Put a sticker on it!

In the US, January 13th is National Sticker Day. While we're Canadian, there's certainly nothing holding us back from having our own fun with these sticky little bits of paper.

Stickers were used as early as 300 BC to price produce in the marketplace. In the 1800s stickers were mainly used as postage stamps and for taxes. Since then, we've incorporated stickers into many areas of life, and they're both functional and decorative.

Today, if you ask someone what they think of when you say the word 'sticker' they might very well think of childhood. Sticker books, scratch 'n sniff stickers and receiving a sticker from a teacher on your homework or quiz are common associations. Sometimes kids trade stickers or add them to gifts, cards and valentines.

This link to childhood and achievement may be part of why adults derive a sense of play and happiness using stickers. They can add whimsy and humour to journals, photo albums, laptops, phones and guitar cases.

Stickers have practical uses, too. They can be used to seal packages and envelopes. To distinguish one's drinking glass from another. To promote a cause. To mark a specific event or as a tracking device for a new habit in your agenda or calendar. Even to label items at your yard sale.

New developments in adhesives have created stickers that are tacky, but don't leave a residue. We see this in post-it notes and washi tape. It's also a feature of wall stickers, which are a fun way to decorate for holidays and celebrations.

    

Keep the kid inside you alive by using stickers in creative ways! After all, fun and pleasure is worth cultivating. When asked what they want most in life, people often say they want to be happy.