What is 365 buttons? 2026’s first viral TikTok trend explained
Published on
09/01/2026 - 11:43 GMT+1
2026 has its first viral TikTok trend: 365 buttons.
Confused? We’re here for you.
The 365 buttons craze started with a TikTok user named Tamara (@flylikeadove) posting her strategy for self-improvement in the new year.
She said: “I’m getting 365 buttons, one for each day, because I want to do more stuff and I’m scared of time so I want to be more conscious of it”.
Interesting concept, and a cute way of marking the passage of time with a physical object. However, her initiative prompted some confusion, with the main question being: “What is 365 buttons?”.
Tamara replied: “One for every day.”
This only confused people further. Would Tamara be collecting buttons? Putting them in a jar? Wearing them? Flicking them at people?
She clarified: “Just to have to see how quick days pass and to remind myself that time passes and I just have fun and to do a lot of stuff”.
The wholesome explanation was apparently not enough for some TikTokers and more questions followed, leading a seemingly exasperated Tamara to hit back: “Hey so it actually only has to make sense to me for me to do it and I don’t feel like explaining it to anyone else.”
Fair enough, but her response has now become a viral meme which has taken on a life of its own.
What started as 365 buttons to visually represent the year going by and being mindful about how quickly time passes has inadvertently become 2026’s go-to life lesson about learning to do your own thing without stopping to explain yourself.
Everyone is getting in on what has apparently become an iconic catchphrase.
On 2 January, Tumblr declared 2026 the “year of 365 buttons” in a post on X.
The account for the Empire State Building revealed that they’ve adopted Tamara’s “I don’t feel like explaining it to anyone else” motto.
The Philadelphia Eagles' official TikTok account posted a video with a large box of buttons / badges with the question, “Alright Tamara, now what?”.
Even indie bluegrass band Karma Creek uploaded a new song, 'Tamara's Button Song', using lines from Tamara’s exchanges online.
Some have also pointed out how “brat” Tamara’s response to the confused commenters was, resulting in her quotes formatted to look like the cover of Charli XCX’s hit - and zeitgeist capturing - album.
So, if you hear anyone using Tamara’s phrase or if you spot a meme about 365 buttons, let’s hope you feel a little less lost.
Either celebrate 365 buttons as an empowering life philosophy for 2026, as not everything has to make sense to everyone and you can do whatever makes you happy; or marvel / lose your fragile sanity further over another depressing reminder of how quickly a simple phrase like “I don’t feel like explaining it to anyone else” can capture the internet’s imagination and become shared / distorted social media language.
Hey, at least it feels like a step up from six-seven.
