International Dalek Remembrance Day

“Exterminate! Exterminate!” If you’re a fan of Doctor Who these words will send you into a quick panic attack, or have you running to the TV to see the latest episode.

Doctor Who has been with us for a very long time – and the Daleks are his longest ongoing and most feared enemy, ultimately responsible for the destruction of Gallifrey in the Time War.

How to Celebrate International Dalek Remembrance Day

There are a number of ways to celebrate International Dalek Remembrance Day, so check out a few of these:

Make a Dalek Christmas Tree

Arguably one of the most popular ways to celebrate this day, due to the season it falls in, is decorating your Christmas Tree as a Dalek. After all, it nearly has the appropriate shape and you’re already draping it with ornaments and lights, with a little creativity it’s a simple thing to work it around to being a Dalek!

Watch a Doctor Who Marathon

Another popular way to celebrate it is to start a Doctor Who marathon, it’s always just a few days until the Christmas day premier episode, and you can watch them all again in the time you have between International Dalek Remembrance Day and the Christmas Premier.

Enjoy Some Dalek Themed Snacks

If you’re going to do that, you might as well get together and enjoy Doctor Who inspired snacks to enjoy around the glowing light of your TV. It’s the season for making cookies, so why not make Dalek Sugar cookies and enjoy snacking on them while you enjoy the show! International Dalek Remembrance Day is a great opportunity to really embrace your Whovian nature, so get out there and “Exterminate!” something!

History of International Dalek Remembrance Day

International Dalek Remembrance Day is a recognition of the first time that the Daleks appeared on Doctor Who, on December 21, 1963. It’s been celebrated as the day that the most instantly recognizable aspect of the show, outside of the TARDIS itself, came into existence.

Most people don’t know this, but the Dalek’s were inspired by and fashioned after the Nazi’s of Third Reich Germany. They’re strong believers that everything not a Dalek is an inferior race, and are fashioned out to be the master race by their creator Davros.

While they’re terrifying to be sure, and nearly indestructible, their personality leads one to believe that they’re little more than “toddlers in perpetual hissy fits” who absolutely go violently insane when they’re will or ambition is thwarted.

Dalek’s are a very common reference in Whovian culture, and specifically in English culture where the show originated. But these days Whovians are everywhere, and references to the Dalek’s will be recognized by anyone who’s been a fan.