EMOJIS have well and truly taken over the world, so why not celebrate the handy little icons on World Emoji Day 2022.
Here we take a look at when emojis were first used, how they earnt their own day, and what people are doing to celebrate.
What is World Emoji Day?
World Emoji Day is an unofficial holiday celebrated annually on July 17.
It's described as a global celebration of emojis.
The 17th was chosen as the date for World Emoji Day as it is the date shown on the calendar emoji.
Emojis are digital icons used to represent an idea, emotion, or just to replace a word through electronic means.
What's the story of emojis?
The first ever emoji was created by Shigetaka Kurita in 1999 as part of a team working on a mobile internet platform in Japan where he distributed the first 175 pixel emoji's.
Following the release of Apple's iOS6 the emoji keyboard has revolutionalised texting.
To celebrate the day in 2018 Apple added the Ginger emoji.
It was just one of 70 new characters being added to the emoji palette to better represent the vast demographic of users, including different skin tones and more expressions.
And in 2019 Apple released previews of a number of new emojis – including a range of disability-themed designs – to mark World Emoji Day.
The new emoji, which include characters in different types of wheelchair, as well as designs showing a partially-sighted person with a cane and a deaf person are among the new designs that will be made publicly available in autumn.
Other new emojis depict guide dogs as well as a sloth, flamingo, butter and falafel.
In 2018 Apple said it wanted to improve the representation of those with disabilities.
When is Emoji Day 2022?
Emoji Day is celebrated annually on July 17 and falls on Sunday 17, July 2022, this year.
It was founded in 2014 by Emojipedia's Jeremy Burge, a year after the word was officially added to the Oxford Dictionary.
He chose July 17 because this is the date displayed in the Calendar Emoji on the Apple keyboard.
What are the most popular emojis?
- Tears of Joy Face 😂
- Loudly Crying Face 😭
- Smiling Face With Heart-Eyes 😍
- Red Heart ❤️
- Backhand Index Pointing Right 👉
- Purple Heart 💜
- Two Hearts 💕
- Smiling Face With Smiling Eyes 😊
- Thinking Face 🤔
- Folded Hands 🙏
More on Emojis
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How is Emoji Day celebrated?
As emojis are a digital form of communication, the celebration is primarily celebrated through the internet.
World Emoji Day tweeted a statement encouraging everyone to get involved using the #WorldEmojiDay hashtag in every tweet.
Emoji fanatics also celebrate the day by hosting parties that involve dressing up as their favourite emojis.
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