The History of Father's Day

Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June in the United States, and in several other countries in the world. It is celebrated on various other dates in several more countries. It is the one (holiday) that has been established specifically to honor fathers.

The tradition of honoring one’s father has been around for over 4,000 years, and may have begun when a young Babylonian boy carved a message into a clay tablet for his father. The origins of the modern day celebration of Father’s Day can be traced to Spokane, Washington in the year 1909. Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd was listening to a sermon at church about Mother’s day when she decided to arrange a tribute to her father, who had raised her and her siblings after their mother’s death. The event took place on June 19, 1910; after which, she began her crusade to establish an official Father’s Day every year. It took until 1924, when President Calvin Coolidge declared the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day.

When Father’s Day was first established, it was a tradition to wear a rose on that day to honor one’s father. A red rose was worn to honor a father that was living, a white rose to honor a father that was deceased.

Today, it is more common to give presents to a living father. (Gift baskets) may be given containing items for his favorite hobbies or foods that he enjoys; or cook him his favorite meal. Perhaps he enjoys a tasty barbeque , finished off with a rich chocolate cake .

If he is a fisherman, plan a fishing trip to a favorite location. For a golfer, reserve an early Tee-time followed by lunch at the club, and don't forget the (golf gift basket)! Gardeners’ will enjoy a new species of plant, or gardening tools and a book on building garden structures.

Even young children can help make Father’s Day special by making dad a card or unique gift . It doesn’t have to be expensive to be remembered.