What Are the Origins of Father's Day?

The idea for Father's Day originally came from Sonorra Smart Dodd, the daughter of Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart. Mrs. Dodd and her brothers had been raised by their father alone after her mother died giving birth. The year was 1910, two years after the first Mother's Day was observed in West Virginia. Mrs. Dodd wanted not only to honor her father, but fathers everywhere for the sacrifices they have made for their families, and especially for their children. Today, we carry on that tradition of honoring the father, often offering gifts from places Charles Tyrwhitt and Thompson Cigar to commemorate the occasion.

The History of Father's Day

The observance was not made official for many years, but people everywhere wanted to have a special day to celebrate their father's lives and accomplishments. Eventually, fathers were honored with cards, gifts and memorable family celebrations. Greeting card manufacturers had been designing cards for Mother's Day for years, and started designing cards to honor father on their special day. Retailers began selling Father's Day gift items, and Father's Day has become one of the top holidays every year for retailers.

The first Father's Day observance was held in Spokane, Washington, the home of Sonorra Smart Dodd and her family. Mrs. Dodd was listening to a sermon about Mother's Day when the thought about an observance in honor of fathers first came to her. She spoke to local civic leaders about her idea. Local clergy and members of the YMCA in Spokane were in favor of the observance, but wanted the date of the first observance to be June 19th, allowing them ample time to prepare sermons for their congregations.

William Jennings Bryan was one of the first notable figures to endorse and speak about Father's Day. Congress wouldn't approve Father's Day as a nationwide observance, and it wasn't until 1916 that a President, Woodrow Wilson, and his family observed Father's Day. In 1924, Calvin Coolidge proclaimed that the states could observe Father's Day in their own way. His hope was that the observance would help to establish closer relationships between fathers and their children.

The National Observance

Senator Margaret Chase Smith, from the state of Maine, was an advocate for Father's Day, and in 1957, she stated that either both parents should be honored by a special day, or neither should be celebrated. Sen. Smith's feeling was that to honor one parent but not the other was an insult. Efforts continued to make Father's Day an official observance, but it didn't happen until 1972. The holiday was officially established by President Nixon.

Father's Day Gifts

Father's Day has become the 5th largest selling day all year for the greeting card industry. It's also observed by treating dad to a special celebration at a restaurant or getting tickets to a special event. To commemorate the day in a very special way, find a gift that expresses his personality and is something he'll really love.

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