| Holiday Insight: Father's Day |
General Information
Fathers are special people. Most of them work long, hard hours to support their families and give them the best life possible. Dads play baseball and football with their sons, take their daughters on special outings, wash the car, and fix the plumbing. Don't they deserve a special day?
Each June on Father's Day, families treat Dad to dinner out or a special day of Dad-centered activities. Many give Dad the day off from his numerous responsibilities, allowing Father to just sit back and relax and enjoy a free day. Some shower him with presents and greeting cards or e-cards.
History of Father's Day
The most widely accepted story on the origin of Father's Day comes from Spokane, Washington. Sonora Smart Dodd, who grew up without a mother, was looking for a way to honor her father who had raised six children single-handedly. She brought the idea to her minister and fellow church members who embraced the idea and held the first Father's Day celebration on June 19, 1909.
Other states soon began to pick up on the tradition that the state of Washington had established and by 1924, Calvin Coolidge declared the holiday a national event. In 1966, Lyndon Johnson proclaimed Father's Day an official national holiday and in 1972, Richard Nixon signed into law a permanent U.S. Father's Day to be observed on the third Sunday of June. Many other countries celebrate this event as well.
Date of Celebration
Father's Day is celebrated annually on the third Sunday in June.
| Year | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
| Date | June 19 | June 18 | June 17 | June 15 | June 21 | June 20 |
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