Father’s Day – 20th June 2010
For centuries, countries all over the world have venerated and idealised mothers – and the tradition of Mothering Sunday has always been celebrated in style. Fathers on the other hand didn’t get much of a look in at all!
When the idea of instituting a day to commemorate fathers was first put forward in the USA in 1911, it was met with a certain amount of laughter and derision on the part of the media and public. Why this should have been so is not clear - presumably fathers were deemed far too macho to need any public manifestation of affection…
A Modern Day Father’s Day
Origins of the modern Father’s Day are attributed to several sources, but it’s most likely that we have to thank a young lady called Sonora Smart Dodd, who lived in Spokane in Washington in the early twentieth century.
The story goes that whilst listening to a Mother’s Day sermon at the local church, Sonora was inspired to arrange a tribute for her own father – a Civil War veteran named William Jackson Smart – who had raised a family of six including a newborn, after the death of his wife in childbirth.
Later, Sonora decided to try to make the celebration official, receiving the backing of the church and the YMCA and in 1913, after much lobbying, the bill was introduced to Congress.
Thank You, Richard Nixon
Although Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Calvin Coolidge supported the idea, it was President Lyndon Johnson who signed a Proclamation in 1966 to make the third Sunday of June a federal holiday, and in 1972 President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father’s Day.
The commemoration was for grandfathers and forefathers, as well as providing recognition of the role played by the patriarchal member of the family unit, that contributed so much towards creating a stronger and more stable society.
In the meantime, commercialization linked to the event had set in, and as early as 1938 the National Council for the Promotion of Father’s Day, formed from the Associated Menswear Retailers, was incorporated to turn the day into an opportunity for profit.
The tradition of Father’s Day soon spread to other countries and is observed on the same day as the US in 52 different countries. In predominantly Catholic countries, Father’s Day takes place on Ascension Day.
Celebrations take many forms: in Germany ,for example, Vaterstag is an opportunity to do some male bonding and get drunk, as men across the country go off on hiking tours pulling small wagons called böllerwagen – that contain wine, beer and regional food.
Thank You, Dad
Nowadays, fathers are expected to be nurturers as well as bread winners, and are more likely to spend time completing daily household chores, filling the washing machine, emptying dishwashers, cooking and looking after the children as much as mothers.
It’s become customary to buy the old man a pair of socks or even a tie on Father’s Day to show how much you love him, but this year, how about surprising him with something a bit out of the ordinary?
Here’s some ideas guaranteed to bring a smile to dad’s face:
arrange a picnic where you can play some of his favourite sports or games, or go on a cycle ride with him;
invite his buddies round for a fathers’ get together,
cook a special Father’s Day meal (steak and chips goes down well!);
buy him a gift with his name engraved upon it – like mugs, wallets, a shaving kit or a tankard;
treat him to an Experience Day (he’s always wanted to go sky diving!),
take him out for a meal in his favourite pub;
buy him a ticket for a concert or football match or a t-shirt printed with a photo of you, his loving offspring…
…go on, you know he’ll appreciate it!
Traditions of Father’s Day
According to historians, Father’s Day was celebrated as long as 4,000 years ago, as evidenced by a clay tablet found in the ruins of Babylon that holds a carved a message wishing a father a long and healthy life from his young son Elmesu.
The tradition appeared to continue with the Romans, who honoured their dead fathers every February, but in most countries any celebration didn’t survive the transition to more modern times.