There are so many theories on what 420 really means, where it started, and why it’s such a big deal. You want the origin of 420, and we’re going to give it to you. Here’s the truth about how April 20th became “weed day.”
It’s no secret that April 20th is known as “weed day.” You’ve probably heard multiple stories about how it came about, too. For example, you may have heard that “420” is the police code used for finding marijuana, and as believable as that is, don’t ya think they’d change it once so many people caught on? The origin of 420 started around 1971 in Marin County, California. Is it starting to make sense now that California is one of the 10 US states that legalized marijuana use?
Anyway, back in 1971, there was a group of high school students that would meet at a specific wall by a Louis Pasteur statue at exactly 4:20 p.m. This group of guys later named themselves “The Waldos,” because, well, they met at a wall. What did they do at 4:20 p.m.? They went looking for the cannabis crop that they learned about from a treasure map made by the grower. The code word they used for these missions was “4:20 Louis,” but after multiple failed attempts at finding the crop, they shortened the code word by cutting “Louis” and simply referred to missions as “4:20.”
We’re sure you’re wondering how these 4:20 missions evolved into a well-known “holiday” all around the world, right? We’re gonna tell ya!
After the Waldos came up with their 420 code word, they became pretty friendly with the famous rock band Grateful Dead. You’ve probably heard of them, right? Anyway, The Waldos were hanging out with the band and passed around a flier that read “meet at 4:20 on 4/20 for 420-ing.” From there, it just caught on. One of the Waldos even talked about how crazy it was that this fad has become a phenomenon. They can’t even believe the trend they started in 1971 is still going strong, which basically means The Waldo guys are legendary.
How is 4/20 celebrated? Some celebrations are more extravagant than others, but all in all, 4/20 is a day that is celebrated by honoring all that is ganja-related. Some states have fully legalized the usage of recreational marijuana, which means that 4/20 is celebrated in a bigger way than other states. For example, states like California and Colorado have huge gatherings to celebrate the day in unity. If you’re planning on throwing a 4/20 party of your own, be sure to check out our endless supply of green-related merch. From tees and hats to drinkware and socks, we have all the things you’ll need to take your 4/20 party to the highest level. Here are two of our favorite looks:
Tie Dye Leaf Button-Down Shirt
Tie dye and green leaves? Talk about a power couple! This button down shirt is perfect for any party, and it’ll always dress you up a little bit. You never know when you’ll need to look a little fancy!
This cropped button down shirt will have you ready to party 4/20 style in no time at all! The Rasta coloring makes this black shirt pop!
Looking for more green-related merch for all of your 4/20 celebrations? Check out our stash of good, good here.
