Father's Day is quickly approaching and we've got some fan-{tache}-tic gift ideas for the special man in your life. And after you've bought your gift, sit back, relax and enjoy a little fun history lesson about Father's Day below:
Now for the history part...let’s take a trip back to Spokane, Washington in 1910. A woman named Sonora Dodd wanted to create an equivalent to Mother’s Day for male parents. Dodd was one of six children raised by a widower and wanted to honor her father. With local support and aid from government officials, the state proclaimed and celebrated the nation’s first Father’s Day on July 19, 1910, Dodd’s father’s birthday. The holiday slowly spread and finally, in 1972, President Nixon signed a proclamation making Father’s Day a nationwide holiday.
The holiday is celebrated many ways around the world. In Thailand, Father’s Day is celebrated on December 5th along with the birthday of the King Bhumibol Adulyade. The Thai people loved the King very much and consider him “The Father of the Nation.” It is a tradition for everyone to wear yellow on this day, which is the official color of Monday, the day of the week the King was born. The day begins with children giving their fathers a masculine plant, the Canna flower.
Father’s Day celebrations in South Africa are similar to those here in the US. Gifts include flowers, cards, neckties, and other presents. It is typical for South Africans to have picnics on this holiday, or spend part of the day fishing with hopes of catching something for dinner. The day is meant to celebrate the role of fathers in the lives of their children.
Is your family looking to start a new Father’s Day tradition? Look no further and take a cue from these cultures. Wear your dad’s favorite color to celebrate him or go fishing with him! Make the day special -- just like your dad!