World Smile Day is celebrated on the first Friday of October each year. This year, it falls on October 6. Smiling and laughing improves one's overall health and boosts the immune system. It increases feelings of positivity, gratitude and friendliness among people.

• The day was started by an American graphic artist 'Harvey Ball' from Worcester, Massachusetts.
• He created the first-ever smiley emoji in 1963 for a client of his advertising agency. It was for an insurance company as the company wanted to create an image to boost the morale of its employees.
• The smiley emoji is the one with a smile on a yellow face. It expresses emotions like happiness, positivity, pleasure, and friendliness.
• The theme for World Smile Day every year is "Take the World Smile Day Challenge. Do an act of kindness. Help one person smile." The day is observed to encourage people to do acts of kindness and make others happy. The theme for World Smile Day 2023 is "Radiate Joy.” The theme emphasises spreading happiness through smiles.