Father's Day

Father's Day
Observed by	Many countries
Type	Historical
Date	Varies regionally
Related to	Mother's Day

Father's Day is a celebration inaugurated in the early twentieth century to complement Mother's Day in celebrating fatherhood and male parenting, and to honor and commemorate fathers and forefathers. Father's Day is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide and typically involves gift-giving, and special dinners to fathers and family-oriented activities.

The first church-service observance of Father's Day was held in Fairmont, West Virginia, where Dr. Robert Webb is believed to have conducted such a service on July 5, 1908 at the Central Church of Fairmont. Although Mrs. John B. Dodd of Washington state was the first to solicit the idea of having a Father's Day observance (while listening to a Mother's Day sermon in church), the first public Father's Day observance didn't transpire until its celebration on June 19, 1910, at the Spokane YMCA.

While President Lyndon Johnson made Father's Day a holiday in 1966 to be celebrated on the third Sunday of June, it was not officially recognized until 1972, during the Richard Nixon's presidency.

Spelling

Although normal English punctuation guidelines indicate that the holiday should be spelled "Fathers' Day" (as it is a plural possessive), common usage dictates that the ostensibly singular possessive "Father's Day" is the preferred spelling.

United States

In the United States, the first modern Father's Day church-service celebration was held on July 5, 1908, in Fairmont, West Virginia, at Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South, now known as Central United Methodist Church. Grace Golden Clayton, who is believed to have suggested the service to the pastor, is believed to have been inspired to celebrate fathers after the deadly mine explosion in nearby Monongah the prior December. This explosion killed 361 men, many of them fathers and recent immigrants to the United States from Italy. Another possible inspiration for the service was Mother's Day, which had been celebrated for the first time two months prior in Grafton, West Virginia, a town about 15 miles away.

Another driving force behind the establishment of the integration of Father's Day was Sonora Smart Dodd, born in Creston, Washington. Her father, the Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, as a single parent reared his six children in Spokane, Washington. Dodd was inspired by Anna Jarvis' efforts to establish Mother's Day. Although she initially suggested June 5, her father's birthday, she did not provide the organizers with enough time to make arrangements, and the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday of June. The first June Father's Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in Spokane, Washington, at the Spokane YMCA.

Unofficial support from such figures as William Jennings Bryan was immediate and widespread. President Woodrow Wilson was personally feted by his family in 1916. President Calvin Coolidge recommended it as a national holiday in 1924. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson made Father's Day a holiday to be celebrated on the third Sunday of June. The holiday was not officially recognized until 1972, during the presidency of Richard Nixon.

In recent years, retailers have adapted to the holiday by promoting male-oriented gifts such as electronics, tools, and greeting cards. Schools and other children's programs commonly have activities to make Father's Day gifts.

By the beginning of the twenty-first century, Americans spent at least several billion dollars on gifts for Father's Day. Per capita spending on Father's Day was $28.97 in 2007, and significantly less than what was spent on Mother's Day, which is more steeped in traditional gifts, some of which tend to be more expensive than Father's Day gifts..

International history and traditions

The officially recognized date of Father's Day varies from country to country, and is celebrated in almost every month of the year. For example, in Bolivia, it is on March 19; Uruguay, on the second Sunday of July; Brazil, on the second Sunday of August; Nepal, on the new moon of September; Luxembourg, on the first Sunday of October; Norway, on the second Sunday of November; and Thailand, on December 5. In South Korea there is no separate Father's Day, but Parents' Day (어버이 날) is celebrated on May 8. Usually, individuals give a carnation and presents to their parents and may sing the Parents' Day song.

Traditional St. Joseph's Altar in New Orleans

Many countries from all around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, celebrate Father's Day on the third Sunday in June, as in the United States. People celebrate the occasion by honoring their father and presenting popular gifts like greeting cards, flowers, candy, and neckties. Father's Day has been greatly commercialized in England with aggressive advertising campaigns to encourage buying gifts and cards. Although there is much criticism of over-commercialization, others suggest that such marketing does have positive impact by creating awareness of the day and thus strengthening the bond between fathers and their children.

In the Roman Catholic tradition, Fathers are celebrated on Saint Joseph's Day, commonly called the Feast of Saint Joseph, March 19, is in Western Christianity the principal feast day of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Virgin Mary. The Feast of St. Joseph or Solemnity of Saint Joseph In New Orleans, Louisiana, which was a major port of entry for Sicilian immigrants during the late nineteenth century, the Feast of St. Joseph is a city-wide event. However, in most countries Father's Day is a secular celebration.

Argentina

Father's Day on Argentina is celebrated on the third Sunday of June, but there have been several attempts to change it to August 24 to honor the day when the "Father of the Nation," José de San Martín, became a father. The schools in Mendoza Province continued to celebrate Father's Day on August 24, and in 1982, the Provincial Governor passed a law declaring Father's Day in the province be celebrated on August 24.

In 2004, several proposals to change the date to August 24 were presented to the Argentinian Camara de Diputados. It was approved, and it was passed on to the Senate of Argentina for final review and approval. The Senate changed the proposed new date to the third Sunday of August, and scheduled the project for approval. However, the proposal was never voted on by the Senate in the planned session, which caused its failure.

Costa Rica

In Costa Rica, the Unidad Social Cristiana party presented a bill to change the celebration of the day from the third Sunday of June to March 19, the day of Saint Joseph. That was in order to give tribute to this saint, who gave the name to the capital of the country San José, Costa Rica, and so family heads will be able to celebrate the Father's Day at the same time as the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker. The official date is still third Sunday of June.

Germany

Hiking/drinking tour on Herrentag

In Germany, there is no such thing as Father's Day as celebrated throughout the Western world. There are two terms and/or events of an older origin that while similar in name, have entirely different meanings. Vatertag, is always celebrated on Ascension Day (the Thursday 40 days after Easter), which is a federal holiday. Regionally, it is also called men's day, Männertag, or gentlemen's day, Herrentag. It is tradition to do a males-only hiking tour with one or more smaller wagons, Bollerwagen, pulled by manpower. In the wagons are wine or beer (according to region) and traditional regional food, Hausmannskost, which could be Saumagen, Liverwurst, Blutwurst (Blood Sausage), vegetables, eggs, etc.

Some parts of Germany (such as Bavaria and the northern part of Germany) call this particular day "Vatertag," which is the literal equivalent to Father's Day.

Taiwan

In Taiwan, Father's Day is not an official holiday, but is widely observed on August 8, the eighth day of the eighth month of the year. In Mandarin Chinese, the pronunciation of the number 8 is bā. This pronunciation is very similar to the character "爸" "bà," which means "papa" or "father." The Taiwanese, therefore, usually call August 8 by its nickname, "Bābā Day" (爸爸節).

Thailand

In Thailand, Father's Day is set as the birthday of the king. December 5 is the birthday of current king, Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). Thai people wear a yellow cloth, which is the king's color. Young male celebrants present the flower of Father's Day, Canna (Dok put ta ruk sa), to their father, grandfather, or parents in the hope that they can become a man.

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Schmidt, Leigh Eric (1995). Consumer Rites: The Buying & Selling of American Holidays. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0691029801
• Sechrist, Elizabeth Hough (1965). Red Letter Days: A Book of Holiday Customs. Philadelphia: Macrae Smith Co. OCLC 492111
• Travers, Len (2006). Encyclopedia of American Holidays and National Days. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0313331305

External links

• Proclamations by US Presidents on Father's Day, from George W. Bush and Bill Clinton

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