Frequently Asked Questions About
Topin Wagglegammon

What is Topin Wagglegammon?
What is a niftyday, as opposed to a holiday?
Why do we celebrate Topin Wagglegammon?
Where does the name come from?
Is this a Silinist niftyday?
What's with the big emphasis on confusion?
What's a fnord?

What is Topin Wagglegammon?
Topin Wagglegammon is a niftyday which celebrates individuality, creativity, good friends, and the sharing of a laugh over a cup of tea. It's a day of simple pleasures and jolly good fun, nothing more and nothing less. Topin Wagglegammon is sometimes called The Niftiest day of the Year.

What is a niftyday, as opposed to a holiday?
A niftyday is just like a regular holiday except for in its origin. The word "holiday" implies that the day or event is derived from something holy, but a lot of the traditional "holidays" have nothing to do with religion, spirituality, or holiness in general. Topin Wagglegammon has entirely secular and non-religious origins and there is nothing inherently holy or unholy about it. It's still a fairly nifty day, however, and so we call it a niftyday.

Why do we celebrate Topin Wagglegammon?
Because it's fun and because it's fun for those around us. That's a better reason than you'll think of for most holidays, really.

Where does the name come from?
Nobody's quite sure. Probably it's just gibberish. Years ago, while trying to build a calendar full of entertaining holidays, some people stumbled upon a huge list of holidays without clear origins. One was Topin Wagglegammon, and the name stuck with them. Not knowing what the day's true meaning was, and not finding any other references to it, they stole the name and made it the Niftiest Day of the Year. Research suggests that the name may have originally been "Topin Wagglegammon" which is sometimes listed online as a holiday involving faeries... but today, nobody knows for sure if Toping Wagglegammon was named before or after Topin Wagglegammon.

Is this a Silinist niftyday?
No. While the originators of Topin Wagglegammon were devout believers in Forsteri or similar philosophies, Topin Wagglegammon exists indepently of such beliefs and is today celebrated by many people, only a tiny fraction of whom are Silinists, Discordians, or practitioners of other disorganized faiths.

What's with the big emphasis on confusion?
Confusion is a funny time for the brain. Most people are prone to make and to fall into patterns, and patterns lived for too long become repetitive, boring ruts. A bit of confusion can help to spice up a day and keep us aware of why we do the things that we do. It also helps us to always question our beliefs and assumptions, hopefully becoming more secure in them as a result. A little bit of confusion at a non-critical time is very healthy.

What's a fnord?
Fnords come to us from The Illuminatus Trilogy, a series of novels. Look it up yourself for more information. For our purposes, a fnord is simply an extremely fun word which you won't often come across unless you travel in the sorts of circles who understand the ideas behind Topin Wagglegammon.

Topin Wagglegammon


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