gotcha day

n. the day or anniversary of the arrival of an adopted child (or pet) into the care of an adopting family; less commonly, the day or anniversary of their first meeting or of the adoption becoming official. Subjects: English, Colloquial

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Citations: 1987 Liz Aurbach Christian Science Monitor (Boston, Mass.) (May 7) “Gotcha Day” p. 46: We’ve been a family exactly five years, yesterday being the fifth anniversary of the Daughter’s arrival, her—our—Gotcha Day. 1990 Tamar Lewin New York Times (Feb. 12) “South Korea Slows Export of Babies for Adoption”: Every year, besides her February birthday, we celebrate “gotcha day,” the day in June she came to us, when I get her something from the Korean culture. 1993 [Jon Pastor] Usenet: rec.pets.dogs (Sept. 13) “Re: Advice on choosing dog from shelter”: She was a beautiful young dog, very adoptable—but it would have been a terrible loss for us; yesterday was Katie’s second “gotcha” day (second anniversary of the day she came home with us from the shelter), and we can’t imagine life without her. 1994 Jean Knoll International Adoption (May) p. 6: “Gotcha Day,” the anniversary of the day I first met Jessie. 2000 Andrea DellaVecchio The Unofficial Guide to Adopting a Child (Jan.) p. 207: Another way some adoptive families celebrate their adoptions is to commemorate the day their child was placed in their home or the adoption was legalized. Some call this day “gotcha day” and they celebrate the day as they would a birthday or anniversary. Others actually celebrate this as a “family anniversary.” 2003 Deb Disandro Tales of a Slightly Off Supermom (Feb.) p. 89: Just one month shy of his second “Gotcha Day” (the day my daughter personally selected him from a cage of like rodents), Nibbles (sob) the hamster (sob) has bit (sob) the big one. 2004 Ellen Fitzenrider Finding Katherine (Aug.) p. 223: It is December 12th, the day that Katherine was place in my arms. Actually, the day that she lifted up her arms tome to say “I’m yours!” In adoption-speak, this is called our “gotcha day.” 2005 [Mimi Smartypants] Mimi Smartypants (Chicago, Illinois) (Oct. 25) “Insects in Winter”: Last week was our two-year anniversary of what many people call “Gotcha Day” and what I have decided just to call “Adoption Day.”

Posted 27 Oct 05 | Permalink | Tell a Friend