Contrary to popular belief, the annual celebration of Father’s Day isn’t new, in fact it’s almost 100 years old!
Its origins can be traced back to June 19 1910 and the town of Spokane, Washington in the USA. On that historic day, Sonora Smart Dodd arranged a celebration in tribute to her father William Smart.
A Civil War veteran and farmer, Sonora’s Dad brought up six young children single-handedly when their mother died giving birth to the sixth.
After hearing a Mothering Sunday sermon, Sonora was determined to establish a special day to honour her father’s love and devotion in raising the family himself. His birthday was in June and, from Sonora and Spokane, Father’s Day celebrations came into being in that month.
In early times, wearing flowers was a traditional way of celebrating Father’s Day. Mrs. Dodd favoured the red rose to honour a father still living, while a white flower honoured a deceased dad.
Around the same time, Father’s Day celebrations were beginning in other parts of the USA and it wasn’t long before the idea of a national celebration caught on.
In 1924, US President Calvin Coolidge proposed a day of tribute to fathers across America. In 1926, a National Father’s Day Committee was formed in New York City but it wasn’t until much later that it reached the statute books.
Forty years on, Father’s Day was officially recognised in the USA by a Joint Resolution of Congress.
In 1966, President Lyndon B Johnson declared a national holiday for Father’s Day, and six years later, Richard Nixon proclaimed it should be recognised every third Sunday in June.
In the 21st Century, Father’s Day is celebrated worldwide, with the United Kingdom joining the USA and Canada on the same day in June. Australians, however, always honour their fathers and grandfathers on the first weekend of September.
Traditionally intended as a celebration to honour fathers, today grandfathers, stepfathers, friends and brothers can be included – it’s become a day to honour any man considered loving and kind.
Over the years Father’s Day has changed, but so have fathers! No longer required to be stern figures of authority, let’s celebrate the ‘modern man’ and make his day really memorable – especially if he’s cuddly and fun-loving.
It’s simply untrue that Father’s Day is a concept invented by the greetings card industry and encouraged by purveyors of gifts. It’s been around since Edwardian days.
Father’s Day is a day we can let our Dad know just how special he is. It’s our chance to say thanks for always being there for us, and to let him know how much we appreciate him.
Filed under: Father's Day, Occasions | Tagged: America, Americans, annual celebration, Australians, Calvin Coolidge, Canada, Civil War veteran, Congress, Edwardian, Father's Day, Fathers, flowers, Grandfather, historic day, June, modern man, National Father's Day Committee, New York City, September, Sonora Smart Dodd, Spokane, statute books, Stepfather, tribute, UK, US President, USA, Washington, wear flowers, William Smart, woollywotnots
