What Is Father’s Day?
Father’s Day is celebrated worldwide in honor of fathers and fatherhood. It is celebrated on the third Sunday of June, making it the perfect time to express genuine appreciation and sentimentality towards dear old dad. It’s the official day to recognize and celebrate the dads in our lives—whether our father, step-father, grandfather, or beloved father figure—to tell them how much impact they’ve had on us and how grateful we are for everything they’ve done for us.
The History of Father’s Day in the United States
The official history of Father’s Day began in the early 20th century, with a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd. Dodd was one of six children raised by her father William Jackson Smart, a Civil War veteran, after her mother died in childbirth. After hearing a sermon on Mother’s Day in 1909, Dodd wanted to recognize the contribution of her father and all fathers, and proposed to the Spokane Ministerial Alliance and the Young Men’s Christian Association that a similar holiday honoring fathers also be established.
In 1910, the mayor of Spokane issued the nation’s first Father’s Day proclamation. Later that year, a bill to declare the day a national holiday was introduced in Congress, and then again every year for the next decade. Then in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson honored the holiday by attending church services and, by the 1920s, some states were observing the holiday and it was growing in popularity. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge asked Americans to “publicly express their love and reverence for the fathers of their families”. Finally, in 1972, President Richard Nixon signed a law declaring Father’s Day an official national holiday.
How To Celebrate Father’s Day
Nowadays, Father’s Day is celebrated with a variety of activities, ranging from small gatherings, to big family reunions. An evening of throwback family photos and home-cooked meals is a great way to take Dad down memory lane. You can also give dad the gift of something sentimental. Alternatively, a special gift of cake, fashion, or gadgets might be just the ticket. But most importantly, simply spending time together with your father is the best way to celebrate the day.
No matter the present or the activity, one thing is for sure—it’s a day to recognize and celebrate fathers, and remind them how special they are to us.