Dec21 Fun Holiday – International Dalek Remembrance Day
December 21 is International Dalek Remembrance Day, a day to remember the extraterrestrial cyborgs called Daleks in BBC's Doctor Who universe.
They may look harmless, but Daleks are some of the most vicious characters to be shown on television.
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Considered to be one of the biggest enemies of Doctor Who, the time travelling lord, the robotic Daleks made their debut on December 21, 1963 in a 7 part serial aptly called The Daleks.
These salt and pepper shaker shaped creatures were created by another enemy of the Doctor - Davros, who genetically modified his own people, the Kaleds and removed all emotions from them. The Daleks were then left to operate just on hate and vengeance.
Frightening Villains
Known for repeatedly saying exterminate and for wanting to destroy every other race in the universe, the metal covered, aggressive Daleks are popularly considered by science fiction fans as one of the most frightening villains ever shown on television. A 2010 survey by the sci-fi magazine SFX found that the Doctor's arch-enemies were the most popular fantasy creatures on television and the big screen.
Today, Daleks are easily recognized icons in popular culture especially in the United Kingdom. Being or sounding like a Dalek is sometimes used as a way to refer to someone who's behavior or voice sounds mechanical or robotic.
Remembrance of Daleks
Remembrance of Daleks is a 4 part serial in the 25th season of the British science fiction show. In the serial, Doctor Who returns to 1963 to retrive the Hand of Omega, a device that can fuel time travel by converting stars into supernovas.
Another popularly celebrated Doctor Who inspired holiday is Impossible Astronaut Day.
How to Celebrate?
- Spend the day doing a Doctor Who marathon.
- Host a Doctor Who party. Decorate the venue with Doctor Who inspired decorations and invite all the Whovians in your life.
Did You Know…
…that originally Daleks could not go up stairs? This lack of stair-climbing abilities was one way that Doctor Who characters could save themselves from these monstrous creatures. In a more recent avatar of the Daleks, the creators of the TV show have given them hovering capabilities, which they employ while uttering escalate in the same tone as they say eliminate.
International Dalek Remembrance Day Observances
| Fun Holiday: International Dalek Remembrance Day Observances | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Weekday | Date | Name |
| 2024 | Sat | Dec 21 | International Dalek Remembrance Day |
| 2025 | Sun | Dec 21 | International Dalek Remembrance Day |
| 2026 | Mon | Dec 21 | International Dalek Remembrance Day |
| 2027 | Tue | Dec 21 | International Dalek Remembrance Day |
| 2028 | Thu | Dec 21 | International Dalek Remembrance Day |
| 2029 | Fri | Dec 21 | International Dalek Remembrance Day |
| 2030 | Sat | Dec 21 | International Dalek Remembrance Day |
| 2031 | Sun | Dec 21 | International Dalek Remembrance Day |
| 2032 | Tue | Dec 21 | International Dalek Remembrance Day |
| 2033 | Wed | Dec 21 | International Dalek Remembrance Day |
