Father’s Day is celebrated around the world in celebration of the amazing influence of dads, but between the neckties and the cards, there’s a universe of odd, cool and plain weird info on this holiday that seems to have slipped through the cracks in many people’s minds. It may seem like simple joy and happiness, but it’s quite interesting with a nice hook, historical debate and cultural specificity, not to mention it’s always richer in flavour than that simplicity.
The Real Pioneer Was a Daughter
Most of us charge Father’s Day as a corporate brainchild, but that would be just too unsentimental. The holiday was inspired by Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Wash. She was the daughter of a Civil War veteran and a single father who raised six children as a single parent. She says she was listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909, and it occurred to her that there should be a day to honour fathers. Through her continued efforts, the first Father’s Day was celebrated in 1910. Interestingly, her campaign to make road signs go nationwide did not gain momentum in the national consciousness until many years later. If you are searching for online gifts Australia same day delivery, then you are in the right place.
It Took More Than 60 Years to Become the Official
Father’s Day, unlike Mother’s Day, met its slow, controversial fate. Although President Woodrow Wilson backed it in 1916, and President Calvin Coolidge would have supported it in 1924, it wasn’t until 1972 that Father’s Day was proclaimed a national holiday in the U.S. by President Richard Nixon. That’s more than six decades after the holiday began. It took so long, largely because of reluctance and concerns that the holiday was too commercial.
June Wasn’t Chosen by Accident
It is celebrated on the third Sunday of June in most countries, but on other days elsewhere. But why June? It’s no coincidence, the first Father’s Day to be observed in Spokane happened on June 19, 1910, as a way to recognise Sonora Dodd’s father’s birth month. As a result of this, June became the established month in which to celebrate Father’s Day, a tradition which was ultimately adopted by other nations, like the UK, Canada and South Africa.
Not All Nations Mark the Occasion on the Same Day
Although June gets the most attention as Father’s Day, numerous countries observe it at a later or earlier time. Australia and New Zealand, for instance, observe it on the first Sunday of September, and in Italy, Spain and Portugal it’s held on March 19, on the same date as the Feast of St. Joseph, the fatherly Patron Saint of the Catholic Church. Thailand marks it on December 5, the birthday of the country’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, revered as the father of the nation.
It’s Not Just for Biological Fathers
And one of the beautiful things about Father’s Day is it’s for everyone. And the celebration isn’t just for biological fathers. Stepdads, grandfathers, uncles, teachers and father-figures alike are then honoured that day. In some families, even older brothers or single mothers who have taken on a father’s role are recognised. It is a day for honouring any individual who has acted as a father in someone’s life.
Father’s Day Spending Is on the Rise
While it historically lagged behind Mother’s Day in terms of commercial appeal, Father’s Day has been gaining on it. In recent years, the National Retail Federation estimates that consumers in the U.S. spent upwards of $20 billion on Father’s Day, and the tally continues to rise. Top-ranking gifts are designed for use or wear; these include electronics, apparel, home improvement tools, gift cards and dining and experiences such as going to a sports event.
Roses Never too keen on necklaces (I’m rather like Garlance in that respect), bows, or hats, and as much as my opponent’s lover would love a knight in shining armour, I don’t.
Fun fact: Roses used to be the flower of Father’s Day. If he were living, a man would wear a red rose at his lapel and a white rose to mourn a deceased father. That tradition has largely faded into necktie-dom, and the necktie, for better or worse, has for decades been the unofficial mascot of dads, so closely associated with Father’s Day that necktie sales usually surge every June.
The Most Children Fathered
Father’s Day can leave you asking, Who has the most kids fathered? It might sound unbelievable, but the claim belongs to Sultan Ismail Ibn Sharif of Morocco, who lived between the late seventeenth century and the early 18th century and fathered more than 1,000 children. That’s an extreme example, of course, but it does lend a kind of amusing historical anecdote to Father’s Day trivia. Go for the Great Gifts for Father’s Day.
Conclsuion
Father’s Day isn’t just a date on the calendar, it’s a holiday with a rich history, changing face and a whole lotta fun facts. Whether you’re celebrating a dad of your own, or your father figures were like a dad to you, use today as an excuse to share a moment, a memory, or even some trivia. Behind every fun fact, an emotional reminder: dads matter.
