Father's Day, also known as "Not ANOTHER tie" day, comes to us each June as we celebrate the men in our lives who are fathers, grandfathers or fatherly-figures. This article will show you that not only mothers deserve our appreciation! There are many facts, myths, and history associated with Father's Day, and we are going to share those with you as well as giving you some creative celebration ideas.
Father's Day was first proposed as a holiday in 1909 from an idea from Mrs. John B. Dodd, of Washington. Mrs. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart. William Smart, a Civil War veteran, was widowed when his wife (Mrs. Dodd's mother) died in childbirth with their sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other five children by himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington state.
It was after Mrs. Sonora Dodd became an adult that she realized the selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent. It was her father that made all the parental sacrifices and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a courageous, selfless, and loving man. Sonora's father was born in June, so with support from the Spokane Ministerial Association and the YMCA, she chose to hold the first Father's Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910.
Then in 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day. President Richard Nixon signed the law which finally made it permanent in 1972.
According to Hallmark, "Father’s Day is the fourth-largest card-sending occasion with nearly 95 million Father’s Day cards expected to be given this year [2006] in the United States."
Yet it is another statistic related to the day that is more impressive: While Mother's Day is the biggest holiday for phone calls, Father's Day is the busiest for collect calls. (The overall busiest day of the year for phone calls is the Monday after Thanksgiving.)
So what should you get dear old dad for Father's Day this year? Not a present from 1-800-COLLECT I hope! Actually, many polls have shown that neckties, cologne and underwear/socks were what they wanted the LEAST for Father's Day. Let's chalk that one up to "women not knowing what to buy for men". However what men DO want happens to be a pretty fascinating (if not a bit predictable) list.
Ranking number one on what men want for Father's Day is dinner out at their favorite restaurant - well they do have that saying, that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach! Second on the list is electronics items - no big surprise there, men love gadgets. Also ranking up there in the gifts department are "time to do what they want" and "sports related items".
Of course, every father figure in our lives is a unique individual, and as with every other holiday, it should always be the thought that counts. If you think that soap-on-a-rope best expresses your emotional fondness, caring, and joy for the man in your life, by all mean, soap-on-a-rope it shall be! This Father's Day, make sure you take some time out to remember and thank that special father figure in your own life, and let them know how much you appreciate their hard work and love.
