Father’s Day is a day to honor fathers through gift-giving, acts of kindness, and spending time together. It is celebrated every year on the third Sunday in June and has a long history that has withstood some controversy. The holiday was created by Sonora Smart Dodd, who believed that fathers should also be honored and celebrated like mothers. The first official Father’s Day was recognized in Washington on June 19, 1910.
Mother’s Day predated Father’s Day and was created by Anna Jarvis in 1907. It quickly gained traction and became an official holiday in the United States in 1914. On the other hand, there was controversy surrounding Father’s Day in its early years. Many men thought it was a commercial holiday and did not want to participate in the sentimentality associated with the day. Despite this, President Nixon officially declared the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day in 1972.
Father’s Day is a time to honor fatherhood and the role fathers play in the lives of their children. It falls just around a month after Mother’s Day and serves as an opportunity to show appreciation for the father figures in one’s life. On this day, fathers often receive gifts from their children, and total spending for the occasion is expected to reach $22.4 billion in 2024. Consumers plan on buying gifts for their fathers, stepfathers, husbands, sons, brothers, friends, and grandfathers.
There has been a movement to celebrate a single holiday for parents rather than having separate days for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. However, this idea did not succeed, and both holidays continue to be celebrated on separate days. Despite some initial controversy and skepticism surrounding Father’s Day in its early years, it has become a widely recognized and celebrated holiday. It is a time to express gratitude and love for fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, and other important father figures in one’s life.
Sonora Smart Dodd, the daughter of a Civil War veteran and devoted father, was responsible for creating Father’s Day. She believed that fathers, like mothers, should be honored and recognized for their role in raising and supporting their children. The first official Father’s Day was celebrated in Washington in 1910, and it has since become an annual tradition in many countries around the world. Despite some challenges and controversies, Father’s Day has remained a day to acknowledge and appreciate the fathers who play a vital role in the lives of their children.
