Father's Day
Every year on the third Sunday of June Father's Day is celebrated across the country. It is a day to celebrate fathers and the crucial role they play in people's lives, from childhood through to adulthood.
Father's Day is not a public holiday, but it falls on a Sunday so businesses may be closed.
Origins
It is thought that Father's Day's origins lie in a service held at a West Virginia church on July 5, 1908, where the Sunday sermon was exclusively dedicated to fathers in honor of the men who had lost their lives in a mine explosion in Monongah. This was, however, a one-time celebration without any intention of making it an annual observance.
Father's Day as we know it today was the idea of Sonora Dodd, a woman whose father, a widower, raised her and her five siblings by himself. When Mother's Day became a popular holiday in the United States, Dodd thought that there should be a similar day to honor fathers and fatherhood. In 1910, she campaigned for the day with her local church, the YMCA and the government. Initially, she suggested June 5 as the day to hold the celebration, her father's birthday, however the third Sunday of June was considered more appropriate for the observance of Father's Day. On June 19, 1910, the first official Father's Day was celebrated in the State of Washington.
Initially, the day wasn't as successful as Mother's Day, and as Dodd found herself busier with school, Father's Day was eventually forgotten. In the 1930s, with the help of manufacturers of male products such as ties tobacco, and men's clothing retailers, Dodd began a new campaign for Father's Day, this time at a national level. However, people were dubious of this holiday, thinking that it was an attempt by manufacturers to profit from another commercial holiday such as Mother's Day.
Quite a few Presidents tried to make Father's Day an official public holiday, starting with Woodrow Wilson in 1916, however, they were repeatedly shut down by Congress. It was in 1966 that President Lyndon B. Johnson issued a proclamation declaring the third Sunday of June as Father's Day. The day was only made into a national holiday in 1972, by the hand of President Richard Nixon.
How to Celebrate Dads on Father's Day
Father's Day is the perfect occasion to commemorate fathers or any father figures in people's lives. Many people give their fathers cards or gifts or take them out to dinner. Those who live close to their dads pay them a visit and spend the day doing nice activities together. Many families throw Father's Day parties with fathers, grandfathers, and uncles to honor the support they give their children.
What to do on Father's Day
- Plan a day out: Spend time doing something fun you know your dad will love, such as going to a theme park, attending a sporting event, or going on a hike.
- Fathers love food, so why not cook a special meal? and if you're not so handy in the kitchen, take him out to his favorite restaurant.
- Give a thoughtful gift: Show your appreciation for your father by giving him a gift that reflects his interests or hobbies. Or give him something heartfelt such as a memory book, or photo album.
- Watch a film together: Spend quality time with your father watching a favorite movie, just be prepared for his cheesy taste!
- Write a heartfelt letter: give your father a letter that expresses your love and gratitude for all that he has done for you.
More than anything this is the perfect day to spend quality time with your father, showing him that you love him and think of him.
For all fathers, today is also the day to make time for your children and to reflect on the great gift of fatherhood.
School projects
Schools go a long way on Father's Day to make fathers feel special. School teachers will spend time crafting and creating inventive and fun gifts with their pupils in order that parents should have homemade gifts and cards to open.
Father's Day Customs
In some countries, such as Canada and America, there is a tradition of wearing a rose to honor your father on Father's Day. The rose is therefore the official flower of Father's Day. People often wear a white rose to symbolize their father being deceased, and a red one to honor their father if he is living.
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