With a fertility rate of 1.39 births per woman (the replacement level is 2.1), Russia is doing some real out-of-the-box thinking to help pull its country out of a demographic death spiral. While other countries in population decline are offering tax credits for parents, expanded day-care facilities and other money incentives, Russia has declared September 12 a Day of Conception.

The hope is that by giving workers a day off for “bedroom activities,” Mother Russia will experience a baby boom nine months from now. We’ll check back next June on that fertility rate to see how patriotic those citizens are. Stay tuned.