Father's Day

About Father's Day:

Father's Day is a secular celebration, non-religious and non-government, now celebrated around the world, but inaugurated in the early twentieth century in Spokane, Washington to complement Mother's Day. En essence it celebrates fatherhood and parenting by males, and it honors and commemorates fathers and forefathers. Father's Day is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide and typically involves gift-giving to fathers and family-oriented activities.

Father’s Day first started in West Virginia around 1909. Sonora Smart Dodd, was a driving force behind Father's Day as she wanted to show her appreciation and gratitude for her father, single parent and Civil war veteran, who cared for her and her five siblings  in Spokane, Washington.  She suggested Father’s Day to be on June 5th, the anniversary of his death, but the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday in June and celebrated for the first time June 19, 1910.

Fun Facts:

• President Calvin Coolidge recommended it as a national holiday in 1924.
• President Lyndon Johnson officially designed the 3rd Sunday in June to be Father’s Day in 1966
• The holiday was not officially recognized until 1972 when President Richard Nixon was in office
• Roses are Father’s Day national flower. Red represents your father if living and white if your father has passed away

Activities:

• Make ugly Father’s Day ties out of material
• Write about the best time you had with your father
• Make a Father’s Day card
• Make matching Father’s Day t-shirts
• Make a Father’s Day munch mix with anything from m & ms to pretzels