This year, the 4/20 festivities will align with a rare calendar occurrence known as a palindrome. On April 20, 2024, the date reads the same from left to right as it does in reverse: 04/20/2024. This phenomenon has caught the attention of Reddit users, who have pointed out that the next palindrome, 4/20, won't occur for another millennium on April 20, 3024. This unique alignment of numbers has led enthusiasts to nickname it the "stoner eclipse." It's Palindrome Day Today on 420 Day! Here's Why 20/04/2024 Is Truly Special as Netizens Share Fun Tweets Observing Palindrome Day in April.

Why is 420 a Holiday?

While April 20 is not a federally recognized holiday and holds no particular religious significance, it has become a celebrated day for cannabis enthusiasts. The tradition dates back to 1971, but its exact origins are not definitively known. 420 Day 2024: Date, Significance, Why Is 420 Linked With Weed? Here's All You Need To Know About World Weed Day.

Understanding Palindromes

A palindrome is a word, phrase, number, or sequence that reads the same backwards as forward. In the case of April 20, 2024, its date is a numerical palindrome. Merriam-Webster defines a palindrome as "a word, verse, or sentence or a number that reads the same backward or forward."

Palindrome Dates in April 2024

In April 2024, there will be several palindrome dates. Aside from April 20, here is a list of all 11 palindrome dates:

April 2, 2024 (4-2-24)

April 20, 2024 (4-20-24)

April 21, 2024 (4-21-24)

April 22, 2024 (4-22-24)

April 23, 2024 (4-23-24)

April 24, 2024 (4-24-24)

April 25, 2024 (4-25-24)

April 26, 2024 (4-26-24)

April 27, 2024 (4-27-24)

April 28, 2024 (4-28-24)

April 29, 2024 (4-29-24)

The Origin of the 420 Holiday

The origins of the 420 holiday are not definitively known, but one popular theory involves a group of high school students from San Rafael High School in Northern California. In the early 1970s, this group, known as the "Waldos," would meet at 4:20 p.m. to smoke cannabis. The time 4:20 p.m. was chosen because it was the time when everyone was free to gather. This time stamp eventually became synonymous with the act of smoking weed and spread beyond California to become a part of cannabis culture, even becoming associated with the band The Grateful Dead.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 20, 2024 08:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).