Father’s Day, as we know it today, primarily originated in the United States in the early 20th century.

The most widely credited individual for its creation is Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington. In 1909, after hearing a sermon about Mother’s Day, she felt that fathers deserved a similar day of recognition. Her father, a Civil War veteran named William Jackson Smart, had raised her and her five siblings as a single parent after their mother died in childbirth. Dodd wanted to honor his dedication and hard work. She proposed the idea to local religious leaders, and the first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in Spokane, chosen because it was her father’s birth month.

While there was an earlier, one-time commemoration for fathers in Fairmont, West Virginia, in 1908, after a tragic mining disaster, it was Dodd’s persistent efforts that led to the widespread adoption of the holiday. It slowly gained popularity across the US and was eventually made a national holiday in 1972 by President Richard Nixon.
In the UK, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June, aligning with the date established in the United States.

While some European Catholic countries have historically celebrated fatherhood on Saint Joseph’s Day (March 19th) since the Middle Ages, the modern secular Father’s Day in the UK is a more recent adoption. It gained popularity in the UK after World War II, largely influenced by the American tradition.

We celebrate it in the UK to acknowledge and honor the vital role fathers and father figures play in families and society. It’s a day for children and families to express their love, gratitude, and appreciation for the guidance, support, and sacrifices of paternal figures. This often involves giving cards, gifts, and spending quality time together.

Nowadays it is basically another secular commercial exploitation with any of the original meaning now long gone.

Anyway, Happy Father’s Day.

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