Sonora
Smart Dodd
Happy Father's Day!
In the United States, the driving force
behind the establishment of the celebration of Father's Day was Mrs.
Sonora Smart Dodd, born in Creston, Washington. Her father, the Civil
War veteran William Jackson Smart, as a single parent raised his six
children in Spokane, Washington. She was inspired by Anna Jarvis's
efforts to establish Mother's Day. Mrs. John B. Dodd, of Washington,
first proposed the idea of a "father's day" in 1909. Although
she initially suggested June 5, the anniversary of her father's death,
she did not provide the organizers with enough time to make
arrangements, and the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday of
June. The first Father's Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in
Spokane.
Unofficial support from such figures as William Jennings Bryan was
immediate and widespread. President Woodrow Wilson was personally so
feted by his family in 1916. President Calvin Coolidge recommended it as
a national holiday in 1924. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson made
Father's Day a holiday to be celebrated on the third Sunday of June. The
holiday was not officially recognized until 1972, during the presidency
of Richard Nixon.
David Ward CEO
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Happy
Father's Day!
This issue is devoted entirely to Father's Day. So, sit back and
enjoy, we're not going to try to sell you anything!
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Father's
Day, contrary to popular belief, was not established as a holiday in
order to help greeting card manufacturers sell more cards. In fact when
a "Father's Day" was first proposed there were no Father's Day
cards!
Father's Day is a day of commemoration and celebration of Dad. It is a
day to not only honor your father, but all men who have acted as a
father figure in your life - whether as Stepfathers, Uncles,
Grandfathers, or "Big Brothers."
It is a time of burnt toast and breakfast in bed, family gatherings,
crayon scribbled "I Love You"s, and of course, that lovely new
tie!
Father's Day is a holiday to celebrate fatherhood and parenting by
males, just as Mother's Day celebrates motherhood. Typically giving
gifts to fathers and celebrating as a family is the main event of the
day. Father's Day is celebrated in different countries at differing
times through the year.
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Father's
Day exists almost all over the world to honor and commemorate fathers
or forefathers. In the Roman Catholic tradition, Father's Day is
celebrated on Saint Joseph's Day, March 19, though in most countries
Father's Day is a secular celebration.
Countries that observe Father's Day on the third Sunday of June
include Argentina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, France, Hong Kong
S.A.R., India, Pakistan, Ireland, Japan, Macao S.A.R., Malaysia,
Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore,
Slovakia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States,
and Venezuela.
Countries with other celebration dates:
Austria: second Sunday of June
Australia: first Sunday of September
Belgium: St Joseph's day (March 19), and the second Sunday of June
(Secular)
Brazil: second Sunday of August
Bulgaria: June 20
Denmark: June 5 (also Constitution Day)
Dominican Republic: last Sunday of July
Estonia: second Sunday of November
Finland: second Sunday of November
Germany: Ascension Day
Italy: March 19
Lithuania: first Sunday of June
New Zealand: first Sunday of September
Norway: second Sunday of November
Poland: June 23
Portugal: March 19
Russia: February 23 (Defender of the Fatherland Day, a military
holiday, seen by many as a men's day)
South Korea: May 8 (Parents' Day)
Spain: March 19
Sweden: second Sunday of November
Thailand: December 5 (birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej)
Taiwan: August 8
The word for the date, b¨¡ b¨¡, (8/8) is a near- homophone of the
word for father in Chinese, "°Ö°Ö" b¨¤ba. |
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Fathers
Day Poems
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on... |
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