Father's Day is a beautiful festival that acknowledges and appreciates
the important role played by a father in raising the child and
consequently building a stronger society. Though fathers have been
revered at all times by civilizations across the globe ironically what
was missing until the last century was the official recognition of the
significance of fathers in ones life. Father's Day story is the tale of
realization of the need for a Father's Day festival primarily by Ms
Sonora Louise Smart Dodd of Washington. The story narrates Sonora's
unflagging struggle to officially set a day to honor all fathers. Thanks
to Sonora, today Fathers Day is celebrated in a large number of
countries around the world.
The Beginning of Father's Day Story
Historians have recorded that there was a tradition to celebrate
Father's Day even thousands of years ago. Their study say that 4,000
years ago in Babylon a son called Elmesu carved a father's day message
on a clay card. In his message Elmesu wished his father a long and
healthy life. There is no knowledge as to what happened to this father
son duo but it is believed that several countries retained the custom of
celebrating Father's Day.
Genesis of Father's Day in Modern Society
The tradition of celebrating Father's Day as seen today originated in
the last century. Though there are several people who are credited for
furthering the cause of Father's Day, there is far greater acceptance
for Ms Sonora Louise Smart Dodd's contribution. A doting daughter from
Spokane, Washington, Ms Dodd is recognized as the Founder or Mother of
the Father's Day Festival.
Inception of the Father's Day took place in Sonora's mind when she
happened to hear a Mother's Day sermon in 1909. Sonora, who was 27 then,
had begun to recognize the hardships her father must have gone through
while bringing up his six children alone. When Sonora was 16, her mother
had died during childbirth. Sonora's father a Civil War veteran by the
name of William Jackson Smart raised six children including the newborn
on his own. Sonora questioned that if there is a day to recognize
mothers then why is not there a day to honor fathers?
Many people laughed and joked at Sonora's idea. But her will did not
droop. She began a sincere campaign lobbying for the cause of Father's
Day. Her hard work began to show signs of success when Spokane
celebrated its first Father's Day on June 19, 1910 with the support of
Spokane Ministerial Association and the local Young Men's Christian
Association (YMCA). To pay tribute to her affectionate father, Sonora
wished that Father's Day be celebrated on her father's birthday on June
5, but it so happened that there was not enough time for preparation and
the day came to be celebrated on third Sunday in the month of June.
The noble idea of celebrating Father's Day became quite popular in US
so much so that President Woodrow Wilson approved of the festival in
1916. President Calvin Coolidge too supported the idea but it was
President Lyndon Johnson who signed a Presidential Proclamation
declaring the third Sunday of June as Father's Day in 1966. Then in
1972, President Richard Nixon established a permanent national
observance of Father's Day to be held on the third Sunday of June.
Fathers Day Celebration in Present Time
Father's Day has become a hugely popular festival. World over people
thank their father and pay tribute to them. Most commonly children gift
Father's Day cards and flowers to their father. Neckties are a popular
gift on the occasion of Father's Day. Due to the tradition of giving
gifts, cards makers, florists and gift sellers campaign for Father's Day
Festival in a big way and cash in on the sentiments of the people.
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