Since Japan is on the other side of the International Date Line from the U.S., while American families were sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, it was already Friday, November 28 in Japan. Even still, there were celebrations going on simultaneously in the two countries, as November 28 is also known in some circles in Japan as Knee-High Socks Day.

We feel it’s important to spread the word about this unofficial holiday, so just as we did 12 months ago, we’re back again with the Japanese Internet’s best contributions to the day’s festivities. This year, though, Knee-High Socks Day is about more than just appreciating female thighs, as Twitter users are putting their own weird and humorous spin on just who or what can participate.

As a quick refresher, November 28 got its reputation as Knee-High Socks Day from a little bit of linguistic wrangling. Write the date all in numerals, and you get 11-28. Break that up into four individual digits, 1, 1, 2, and 8, and they can be pronounced, in Japanese, as ii nihai, which translates out to “good knee-high socks.” Sure, it’s a bit of a brain teaser and some English speakers may argue that these socks would be “thigh-high” rather than “knee-high,” but fashionistas and fetishists alike figure it’s worth it for a chance to flood social media with snapshots like this.

https://twitter.com/_06g_/status/537922640195760128

▼ The fact that February 8 is also claimed by some to be Knee-High Socks Day didn’t seem to damper anyone’s enthusiasm.

https://twitter.com/hurtomomo_sukid/status/536956337251299330

But just like Christmas is now a big enough holiday that we have movies spoofing the usual heartwarming image of the holiday by superimposing a zany comedy or chilling horror story over it, so too has Knee-High Socks Day’s profile become high enough for a bit of creative tweaking. For example, there’s no rule that says the knee-highs have to be worn by a human.

https://twitter.com/iichiko_hana/status/538112176565673985

▲ “My pet parakeet in a pair of knee-highs for Knee-High Socks Day.”

Heck, you don’t have to be real to get in on the action.

▼ More proof that Pokémon’s Marshtomp can be as freaky as it wants to be.

https://twitter.com/onionring_/status/538104902166134784

Video game characters that were actually designed to wear knee-highs also got their moment in the spotlight.

We’re not exactly sure this next one qualifies, though.

See, that’s clearly a “high knee,” not a “knee-high,” so we’re going to have to disqualify Thai street fighter Sagat. Still, we suppose it was an honest mistake. After all, with the spirit of Knee-High Socks Day in the air, it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement and joy the day brings and start seeing the garments in places where they really aren’t present. And still, at least Sagat has legs to put socks on, which is more than we can say for the subject of our award for most delusional Knee-High Socks Day snapshot:

Yes, that two-tone color scheme is sort of like what you could find on a girl wearing black socks under a navy skirt, but that doesn’t change the fact that that’s a train. So remember, as alluring as knee-high socks can be, sometimes it’s important to stop and take a glance at the wearer’s face too, if only to make sure what you’re looking at is actually a girl.

Source: IT Media