Father’s Day, a holiday that honors fathers worldwide, is celebrated in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and most countries worldwide on the third Sunday of June.
In Australia and New Zealand, it’s celebrated on the first Sunday in September. Father’s Day is celebrated in other countries on other dates.
Background of Father’s Day
The history of father’s day dates back to 1910 in the U.S, a few years after the country began celebrating Mother’s Day. The idea of creating a day for children to honor their fathers began in Spokane, Washington.
Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909. The message inspired her to have a special day dedicated to her father, William Jackson Smart. William was a Civil War veteran who brought her and her siblings up as single parent after their mother died.
Sonora wanted to recognize her father for his specialness and role in her life. She wanted to honor her father’s sacrifices, selflessness, and love he showed for his children.
To pay tribute to her great dad, Sonora held the first Father’s Day celebration on the 19th of June 1910, her dad’s birthday. Sonora was the first to promote the idea of having an official Father’s Day observance.
Unlike Mother’s Day, which was readily accepted, Father’s Day was received with joking and mockery. Though the day was slowly gaining attention, it was mostly for the wrong reasons.
Jokes, satire, and parody were all the day were commemorated for. Many people saw it as the first step in filling the calendar with mindless promotions. They should see our calendar today – “Drinking Straw Day,” “I Love My Dentist Day,” and my favorite, “National Donut Day”! 😀
In 1913, a bill was introduced to make the day official. The idea was approved by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916.
In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea and gave it additional momentum. The National Father’s Day Committee was formed in New York City in 1926.
Thirty years later, a Joint Resolution of Congress gave recognition to Father’s Day in 1956 and again in 1966. Another 16 years passed before President Richard Nixon, in 1972, established the third Sunday of June as a permanent national observance day of Father’s Day.
Sixty-two years passed between the first Father’s Day celebration and its recognition as an official holiday.
Thus, Father’s Day was born in memory and appreciation by a daughter who believed her father and all other fathers should be honored with a special day like Mother’s Day. The white and red rose was the official flowers for Father’s Day celebration.
The white rose commemorated gratitude for a deceased father, and a red rose expressed thankfulness to one who was living.
Start making a list of the fathers and father figures you want to recognize on Father’s Day. Gifts are only one way to show you care on Father’s Day. There’s nothing like the sense of personal satisfaction you can gain from giving a thoughtful item to the most important man in your life.
Combining a gift with a day you’ve planned just for him will make the special father in your life feel much appreciated.
Click here to see great Father’s Day quotes perfect for your stepdad.
What a great resource!
Awesome article on the foundation of Father’s Day. June 19, 1910, wow 2016, 106 years later. Thanks for sharing.
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Gerardo