Last month we touched on Mother’s Day. Let us not forget all of those Dads out there. Sunday, June 16th is Father’s Day.
The nation’s first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in the state of Washington. However, it was not until 1972–58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official–that the day honoring fathers became a nationwide holiday in the United States. Celebrating the nation’s fathers did not gather the same hype as did Mother’s Day. It didn’t have the same sentimental appeal. That first Washington celebration was launched by the daughter of a widower who had raised six children. Sonora Smart Dodd pursued the idea and approached local churches, business owners and government officials to rally support for her efforts. The holiday spread and in 1924 President Calvin Coolidge promoted the observance of Father’s Day. It wasn’t until 1972, when President Richard Nixon signed a proclamation making Father’s Day a federal holiday.
While Father’s Day is a popular time to spend on those we love, the average $12 billion spent each year is just about half of what is spent on Mother’s Day.
* history.com, muchneeded.com & hallmark.com.