutation of the MC1R gene, a gene that produces eumelanin – a type of melanin. When this gene malfunctions, it produces not only red hair but it also produces freckles and pale skin as well. However, this mutation did give early humans an advantage as the made their way into Europe – a continent which is cooler and had lower light levels. Their pale skin produced Vitamin D easier from lower light levels than other groups of humans. This, in turn, gave them stronger bones and probably allowed them to survive childbirth.
Fascinating Redhead Facts
- Scotland has the highest concentration of redheads @ 13%
- Ireland has the second highest concentration of redheads @ 10%
- Most Redheads have brown, hazel or green eyes
- Redheads are more likely to be sensitive to hot or cold
- Redheads have a higher chance of skin cancer
Celebrating this day is quite easy. You just find one of these individuals and offer to give them a big old kiss as an appreciation for their unique and stunning hair color. Always make sure you have their permission.
It is the perfect day to either brighten up a ginger’s day or to help stop the bullying that many gingers face every day, simply because of their hair color.
