Wednesday, March 1, I was up early. I had donuts to pick up and a carload of Products Finishing swag to load before meeting up with my colleague Sarah to kick off our visits to local finishing shops for National Surface Finishing Day. There was quite a buzz around the office at Gardner Business Media as we set off. The other teams wished us a “Happy NSFD.” A text from a friend read, “It’s my favorite industrial holiday!” It was evident we had ratcheted things up from last year. We were having fun, but there’s much more to it than that.

So, why is there a day devoted to recognizing the finishing industry? Well, everything else seems to have a day. Some of my favorites include Pie Day and National Donut Day. Why shouldn’t finishing have its day of recognition? After all, without coatings and finishes where would we be? Everything would just rust and fall apart. But, more than just recognizing the importance of this industry is taking time to really contemplate the hard work, the struggles and the sacrifices that go into making anything worth making.

“There is always the occasion to celebrate or commiserate.” It’s a thing my sister and I sometimes say when we get together. Whether we’re toasting a birthday or comparing notes about family drama — everything deserves recognition. It’s a way of acknowledging that the struggle is indeed real and that it’s all worthwhile.

This marks the 4^th NSFD that I’ve had the privilege of celebrating with Products Finishing — the first one for me happened to be my first day as the new editor. It was March 4, 2020; we had a pizza party, and it was perhaps one of the last occasions when our company got together in-person before things really hit the fan with COVID. Since then, there have been plenty of ups and downs — and through it all, we’ve had our moments that deserved some sort of observance, whether happy or difficult — and often a mix of both.

I’m happy to say that NSFD has grown and evolved in exciting ways. During COVID, we got creative with ways to recognize NSFD online. And while NSFD celebrations have seen some return to in-person, the practice of sharing social posts, videos and conducting virtual gatherings has become a huge extension of the day’s celebrations, allowing finishers to share the fun, connect with a larger community and spread the word.

Three years later, I find myself reminded once again that celebrations like NSFD are more than just a pat on the back — they’re an opportunity for people to congregate, recognize their collective hard work and be reminded that we’re all in this together.