National First Love Day

Every year on September 18, National First Love Day invites us to pause for a tender look back at those first butterflies, celebrating the memories, lessons, and sweet beginnings that helped shape how we love today.

History of National First Love Day

National First Love Day is a relatively recent addition to the calendar of unofficial observances, with listings noting its first celebration in 2015 in the United States and no single credited founder. The idea spread quickly thanks to online communities and “national day” calendars that rallied around a shared date.

By anchoring the observance on September 18 each year, event guides and lifestyle sites helped standardize awareness and encourage simple, reflective ways to mark the day—think swapping stories, revisiting old keepsakes, or just sending a kind note. As the tradition circulated, it settled into the broader tapestry of gentle, relationship-themed observances.

Why is National First Love Day important?

First love leaves a kind of echo—it’s the song you still know the words to, even if you haven’t heard it in ages. Taking a day to honor that memory gives people room to smile at who they were, notice how far they’ve come, and maybe even soften a few old edges along the way.

It’s also a small invitation to be present with the people you care about now. Remembering the spark of a first connection can nudge us to show up better in current relationships—listening a little closer, choosing gentleness, and letting ordinary moments feel special again.

• It puts gratitude ahead of regret.
• It reminds us to tell the stories that made us.
• It nudges better care for the love we have now.
• It’s simple to observe without big plans.
• It turns nostalgia into something kind and useful.

How to Celebrate National First Love Day

Keep it easy and personal. Flip through an old playlist, reread a page from a long-ago journal, or text a friend who knew you back then and trade a memory or two. You’re not trying to rewrite history—just giving it a respectful nod and letting it teach you something warm.

If you’re partnered, turn the day into a low-key date at home. Cook a throwback meal, recreate a first-date detail, or swap “origin stories” about the earliest crushes you remember. A bit of playful nostalgia can make today’s connection feel fresh without spending much or leaving the house.

• Make a tiny time capsule with a note to future you.
• Build a short playlist that sounds like your past self.
• Revisit a place in town that still makes you smile.
• Share one story that shaped how you love.
• Write a kind letter you never have to send.

A Tender Collection: Films About First Love

First feelings are unforgettable—and these 9 heartfelt films capture that rush beautifully, from sun-soaked summer romances to awkward first dates and coming-of-age stories that linger. Pick your mood—gentle nostalgia or sweet ache—and settle in for a cozy movie night.

• My Girl (1991)
• Before Sunrise (1995)
• A Walk to Remember (2002)
• Flipped (2010)
• Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
• The Spectacular Now (2013)
• Blue Is the Warmest Color (2013)
• Call Me by Your Name (2017)
• Love, Simon (2018)

National First Love Day Dates Table