Sunday, June 19 is the day when we celebrate fathers all over the world.
The first Father's Day occurred in Fairmont, W.V. on July 5, 1908 by Grace Golden Clayton, who was mourning the loss of her father in a mining disaster that killed over 350 men, 250 of them fathers. Clayton made a suggestion to the pastor of her church that the town honor those men.
At the time, Father's Day was only a town celebration and spent much of its time overshadowed by other events, including Independence Day. Because of that, it wasn't celebrated again until 1910 when Spokane, Wash. decided to hold a Father's Day celebration. June 19, 1910 became the official first Father's Day.
In 1913, Congress proposed a bill to nationally recognize the holiday, but it didn't happen for fear that the the day would become commercialized. It wasn't until 1966 that President Lyndon B. Johnson issued a presidential proclamation honoring fathers, and it wasn't until 1972 when President Richard Nixon finally signed a bill into law making Father's Day a national holiday.
Here are five fun facts about Father's Day:
The Official Flower Of Father's Day Is The Rose
The official flower for the day we honor dad is the rose, and in many countries, people wear roses on that day. Tradition dictates that one wear a red rose if the father is alive and a white rose if the father is deceased.
Neckties Are Still The Most Common Father's Day Gift
Although casual apparel rules supreme in this day and age, the most common gift to dads on Father's Day is still the necktie. The custom of a tie as a gift began in the 1920s and even appeared on greeting cards at the time. Even in 2016, dads will receive neckties more than any other gift.
"Father's Day" Or "Fathers' Day?"
It might make more sense if the holiday was known as "Fathers' Day," signifying multiple fathers, but during Congress' first attempt at passing a bill signifying the day as a national holiday, someone misspelled it and it forever became "Father's Day."
Father's Day Is The Fourth-Largest Holiday For Cards
According to Hallmark, Father's Day marks the fourth-largest card-sending holiday of the year. Consumers buy nearly 75 million Father's Day cards each year. Of those cards, about 50 percent are bought for dads, with 20 percent bought for husbands. The rest go to grandfathers, sons, brothers and uncles.
The First Father's Day Card Appeared 4,000 Years Ago
Father's Day might seem like a modern holiday, but one boy named Elmesu carved a special message to his dad 4,000 years ago. Archaeologists found a clay tablet in the ruins of Babylon, with a message from the boy wishing his father good health and a long life.
Photo: Andy Bullock | Flickr
